Search & Evaluation China Lead (Oncology)

Job description

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 The Opportunity Roche aims to be an innovation accelerator in China, collaborating with partners to jointly develop and deliver novel oncology therapies for patients across the world. As the Search and Evaluation (S&E) China Lead for Oncology, you will be at the center of our innovation sourcing efforts. You will be responsible for proactively supporting and maintaining key relationships with prioritized academic research centers, the Roche accelerator, venture capital investors, life science incubators, and the startup biotech ecosystem to ensure Roche is perceived as a “Partner of Choice” in the region.

This individual contributor role works closely with the Global Oncology S&E team and local Asian partnering teams to scout, triage, and conduct early scientific evaluations of new partnership opportunities that could shape the future of our oncology pipeline.

Responsibilities

External Search: Monitor the China oncology landscape to execute the sourcing strategy and engagement plan, ensuring alignment with the global Oncology Therapeutic Area (TA) end-to-end strategy.

Triage and Evaluation

Lead the triage process for incoming oncology opportunities. Partner closely with the Global Oncology S&E team and BDPLs (Business Development Project Leads) to conduct landscape analysis, initial scientific and commercial reviews to assess strategic fit.

Relationship Management

Build and maintain deep relationships with external biotechs, academic institutions, and the venture capital community in China. Serve as an external ambassador for our partnering organization at industry events.

Strategic Alignment

Build close relationships with relevant Roche/Genentech business units to contribute to strategy and requirements, developing the internal network necessary to champion new opportunities, including those that are potentially “off-strategy” but possess a compelling business case.

Due Diligence Support

Support the transition of identified high-priority opportunities to the formal Due Diligence phase through the transfer of background and scientific context to the BDPL team.

Conference Leadership

Lead business development preparations and execution for major scientific and partnering conferences relevant to the China oncology ecosystem.

Qualifications, Skills, and Experience Scientific Background

An advanced scientific degree (PhD, PharmD, MD, or similar) is required.

Scientific Expertise

Deep scientific expertise in oncology is required. Experience in cancer immunotherapy, targeted therapeutics, and cancer cell dependency pathways highly desirable. Candidates must demonstrate an ability to translate complex biology into actionable partnering opportunities.

Industry Experience

A minimum of 5–7 years of experience in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry, with a significant focus on oncology drug discovery or development.

Business Development Expertise

Previous experience in business development (sell-side or buy-side) within China is preferred. Alternatively, experience in pharmaceutical/biotech venture investment or management consulting is acceptable.

Assessment Skills

Demonstrated experience in supporting the assessment of competitive landscapes, scientific trends, and regional innovation ecosystems to inform regional action plans and conducting scientific due diligence.

Leadership & Collaboration

Proven ability to collaborate across functions, mentor colleagues, and influence project teams in a matrix organizational structure.

Communication

Highly capable of articulating Roche/Genentech’s value proposition and partnering interests to diverse audiences, both internally and externally.

Travel

Travel within China is expected, along with periodic trips to global conferences and Roche hubs (e.g., Basel/San Francisco). 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.