Staff Electrical Engineer

Illumina•Hayward, CA

24d

About The Position

As a Staff Electrical Engineer on Illumina’s Lifecycle Management team, you will provide technical leadership for the electrical-system lifecycle of high-performance sequencing products, from New Product Introduction through sustaining phases and end-of-life. You will own technical lifecycle-management projects, guide a sub-team of engineers, and lead complex technical investigations. The role involves managing component end-of-life and supply issues, supplier and design changes, and product improvements while following company procedures, work instructions, and software and PLM platforms. You will also serve as the technical owner for the High-Performance Compute / Compute Engine server subsystem, a key contributor to instrument performance and cost. The role supports flagship sequencing products, including the NovaSeq X and 6K series. It combines lifecycle project management, server-hardware qualification and troubleshooting, compliance and test engineering, and cross-functional collaboration. You will mentor engineers and may progress toward broader electrical-systems engineering leadership. The estimated U.S. base salary range is $148,500–$222,700. Employees are eligible for a variable cash program, and eligible roles may receive equity. The company offers benefits including access to genomics sequencing, family planning, health, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, and paid time off. The role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and 8 or more years of experience, or a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering and 6 or more years of experience, or a PhD in Electrical Engineering and 3 or more years of experience.
Demonstrated experience leading full-lifecycle management of electronic systems in complex products, including technical project ownership and mentoring.
Proficiency with PCB design tools such as Altium Designer or similar, with experience in high-speed, high-density designs.
In-depth understanding of MCU, MPU, and FPGA architectures, as well as firmware and HDL development.
Working knowledge of x86 server platforms, including CPU and memory architecture, DDR4/DDR5 DIMM/SODIMM, NVMe/U.2/U.3 SSDs, PCIe, BIOS/POST, and server boot and enumeration behavior.
Ability to rapidly learn new server platforms and adapt to company-specific processes and workflows.
Solid understanding of test-engineering principles, fixture design, and the role of testing in quality assurance.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to evaluate system-level impacts of component changes, diagnose issues, and implement sustainable solutions.
Business acumen, sense of urgency, ownership mindset, strong communication skills, and leadership abilities.

Nice To Haves

Cable design experience using SolidWorks Electrical.

Responsibilities

Lead and own lifecycle-management technical projects end-to-end, including scoping, planning, execution, risk management, and release for component end-of-life or shortage response, redesign, qualification, and documentation.
Oversee the electrical-system lifecycle—including PCAs, cables, subsystems, and modules—of flagship sequencers from initial development through end-of-life.
Address electrical-component end-of-life and supply-shortage issues, manage supplier changes, and implement design modifications to support product longevity and continuity of supply.
Support and provide technical guidance on nonconformance (NC) and return material authorization (RMA) processing.
Serve as technical owner for the HPC / Compute Engine server subsystem, leading qualification, validation, DVT setup, peer design reviews, and release of CE hardware and cost-reduction initiatives.
Troubleshoot server-class hardware issues involving POST and boot behavior, PCIe enumeration, memory training, DIMM and SSD compatibility, and BIOS/firmware interactions; turn findings into sustainable design and sourcing actions.
Partner with software/firmware, product development, and strategic sourcing to balance sequencing performance with Compute Engine cost and supply risk.
Ensure engineering activities comply with internal SOPs, work instructions, software platforms, and PLM infrastructure.
Champion testing as a quality-control measure and contribute to the design and implementation of test fixtures and engineering tools.
Maintain product compliance with EMI/EMC and safety standards through change events and support certification documentation.
Mentor engineers, provide technical direction during investigations, establish ownership and subject-matter-expert roles, and lead a sub-team as the organization grows.
Support the electrical engineering team’s leadership-succession plan.
Build and maintain cross-functional relationships with NPI, Manufacturing, Field Service, Quality, and Sourcing, driving product improvements and lifecycle decisions aligned with company goals.