Innovation & Sustainability Intern

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

Internship in Innovation & Sustainability

For students in the field of Environmental Engineering, Sustainability Related Departments, Biochemistry, Materials Science, Biology, Molecular Biology, Bioprocess Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science or related Biotechnology / Life Sciences fields

Our Global Internship Programme in Innovation & Sustainability (#IP2TIS) offers a unique opportunity for passionate individuals to gain hands-on experience in the pharmaceutical industry while making a positive impact on the world.

Are you ready to join a global network spanning 20+ countries, where bright minds collaborate to tackle real-world challenges in Innovation & Sustainability? Do you want to work on impactful projects, shape the future, and drive change from within?

The Position

As an intern, you will contribute to a project focused on research on assessing & reducing the environmental impact of synthetic polymer excipients in the Pharmaceutical Industry by identifying and evaluating safer biodegradable alternatives. The project explores how polymers used in pharmaceutical formulations may contribute to microplastic pollution in municipal water systems and aims to support more sustainable product design in light of evolving regulatory expectations such as EU REACH 2026. Within your first 3 months, you are expected to assess target polymers, research promising biodegradable substitute materials, analyze supplier and production feasibility, and contribute to a final technical report and strategic roadmap. Your work will support Roche’s sustainability ambitions by addressing biodiversity and water-related impacts, advancing sustainable products, and encouraging the use of more environmentally responsible raw materials. This internship offers a high-impact opportunity to work on an innovative topic at the intersection of pharmaceutical science, sustainability, and environmental protection.

The Opportunity

• Conduct a product-based preliminary analysis of target polymers

• Research and evaluate potential biodegradable alternatives for relevant synthetic polymer excipients

• Assess production feasibility and supply landscape for alternative materials, including scalability, supplier availability, quality standards, and regulatory considerations

• Compare synthetic and biodegradable options across environmental impact, ecotoxicity, pharmaceutical performance, and compliance criteria

• Explore how polymer choice influences product life cycle sustainability, from raw material sourcing through use and disposal

• Support the development of a strategic roadmap for improving or replacing selected synthetic polymers with more sustainable alternatives

• Prepare a final technical report and presentation summarizing findings, trade-offs, and recommendations

• Collaborate with stakeholders across functions to gather input and support a multidisciplinary evaluation process

Who You Are

You are enrolled or have completed your Master’s or PhD studies at a university, preferably in the field of Environmental Engineering, Sustainability Related Departments, Biochemistry, Materials Science, Biology, Molecular Biology, Bioprocess Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science or related Biotechnology / Life Sciences within the last 12 months and are interested in applying your knowledge in a modern working environment as part of an internship of at least 3 months.

Preferred Qualifications Are

• Familiar with bioprocesses, biochemical or biological systems, and ideally with topics such as cell culture or biochemical engineering

• Knowledgeable about biodegradability and able to think about environmental implications across a product’s full life cycle

• Interested in sustainability concepts and the evaluation of material alternatives in a regulated environment

• Able to work in a multidisciplinary setting and communicate effectively with a broad range of stakeholders

• Fluent in English and able to work independently while contributing collaboratively to a complex technical project

If you meet most but not all qualifications, we still encourage you to apply.

Additional information

The internship is expected to start between 1 and 16 July 2026 and will last at least 3 months.

For more information about IP2TIS and to explore other opportunities within the programme, please visit go.roche.com/ip2tis_26

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.