Senior Staff Product Engineer (Mechanical)

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.

Working at Illumina means being part of something bigger than yourself. Every person, in every role, has the opportunity to make a difference. Surrounded by extraordinary people, inspiring leaders, and world changing projects, you will do more and become more than you ever thought possible.

Position Summary:                    

This role is responsible for supporting product lifecycle activities, including new product introduction, product transfer, and ongoing manufacturing operations. This role ensures product quality, yield, and compliance through engineering evaluation, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement initiatives. Collaborates cross-functionally to drive process enhancements, cost optimization, and operational excellence, enabling smooth transition from design to production and sustaining high-performance standards throughout the product lifecycle.

Position Responsibilities:

Common Responsibilities:

• Support and drive product transfer into manufacturing.
• Perform data trending and analysis.
• Apply FMEA, DOE, and statistical analysis to optimize product quality and reduce costs.
• Drive process improvements, cost reduction, and product sustaining activities.
• Manage Engineering Change Request and Notifications (CRs and CNs), including updates to work instructions and test requirements.
• Support documentation: engineering drawings, BOMs, test reports, assembly procedures, and validation plans.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives and operational excellence programs.
• Frequent cross-functional collaboration and occasional travel to other sites.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to junior staff.

Discipline-Specific Responsibilities:

Mechanical Engineering

   Strategy & Architecture

• Set long-term technical roadmaps; guide platform interfaces (mechanical/thermal/fluidics/precision motion/structure/electro‑mechanical).
• Approve critical architecture decisions; define reliability targets.

  

Standards & Governance

• Establish/own global design standards, verification/validation frameworks, and change control policies, drive compliance maturity.
• Sponsor cross-site technical councils and knowledge systems.

  

Innovation & Technology

• Identify enabling technologies; lead feasibility and pilot integrations (e.g., advanced thermal management, precision mechanisms, smart fixtures, reliability engineering.

  

Enterprise Impact

• Orchestrate multi-program cost/quality roadmaps; balance portfolio-level trade-offs.
• Advise executives; provide decision memos with quantified risk/benefit.

  

Quality, Reliability & Data

• Define enterprise standards for data-driven decision-making.
• Sponsor predictive analytics and AI-driven insights for reliability and cost.
• Mentor leaders on statistical thinking and evidence-based governance.
• Consistently validates strategic decisions with robust data models.
• Sets cultural expectation: “No data, no decision.”
• Coaches’ directors and managers on interpreting analytics for portfolio decisions.

  

Mentorship & Talent

• Coach staff/senior engineers; elevate technical career paths; define competency matrix and training.

Listed responsibilities are an essential, but not exhaustive list, of the usual duties associated with the position. Changes to individual responsibilities may occur due to business needs.

Position Requirements:

• Typically requires a minimum of 12 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s Degree; or 8 years and a Master’s Degree; or a PhD with 5 years’ experience; or equivalent experience.
• Deep expertise in thermodynamics, heat transfer, vibration, stress analysis and mechanical system behavior.
• Able to set modeling and analysis standards and review complex FEA and thermal studies.
• Advanced understanding of machining and manufacturing processes, with proven DFM/A leadership for plastics, sheet metal, castings and precision mechanisms.
• Proficient in SolidWorks or equivalent CAD tools, and capable of establishing modeling and drafting conventions and drawing-release quality expectations.
• Strong command of GD&T, DFMA, FMEA, DOE and statistical methodologies, and able to mentor teams on tolerance stacks and risk-based decision making.
• Familiar with BOM structuring, ECR creation and enterprise-scale change control processes, ensuring cross-product impacts are assessed.
• Working knowledge of electronics and lab test equipment to support electro-mechanical, optical and fluidic integration.
• Experienced in Excel, MS Project and LabView, with scripting capability (Visual Basic, Python, JMP) considered an advantage.
• Preferably experienced in FDA-regulated industries, including life sciences, biotech and medical device environments, with knowledge of ISO 13485 and ISO 14971.
• Provides strong technical leadership and clear communication across multiple functions and stakeholder groups.
• Operates independently at enterprise scope, influencing global sites and supplier/CM networks.
• Able to navigate changing priorities effectively while maintaining resilience and sound judgment.

All listed requirements are deemed as essential functions to this position; however, business conditions may require reasonable accommodation for additional task and responsibilities.

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 [email protected]. 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.