Senior Controls Engineer

Illumina • San Diego, CA

10d

About The Position

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. At Illumina, we make systems that use genomics to fight cancer and other diseases. We need your help. Our controls engineers design controllers that create and maintain precise motion, while rejecting disturbances and vibrations. Controller design will include analytical work to develop the controller, along with practical applications of testing the designed controller in a physical instrument. The job will include close collaboration with other engineers, including: mechanical, motion, and thermal engineers; firmware engineers; FPGA engineers; and electrical engineers.

Requirements

• Familiarity with electromechanical and thermal system modeling and control
• Control theory including dynamic modeling, PID control design, feedforward, and frequency domain analysis
• Experience in digital controller development and analysis
• Programming in Python or C/C++ or similar
• Signal processing including FFT and filter design
• Vibration analysis and modeling
• Experience in practical controller testing on hardware
• Experience in motor selection and qualification (steppers, servos)
• Proven experience successfully transferring designs to manufacturing
• Experience with modeling and analysis programs (Matlab/Simulink or similar)
• Experience managing multiple controllers at different complexities
• Typically requires a minimum of 8 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 6 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 3 years experience; or equivalent experience

Nice To Haves

• Advanced controller concepts, including state space design and LQR
• Experience with thermal control & sensing
• Experience with control of optomechanical systems
• Experience in nanometer-scale precision motion
• Three phase motor control techniques, including field-oriented control (FOC)

Responsibilities

• Develop controller architectures
• Evaluate potential disturbances to the system
• Analyze the controller architectures and systems in simulations
• Analyze systems and structures to optimize designs for system stability
• Develop novel controller techniques to minimize the impact of external disturbances
• Test & optimize designed controllers on physical systems
• Successfully transition designs from concept to production
• Perform root cause analysis and lead teams to methodically solve problems
• Communicate clearly with team members and leaders

Benefits

• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees