Senior Scientist – Analytical Core Full-time

Senior Scientist – Analytical Core

What if the work you did every day could impact the lives of people you know? Or all of humanity? At Illumina, we are expanding access to genomic technology to realize health equity for billions of people around the world. Our efforts enable life-changing discoveries that are transforming human health through the early detection and diagnosis of diseases and new treatment options for patients.

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Position Summary

As a Senior Scientist within Illumina's Analytical Core, you will join a centralized, high-impact team providing advanced analytical expertise across R&D and product development. The Analytical Core partners broadly across the organization to solve complex scientific problems, deliver rapid analytical insight, and enable innovation across Illumina's technologies. This role is ideal for an experienced analytical chemist with deep LC-MS expertise, including experience with both QToF and QQQ systems. Familiarity with oligonucleotide analyses is strongly preferred.

The Role

As a Senior Scientist in the Analytical Core, you will serve as a hands-on technical leader, applying advanced LC-MS capabilities to support discovery, development, and investigation efforts across Illumina. Working in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment, you will design and execute analytical strategies, develop and optimize LC-MS methods, and interpret complex datasets for a wide range of analytes, including small molecules and oligonucleotides. You will routinely partner with cross-functional teams, delivering clear, actionable insights that support innovation while upholding Illumina's value of Innovate with Purpose. This position is suited to a PhD-level scientist with postdoctoral and/or industry experience who is comfortable operating independently while contributing to a shared, service-oriented scientific mission.

Why You

You bring a PhD in Analytical Chemistry, Chemistry, Biochemistry, or a related discipline, along with substantial hands-on experience in LC-MS, ideally including QQQ instrumentation. You have direct experience with oligonucleotide analysis by LC-MS, including method development, characterization, and data interpretation. You are comfortable working with deconvolution-focused data analysis tools such as Agilent BioConfirm, or equivalent software used for oligo identity, purity, and modification analysis. You are confident designing experiments, troubleshooting complex analytical systems, and translating data into meaningful scientific insight. Curious, organized, and accountable, you thrive in environments that require prioritization across multiple projects while maintaining a high bar for scientific rigor. Your strong communication skills and collaborative mindset allow you to work effectively with scientists and engineers from diverse backgrounds, contributing to a strong culture of collective achievement.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop, optimize, and execute LC-MS-based experiments for small molecule & biomolecule discovery, identification, and quantitation.
• Perform oligonucleotide analysis by LC-MS, including identity confirmation, impurity profiling, and quantitative or semi-quantitative assessments. Apply and interpret data using Agilent BioConfirm or related software.
• Lead complex analytical investigations independently, from triaging priority to experimental design through data interpretation and presentation.
• Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot advanced analytical instrumentation, including LC-QQQ, LC-QTOF, and HPLC systems.
• Analyze and interpret complex datasets, translating results into clear, actionable conclusions for project teams.
• Partner closely with cross-functional collaborators to define analytical strategies and deliver high-quality, timely results.
• Contribute to Core laboratory operations, including documentation, best practices, training, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Serve as a subject-matter expert in LC-MS analysis, providing technical guidance and mentorship as appropriate.
• Experience with other analytical techniques, such as ICP-MS, GC-MS, and NMR, preferred.

Experience/Education:

• Typically requires a minimum of 5+ years of related experience with a Bachelor's / Master's degree; PhD with 1-2+ years experience highly preferred.

The estimated base salary range for the Senior Scientist – Analytical Core role based in the United States of America is: $98,400 – $147,600. Compensation decisions are dependent on several factors including, but not limited to, an individual's qualifications, location where the role is to be performed, internal equity, and alignment with market data. Additionally, all employees are eligible for one of our variable cash programs (bonus or commission) and eligible roles may receive equity as part of the compensation package. We offer a wide range of benefits as innovative as our work, including access to genomics sequencing, family planning, health/dental/vision, retirement benefits, and paid time off.

We are a company deeply rooted in belonging, promoting an inclusive environment where employees feel valued and empowered to contribute to our mission. Built on a strong foundation, Illumina has always prioritized openness, collaboration, and seeking alternative perspectives to propel innovation in genomics. We are proud to confirm a zero-net gap in pay, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or race. We also have several Employee Resource Groups (ERG) that deliver career development experiences, increase cultural awareness, and offer opportunities to engage in social responsibility. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to providing employment opportunity regardless of sex, race, creed, color, gender, religion, marital status, domestic partner status, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, pregnancy, military or veteran status, citizenship status, and genetic information. Illumina conducts background checks on applicants for whom a conditional offer of employment has been made. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with applicable local, state, and federal laws. Background check results may potentially result in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment. The background check process and any decisions made as a result shall be made in accordance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws. Illumina prohibits the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the application and interview process. If you require accommodation to complete the application or interview process, please contact accommodations@illumina.com. To learn more, visit: https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf. The position will be posted until a final candidate is selected or the requisition has a sufficient number of qualified applicants. This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.