Scientist 2, Molecular Sciences Group

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.

Background:

Illumina is the global leader in Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology. Through relentless innovation, Illumina has reduced the cost of sequencing a human genome from hundreds of thousands of dollars to $200 today. The drastic cost reduction has moved NGS from the laboratory to the clinic, with wide-ranging impact from cancer diagnostics to genetic testing. We invite you to join us in our effort to improve human health by unlocking the power of the genome.

We are currently seeking a Scientist 2 to join our Molecular Sciences team. Ideal candidates are resourceful individuals with diverse scientific interests who thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic, and collaborative interdisciplinary research environment. As a member of our team, you will be responsible for designing and executing experiments to engineer proteins with enhanced functionality, stability, and specificity.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Design and implement experiments to study protein kinetics, enzyme activities and biochemical interactions
• Work includes but is not limited to cloning, expression and purification of recombinant proteins, and screening for positive mutants through biochemical assays.
• Presenting research findings and progress updates to the team and upper management
• Analyze problems, determine the underlying causes of failures, and recommend corrective actions.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest developments in protein kinetics techniques and apply this knowledge to improve experimental design and data interpretation.

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

Preferred Educational Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as biochemistry, biology or equivalent is required
• At least 2-3 years of research experience in in biochemical laboratory or equivalent
• Strong applicants with lesser experience will be considered for a position commensurate with the experience.

Preferred Skills:

• Understanding of enzyme kinetics, protein-DNA interactions, and assay development.
• Protein characterization techniques, including affinity purification, SDS-PAGE, and Western blot, as well as the use of standard molecular biology techniques such as PCR, DNA purification, and cloning.
• Knowledge of NGS technologies, including library preparation and sequencing
• Demonstrated ability to quickly learn and adapt according to the requirement of new projects.
• Strong collaborative skills with excellent writing and verbal communication skills
• A “can do” attitude, and game to take on new challenges.
• Highly motivated individual with the proven ability to think creatively to solve challenging technical problems effectively and efficiently

Bonus Skills:

• Experience with scripting programming languages.
• Basic NGS data analysis experience

Illumina believes that everyone has the ability to make an impact, and 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.