Field Applications Scientist (Customer support)

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:

Serve as a primary technical field contact for Illumina customers, responsible for all new installations, customer trainings, and providing data analysis, logistical, and troubleshooting support in their territory with the primary goals are to ensure maximum utilization of Illumina systems to drive revenues and sustain customer retention.

Position Responsibilities:

• Coordinating new installations, including facility inspections, instrument validation, and customer training. Reviews and approves operational quality of equipment and instructs customers in operations and maintenance of system under general instruction.
• Troubleshooting issues related to user's technical skills, biochemistry/assay design, experimental design, software and instruments, including complicated cases, managing customers according to their situation with broader perspective.
• Carry out projects that include demonstrations, feasibilities studies, and new product evaluation.
• Help to maintain and increase product usage and supporting sales efforts through technical presentations and demonstrations.
• Build effective relationships with new and existing clients for field application purpose, monitor the customers feedback on product usage and maintenance
• Acting as a key contributor of customer feedback to marketing and product development teams.
• Assisting sales or marketing on new strategic sales initiatives requiring technical depth.
• Developing and improving key company processes that support our mission of building a world-class customer support organization.
• Create and maintain support information in the company enterprise database.
• Acting as a good contributor to build better field applications team.
• Mentoring and training other members of the applications team on complex technical and customer management aspects of the business.

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:

• Prior field experience supporting customers using sequencing or array technologies.
• Demonstrated experience with next gen or high throughput sequencing sample prep technologies and protocols.
• Demonstrated understanding of commonly-used sequencing data analysis software applications.
• Demonstrated high-level written and verbal communication.
• Native or native-equivalent Japanese skills mandatory for crucial conversations with customers in tough situations.
• Excellent communication skills in English.
• Demonstrated ability to work within a cooperative team environment.
• Outstanding problem solving and interpersonal skills.
• Must be willing to travel.

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

Preferred Experience:

• Experience in supporting medical devices is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience with instrumentation such as liquid handling robotics and optical scanners preferred.
• Experience in bioinformatics data analysis in the genome sciences is preferred.
• 3-5 years biotech experience preferred.
• Attention to detail is mandatory as tasks are varied and often urgent.
• Excellent organization and planning skills will be required to do well in this role.

Preferred Education:

• Minimum of 3 years of related experience with a Master’s degree in Science, Genetics, Molecular Biology or Bioinformatics. PhD is a plus.

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.