Roche

Internship: AI-Driven RNA Splicing Modeling for Therapeutic Design (Basel, 6-9 months)

Basel Full time

At Roche you can show up as yourself, embraced for the unique qualities you bring. Our culture encourages personal expression, open dialogue, and genuine connections,  where you are valued, accepted and respected for who you are, allowing you to thrive both personally and professionally. This is how we aim to prevent, stop and cure diseases and ensure everyone has access to healthcare today and for generations to come. Join Roche, where every voice matters.

The Position

We are seeking an Intern (Machine Learning – RNA Splicing) in Basel, Switzerland to support a translational R&D project focused on applying sequence-based AI models to RNA splicing and therapeutic design.

As a Computational Sciences Center of Excellence (CS CoE) AIBT intern, you will collaborate with experts in machine learning and computational biology to advance the systematic use of splicing prediction models in therapeutic research.

The new CS CoE is a unified strategic group designed to harness AI and data to help pRED and gRED scientists deliver innovative medicines faster. Within the CS CoE, the AI for Biology and Translation (AIBT) department develops and applies cutting-edge machine learning methods at the intersection of biology and clinical science.

The Opportunity

In this internship, your mission is to operationalize and evaluate machine learning models that predict RNA splicing directly from DNA or pre-mRNA sequence.

You will:

  • Integrate and benchmark state-of-the-art splicing prediction models

  • Develop reproducible pipelines for sequence scoring

  • Support model-guided design and prioritization of therapeutic sequence constructs

  • Contribute to structured benchmarking against experimental data

  • Contribute to documentation and usability to enable broader adoption by researchers

The goal is to improve the robustness, interpretability, and usability of sequence-to-function models in a translational research setting.

Who You Are

  • You hold a Master’s degree within the past 12 months, or you are currently enrolled in a Master’s or PhD program in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Machine Learning, Computer Science, or a related field.

  • Strong programming skills in Python

  • Experience with machine learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch or TensorFlow)

  • Familiarity with RNA and DNA  biology

  • Experience with reproducible research workflows (Git, HPC/cloud environments)

  • Strong communication skills and proficiency in English (written and spoken) are required.

Additionally beneficial:

  • Experience with deep learning for biological sequences and knowledge of RNA splicing biology

  • Familiarity with AAV gene therapy or RNA therapeutics, furthermore track record of scientific software development

  • Experience operationalizing ML models and building lightweight user-facing tools

Application Process

  • To be considered, your application must include a CV and a cover letter (optionally including publications or relevant project work).

  • Non EU/EFTA students must prove that they are enrolled at the University during the full duration of their internship and that the internship is a mandatory part of their curriculum.

Additional Information

  • This position is based in Basel, Switzerland.

  • Duration: 6–9 months. 

  • The internship is not suitable for writing a Master thesis.

Ready to take the next step? We'd love to hear from you.

 

 

Who we are

A healthier future drives us to innovate. Together, more than 100’000 employees across the globe are dedicated to advance science, ensuring everyone has access to healthcare today and for generations to come. Our efforts result in more than 26 million people treated with our medicines and over 30 billion tests conducted using our Diagnostics products. We empower each other to explore new possibilities, foster creativity, and keep our ambitions high, so we can deliver life-changing healthcare solutions that make a global impact.


Let’s build a healthier future, together.

Roche is an Equal Opportunity Employer.