Roche – IT recruitment for a global pharmaceutical company

Ani Gasparyan

• DevsData LLC partnered with Roche to deliver contract-based engineering talent in support of digital transformation initiatives.
• The project was completed by successfully recruiting 2 Java Engineers, 1 React Developer, and 1 Data Engineer (Python) to strengthen Roche’s global IT capabilities.

To accelerate its digital transformation efforts, Roche partnered with DevsData LLC to quickly onboard specialized contract engineers. The collaboration focused on recruiting skilled professionals in Java, React, and Python to enhance Roche’s global IT operations and support critical projects without delay.

With over 8 years of experience in tech recruitment, DevsData LLC demonstrated its ability to match Roche’s evolving technical demands by sourcing experts with varied skill sets and domain knowledge. Leveraging its extensive talent network and proven expertise, DevsData LLC helped Roche rapidly scale its engineering team, enabling steady progress on key software and data initiatives within a compressed time frame.

Client Overview

Roche is one of the world’s largest and most innovative pharmaceutical companies, known for its commitment to advancing healthcare through cutting-edge research and medical diagnostics. With a global footprint and a strong focus on digital modernization, Roche consistently invests in building high-performance engineering teams to support its evolving technology landscape.

Project Summary

Roche needed expert software engineers on a tight timeline to avoid delays in data-critical projects. However, hiring in the pharmaceutical industry comes with its own set of challenges, including complex regulatory processes, limited talent availability, and strict quality standards. This is when the collaboration between DevsData LLC and Roche came to life. With several software and data-driven initiatives underway, Roche turned to DevsData LLC to quickly scale its engineering team with experienced contract professionals. The goal was to bring in developers who could immediately contribute across backend systems, frontend interfaces, and data infrastructure.

DevsData LLC was engaged to identify and deliver skilled engineers with strong technical capabilities in Java, React, and Python, all while meeting Roche’s high standards for quality, compliance, and enterprise readiness. The recruitment needed to be completed within 2 months to stay on track with urgent project timelines.

“Leveraging its global sourcing capabilities and a proprietary network of over 65,000 vetted professionals, DevsData LLC successfully conducted the search and placement process with minimal disruption to Roche’s existing workflows.”

To fully understand the complexity of this recruitment effort, it’s essential to know why hiring developers in the pharmaceutical sector presents unique challenges.

Why hiring developers in pharma is different

Pharmaceutical companies face distinct hurdles when recruiting software engineers. Strict regulatory frameworks and compliance standards require developers to possess advanced technical expertise and a deep understanding of industry-specific protocols, such as data security, privacy, and validation. The pool of candidates with this combined skill set is often limited, particularly for contract roles that demand fast integration into ongoing projects.

Beyond technical requirements, the work culture in pharma presents another layer of complexity. The industry is traditionally risk-averse and places strong emphasis on documentation, validation, and process control. These characteristics can conflict with developers’ preference for agile, iterative workflows and faster decision-making. This cultural gap can make it harder to hire and keep engineers unless expectations and ways of working are aligned early in the process.

Balancing the urgency of quick hiring with the necessity of maintaining high quality makes pharma tech recruitment uniquely complex, highlighting the need for precise and flexible sourcing approaches.

The challenge

Roche’s need to rapidly expand its IT capabilities came with several challenges. The company needed highly skilled engineers who could step in and start contributing immediately, as several software and data projects were already underway with tight deadlines. These roles demanded deep technical expertise in Java, React, and Python. These technologies are vital to Roche’s internal systems and research infrastructure. However, the positions were contract-based, which limited the pool of available candidates and made the recruitment process more complex.

Additionally, as a global pharmaceutical enterprise operating in a tightly regulated environment, Roche needed professionals who could deliver technically, adapt quickly to strict industry compliance standards, and collaborate effectively within distributed cross-functional teams. Thus, identifying such well-rounded professionals on a short timeline required precision and speed in the recruitment process.

The solution

Understanding Roche’s needs

To begin, DevsData LLC worked closely with Roche’s internal stakeholders to gain a clear understanding of the roles, project scope, and technical expectations. This initial discovery phase consisted of a series of structured consultations designed to align with core requirements, including programming expertise, industry experience, and the ability to work within Roche’s enterprise frameworks. These conversations laid the groundwork for a tailored recruitment strategy, allowing all efforts to remain sharply focused.

Targeted talent sourcing

With a firm grasp of Roche’s needs, DevsData LLC initiated a targeted search within its proprietary network of over 65,000 vetted software professionals. The team focused on identifying individuals with the right technical background in Java, React, and Python, as well as experience in regulated industries, such as BioTech or healthcare, and large-scale enterprise environments. Particular attention was given to candidates with a demonstrated ability to contribute quickly within cross-functional and distributed teams.

Rigorous candidate evaluation

All candidates underwent a comprehensive evaluation process designed to verify both technical proficiency and cultural fit. This included live coding interviews, scenario-based problem-solving tasks, and soft skills assessments. Only those who met DevsData LLC’s high standards were presented to Roche for final review, significantly reducing the burden on the client’s internal teams and increasing the likelihood of long-term success.

Contractor onboarding

Beyond recruitment, DevsData LLC managed the full contractor onboarding process. This included handling administrative tasks, contract negotiations, compliance documentation, and coordinating with Roche’s procurement teams. By streamlining these steps, DevsData LLC ensured a smooth transition for both the client and the selected candidates, allowing the engineers to start contributing to key projects without delay.

Results

The collaboration between Roche and DevsData LLC delivered strong, measurable outcomes. Within just 2 months, DevsData LLC successfully recruited and placed 4 highly skilled engineers on a contract basis:

• 2 Senior Java Engineers
• 1 React Developer
• 1 Data Engineer (Python)

All 4 hires were quickly and smoothly onboarded, stepping into their roles and contributing to active projects almost immediately. Working on backend systems, the Java engineers delivered significant improvements to the performance and scalability of Roche’s internal platforms. In parallel, the React developer revamped internal dashboards, resulting in simplified navigation and faster load times on dashboards. The data engineer focused on rebuilding and optimizing pipelines, which provided faster and more reliable access to critical data for reporting, analytics, and research. Their technical expertise, adaptability, and collaborative approach helped Roche stay on track with high-priority digital initiatives without disruption.

Roche provided highly positive feedback, citing the speed, professionalism, and technical strength of the candidates as standout aspects of the engagement. The partnership with DevsData LLC filled critical skill gaps and demonstrated how a targeted, agile recruitment strategy can support enterprise innovation under demanding timelines.

Ready to accelerate your tech hiring with top global talent? Contact DevsData LLC today at general@devsdata.com or visit www.devsdata.com to discover how they can support your recruitment goals and drive your projects forward.

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Ani Gasparyan Senior copywriter and marketer

Ani is a marketing enthusiast and content writer. With 6+ years of expertise in marketing, she succeeded in developing engaging marketing collaterals, including blog articles, social media content, and other promotional materials. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for storytelling, she thrives in crafting compelling content that resonates with the target audience.

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