Lorenz Sommer

Product Manager for Lab Operations & Automation - Ix Science & Research

Lausen, Basel-Country, Switzerland

About

Product Manager in Lab Operations and Automation at Roche. I am responsible for a portfolio of 10+ apps serving 4000+ users across multiple sites, leading 5+ teams and 70+ contributors (Scrum, SAFe) with about CHF 5M annual budget responsibility. I build software that improves lab efficiency, data quality, and compliant documentation in regulated environments. My scope includes a digital lab portal and workflow hub, equipment operations (qualification-aware master data, booking, telemetry monitoring, validated logbooks), and integration platforms (reusable APIs, event-driven patterns, and build/deploy/operate governance), plus lab operations analytics and service workflows. I also deliver AI-enabled products with a responsible rollout mindset. I shipped an AI capability that extracts and consolidates data from complex scientific documents into submission-ready draft outputs under governance controls, and I am working toward an AI assistant supporting daily scientist workflows. I bring deep hands-on software engineering experience and real lab technician background (chemistry, biology, molecular biology). This combination helps me translate between scientists, engineers, and governance stakeholders and build tools that fit real workflows. My leadership style is servant leadership: clarity on outcomes and guardrails, transparent trade-offs, and empowered teams that deliver predictable value. Open to global-scope roles in Product Management, AI-enabled products, and platform or integration products.

Experience

  • Roche (10 yrs 11 mos)
    • Product Manager for Lab Operations & Automation
      Mar 2024 - Present · 2 yrs 5 mos

      Automation of operational processes within a lab setting to enable efficient experiment execution. It encompasses the optimal management of lab equipment, lab inventory and supply chain (reagents, standards, consumables, spare parts), as well as lab space & facilities optimization & availability

    • Product Manager for Digital Lab Operations
      Jan 2021 - Mar 2024 · 3 yrs 3 mos

    • Business Analyst/Scrum Master as Contractor
      Apr 2019 - Jan 2021 · 1 yr 10 mos

      Working for Roche implementing an electronic lab notebook

  • Founder at www.eScubra.com
    Jan 2020 - Present · 6 yrs 7 mos

    My personal exploration platform eScubra, derived from the Spanish “Descrubra”, means to discover. Is an innovative platform where art and technology can be combined, and new ideas and methods can be explored. The platform serves as a laboratory and incubator hub to assess the usability and economics of innovations, the portfolio consists exclusively of innovation streams.

  • Project Manager (SLA) as Contractor at Public Authority / Swiss Agency
    2013 - Jan 2021 · 8 yrs 1 mo

    Single point of contact for approx. 8 application in several departments. Tasks: Business/ Requirements analysis, writing offers, cost-controlling, planning change requests, development, support, align with internal and external Partner. MS-Access front-end, VBA, Oracle DB,Java,.Net VBA, Spring, Oracle DB,Word, Excel, Outlook, C#

  • IT Support / Software Developer as Contractor at DSM
    2012 - Jan 2021 · 9 yrs 1 mo

    Development of an LIMS application. An individual tool that supports people in the laboratory to document their research and experiments. Tasks: Requirements analysis, writing offers, planning changes, controlling, development and support. Technology: C#, Silverlight, RIA-Services, Entity Framework, Unit-Test(MS-Test), Oracle (TSQL) Used products: Syncfusion XlsIO was replaced by Alexandria PLSQL for Excel Reports, GoXAM, SL4PopMenu, Dev dot Connect

  • Senior Consultant at wega Informatik AG
    Apr 2011 - Jan 2021 · 9 yrs 10 mos

    Working in projects for various customers, as a team-member or as an individual.