Employee story

Published: 2023.05.12.
I am Jan and a passionate engineer. I joined Roche about five years ago and currently work in a global Digital & Operational Excellence role, helping to bring the latest technological and digital innovations to Roche Pharma’s technical operations.
I fulfilled a special dream of mine when I seized the chance to go on a job rotation in South San Francisco and work in Silicon Valley in 2022. There I not only got to know new people and ways of working but also had the opportunity to gain insights into the technology capital of the world. Equipped with these new experiences, in my new global role I am now connecting technology teams and forming new partnerships across the ocean.
During my time at Roche, I’ve had the opportunity to contribute to great things. Right at the beginning, I was given the responsibility to work on the local Smart Building programme at Roche’s headquarters in Basel. With that programme we wanted to make our new buildings as digital and interconnected as possible. Then I helped to strategically align our digital ambitions and establish topics like the Internet of Things (to connect different sensors and devices), digital and data strategy, and external partnerships. I am passionate about engineering and I am excited to push the boundaries of what is possible for pharma manufacturing with the use of new technologies, and to achieve the impossible for our colleagues and patients every day.


"If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work. Rather, teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea."
Jan Wokittel
Digital & Operational Excellence
slide 1 of 10 The Perspectives Programme is an excellent way of getting to know Roche and gain insights on how we are evolving personalised healthcare for the benefit of patients. It’s also a great way to focus on your strengths and the opportunities that lie ahead. Severin Schwan, CEO Roche