Roche Posted August 25, 2026

Head, Ophthalmology Precision Medicine, Medical Director (MD)

Welwyn, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom FULL_TIME
Medical Affairs Ophthalmology Director
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Roche is the source of truth for this posting and owns the application process. We surface normalized context and market comparison you won't find on the original listing.

About this opportunity

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

Within Pharma Research & Early Development (pRED), our Ophthalmology teams are redefining how precision medicine can transform the detection and treatment of complex retinal diseases. This is a rare opportunity to build a new function from the ground up, establishing an Ophthalmology Precision Medicine group at our Welwyn site that brings together biomarker science, advanced imaging, clinical expertise, and artificial intelligence. You will have the platform, pipeline, and resources to shape something truly new in one of the most dynamic areas of ophthalmic research.

The Opportunity

Build a new Ophthalmology Precision Medicine function from the ground up, defining the vision, structure, and scientific direction for a group that integrates biomarkers, advanced imaging, clinical science, and AI across the pRED Ophthalmology portfolio.

Lead a cross-functional expert team spanning translational medicine, imaging, clinical development, data science, and biomarker disciplines, ensuring precision medicine is at the heart of our Ophthalmology strategy.

Bridge laboratory science and clinical practice by steering the generation of robust fluid- and imaging biomarker strategies that enable project and disease area decisions.

Advance innovation in imaging science by directing cutting-edge ophthalmic imaging approaches including OCT, OCT-A, and FA to inform future clinical practice and therapeutic development.

Enable translational insights through AI and data by integrating preclinical and clinical datasets using classical and next-generation analytical approaches.

Influence portfolio strategy across multiple retinal diseases including neovascular AMD, diabetic macular edema, geographic atrophy, and intermediate AMD, driving the direction and future of clinical development and research.

Represent Roche externally through strong partnerships with scientific experts, investigators, and the broader ophthalmology community, remaining at the forefront of innovation.

Who you are

You are a board-certified ophthalmologist (MD or MD/PhD) with deep expertise in ophthalmology, translational medicine, or biomedical sciences.

You are a recognised expert in the retina space, with a strong scientific publication record and standing as a key opinion leader in your field.

You have deep knowledge of ophthalmic imaging technologies (OCT, OCT-A, FA) and experience with imaging analysis or Reading Centre environments.

You are experienced in integrating preclinical and clinical data to support proof of biology, efficacy, and safety strategies, with some exposure to clinical trials.

You are a collaborative scientific leader who thrives in matrix environments, energised by innovation and the opportunity to build something new.

Preferred

Experience applying AI or machine learning to ophthalmic imaging analysis or clinical data interpretation.

Prior experience in pharmaceutical drug development programmes for retinal diseases.

Flexible working arrangements may be available for exceptional candidates who wish to maintain some clinical activity alongside this role.

If building a world-class precision medicine function and shaping the future of ophthalmic therapy development is the kind of challenge that excites you, apply now and help us bring transformative medicines to patients faster.

 

 

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.

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees, and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of Roche Products Ltd. At Roche Products we believe diversity drives innovation and we are committed to building a diverse and flexible working environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion or belief, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, disability or age. We recognise the importance of flexible working and will review all applicants’ requests with care. At Roche difference is valued and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer where you are encouraged to bring your whole self to work.

Job details

Seniority
Director
Function
Medical Affairs
Therapeutic area
Ophthalmology
Location
Welwyn, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
Employment type
FULL_TIME

How this role compares

Computed from every other active Medical Affairs role in our database, not just this employer's listings.

We currently track 254 comparable Director Medical Affairs roles across 47 biopharma companies.

254Comparable roles tracked
240Currently active
47Companies hiring similar roles
20Countries represented

Salary context

131 of 254 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)

Peers share this role's job function and a matching or adjacent seniority level -- not necessarily the same therapeutic area or country.

This roleSubject Not listed on this posting
Lowest disclosed · Principal Strategic Medical Writer · AbbVie $109,500/yr – $208,500/yr
Highest disclosed · Sr Medical Director (Heme Oncology) (Boston, US) · Servier $298/hr – $350/hr (≈ $619,840–$728,000/yr)
Peer group range $159,000 – $673,920 (median $264,000)

Where these roles are based

Top locations among the 254 comparable roles

United States195
United Kingdom14
Switzerland8
China's Mainland8
Japan6
Spain4

+ 14 more countries

Seniority mix

254 of 254 peers have a known seniority level

Director225
Senior Director22
Principal7

Therapeutic area mix

111 of 254 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden

Oncology53
Neuroscience14
Immunology10
Respiratory8
Cardiovascular / CVRM7
Vaccines & Infectious Disease6
Rare Disease6
Dermatology & Aesthetics5
Ophthalmology1
Gastroenterology1

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Notify me about similar jobs

Get an email when we spot other openings like this one – same job function, comparable seniority, roles you'd actually want to see.

How we calculate "similar"

No black box, no LLM guesswork: a deterministic score built from four normalized attributes. Here's this role's own peer group at different match levels, so you can see the mechanism, not just the result.

Every comparison starts from the same 100-point budget: 25 for working in the same function, 40 for the same therapeutic area, 20 for the same or adjacent seniority, 15 for the same country. A dimension we can't confirm on both sides contributes nothing, never a guess, never a free pass.

85%
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Unmatched or unknown dimensions score exactly the same: 0 points, never a partial guess. A role we know almost nothing about beyond its function bottoms out at 25%; it never inflates to 100% just because there's little to compare against. Seniority uses a defined ladder (Associate → Manager → Associate Director → Senior → Principal → Director → Senior Director → Executive/VP) so "Director" and "Senior Director" count as adjacent, but "Director" and "Executive/VP" do not.