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The Position

About Roche Digital Technology (RDT)

Roche Digital Technology (RDT) is where innovation meets purpose. As a global team at the heart of Roche we are a community of business-minded technologists committed to help shape tomorrows digital future of healthcare. Our mission is to power Roche through cutting-edge digital technologies harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence data and scalable tech innovations. Driven by purpose and passion were building a future where digital is a core strength across all of Roche enabling smarter ways of working unlocking human potential and driving breakthroughs that truly matter for millions of patients around the world.

Role Summary

The responsible and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence is paramount to achieving this goal. The Head of AI Risks & Ethics is a senior leadership role reporting directly to the Chief AI Officer tasked with establishing and operationalizing a global framework that balances breakthrough AI innovation with robust governance and unwavering ethical standards.

You will lead a global team to build the essential guardrails that enable our scientists clinicians and business leaders to leverage AI confidently and compliantly. Your group will serve as the central hub of expertise on AI ethics risk management and regulatory compliance empowering teams across our Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics divisions.

The Opportunity:

• Risk & Ethics Framework: Design implement and lead the global framework for managing AI-specific risks. This includes establishing the ethical principles policies and control mechanisms that ensure responsible AI development and deployment in alignment with the overall AI strategy.

• Risk Management Framework: Design and operate a comprehensive risk management framework to identify assess and mitigate ethical legal security and reputational risks associated with AI systems from research to deployment.

• Strategic Partnership & Consulting: Act as a primary strategic partner to key leaders especially the Head of AI Strategy & Governance to embed ethical and risk-based considerations directly into the core AI lifecycle. Provide expert consultation to development teams on mitigating risks such as bias lack of transparency and privacy violations.

• Regulatory Leadership: Monitor the global regulatory landscape for AI (e.g. EU AI Act FDA/EMA guidelines) and translate complex requirements into actionable corporate policies and practical guidance for technical and non-technical audiences.

• Ethical Oversight & Review: Establish and chair an AI Ethics Board or review council to provide oversight for high-risk AI use cases ensuring alignment with Roches values and patient-centric mission.

• Leadership & Team Development: Lead and mentor a high-performing global team of AI risk and ethics specialists fostering a culture of expertise collaboration and pragmatic problem-solving.

• Culture & Enablement: Champion a culture of responsible AI innovation. Develop and deliver training and awareness programs to build AI literacy and ethical decision-making capabilities across the organization.

• GxP and Patient Data Compliance: Ensure that all AI governance frameworks and solutions deployed in regulated areas are fully compliant with GxP standards (e.g. 21 CFR Part 11) and global patient data privacy regulations (e.g. GDPR HIPAA).

Who you are:

• Education: Bachelors or Masters degree in a relevant field such as Computer Science Law Information Systems Bioethics or a related discipline. A combination of technical and legal/ethical education is highly advantageous.

• Experience:

  • A minimum of 10 years of overall professional experience in technology governance or risk management within a large global matrixed organization.

  • A mandatory 5 years of direct specialized experience in AI ethics AI governance or technology risk management.

  • Pharmaceutical or life sciences industry experience is strongly preferred to ensure credibility and ability to navigate the specific challenges of our industry.

• Leadership & Influence:

  • Proven experience leading and developing global teams with a track record of managing both direct and indirect reports.

  • Exceptional influencing skills with the ability to build consensus and drive alignment among senior stakeholders with diverse priorities.

• Technical & Regulatory Knowledge:

  • Deep understanding of AI/ML concepts model development lifecycles and associated risks (e.g. bias transparency security).

  • Expert knowledge of the global AI regulatory environment including the EU AI Act.

• Core Competencies:

  • Demonstrated executive presence and exceptional communication skills.

  • A pragmatic problem-solver who can create effective controls without stifling innovation.

  • High tolerance for navigating ambiguity and the ability to lead effectively in a rapidly evolving field.

Who we are

A healthier future drives us to innovate. Together more than 100000 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.

Lets build a healthier future together.