Staff Program Manager, Technical

Illumina, Inc.; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 129,000 - 194,000; Full time

Job summary

Illumina, Inc. is seeking a Staff Program Manager to lead High Throughput Sequencing platform initiatives (NovaSeq X and NovaSeq 6000) and sustaining activities.

You will translate strategic priorities into executable plans, driving improvements in reliability, quality, and customer experience across cross-functional teams. In a highly matrixed environment, you will manage integrated schedules, budgets, risks, and governance reviews, communicating with executive leadership and stakeholders to

Qualifications

• Strong program management experience leading complex cross-functional technical initiatives in a highly matrixed environment.
• Ability to develop and manage integrated schedules, resource plans, budgets, and executive-level status reporting.
• Expertise in program governance, risk management, issue resolution, and stakeholder alignment.
• Experience with hardware, software, consumables, and/or integrated product systems.
• Knowledge of FDA-regulated product environments, design controls, risk management, and change management processes.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and executive-influence skills.
• Familiarity with next-generation sequencing platforms, molecular biology, genomics, or life science instrumentation preferred.
• Experience supporting quality investigations, corrective actions, field actions, post-launch activities, or sustaining programs preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead execution of High Throughput platform initiatives spanning product improvements, reliability enhancements, quality actions, lifecycle management activities, and business performance objectives.
• Partner with Product Technical Leads, Development, Quality, Operations, Service, Supply Chain, Regulatory, Marketing, and Commercial teams to define and execute platform priorities.
• Develop, maintain, and communicate integrated program plans, including scope, schedules, resource requirements, dependencies, risks, budgets, and milestones.
• Coordinate execution of On-Market Core Team (OMCT) activities, governance forums, and executive reviews to drive alignment, accountability, and decision-making.
• Drive cross-functional planning and prioritization for platform investments, sustaining activities, customer-driven improvements, and operational initiatives.
• Identify, manage, and communicate program risks, issues, dependencies, and trade-offs while facilitating escalation and resolution pathways.
• Track and report program performance, key milestones, and portfolio health metrics to functional and executive leadership.
• Support lifecycle management activities, including product enhancements, obsolescence planning, end-of-support readiness, serviceability improvements, and cost optimization initiatives.
• Lead execution planning for design changes, quality improvements, corrective actions, field issues, and post-market initiatives.
• Partner with finance and functional leaders on resource planning, capacity management, budget forecasting, and investment prioritization.
• Drive continuous improvement of governance, portfolio management, and program management processes to improve organizational effectiveness.
• Facilitate communication across stakeholders and ensure alignment between technical execution, customer needs, business objectives, and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Strong program management

Integrated schedules

Governance

Executive communication

Product lifecycle

Hardware/Software/Systems

FDA-regulated knowledge

Communication/negotiation

Genomics familiarity

Quality investigations knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

PhD

PMP certification

Job description

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.

Exciting opportunity to serve as the Program Manager for Illumina's High Throughput Sequencing (HTS) portfolio, including NovaSeq X and NovaSeq 6000 platforms. The Staff Program Manager is responsible for driving execution of on-market platform priorities, sustaining initiatives, product improvements, lifecycle management activities, and cross-functional governance across Development, Quality, Operations, Regulatory, Commercial, Service, and Supply Chain organizations.

This role serves as a key operational partner to the Product Technical Lead and platform leadership team, translating strategic priorities into executable plans and ensuring timely delivery of critical initiatives that improve customer experience, platform reliability, quality, compliance, operational efficiency, and business performance.

Operating in a highly matrixed environment, the ideal candidate is an experienced program leader with exceptional planning, communication, risk management, and stakeholder management skills who can independently lead complex cross-functional initiatives and influence decisions across multiple organizations.

Responsibilities:

• Lead execution of High Throughput platform initiatives spanning product improvements, reliability enhancements, quality actions, lifecycle management activities, and business performance objectives.
• Partner with Product Technical Leads, Development, Quality, Operations, Service, Supply Chain, Regulatory, Marketing, and Commercial teams to define and execute platform priorities.
• Develop, maintain, and communicate integrated program plans, including scope, schedules, resource requirements, dependencies, risks, budgets, and milestones.
• Coordinate execution of On-Market Core Team (OMCT) activities, governance forums, and executive reviews to drive alignment, accountability, and decision-making.
• Drive cross-functional planning and prioritization for platform investments, sustaining activities, customer-driven improvements, and operational initiatives.
• Identify, manage, and communicate program risks, issues, dependencies, and trade-offs while facilitating escalation and resolution pathways.
• Track and report program performance, key milestones, and portfolio health metrics to functional and executive leadership.
• Support lifecycle management activities, including product enhancements, obsolescence planning, end-of-support readiness, serviceability improvements, and cost optimization initiatives.
• Lead execution planning for design changes, quality improvements, corrective actions, field issues, and post-market initiatives.
• Partner with finance and functional leaders on resource planning, capacity management, budget forecasting, and investment prioritization.
• Drive continuous improvement of governance, portfolio management, and program management processes to improve organizational effectiveness.
• Facilitate communication across stakeholders and ensure alignment between technical execution, customer needs, business objectives, and regulatory requirements.

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

Requirements:

• Strong program management experience leading complex cross-functional technical initiatives in a highly matrixed environment.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and manage integrated schedules, resource plans, budgets, and executive-level status reporting.
• Expertise in program governance, risk management, issue resolution, and stakeholder alignment.
• Proven ability to drive execution across multiple functions without direct authority.
• Strong understanding of product lifecycle management, sustaining engineering, and post-market product support.
• Experience managing programs involving hardware, software, consumables, and/or integrated product systems.
• Knowledge of FDA-regulated product environments, design controls, risk management, and change management processes.
• Ability to evaluate technical, operational, customer, regulatory, and business impacts when making program recommendations.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and executive-influence skills.
• Familiarity with next-generation sequencing platforms, molecular biology, genomics, or life science instrumentation preferred.
• Experience supporting quality investigations, corrective actions, field actions, post-launch activities, or sustaining programs preferred.

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

Education and Experience:

• 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 of experience; or equivalent experience
• Typically requires a current PMP certification
• Experience with product development preferred
• #LI-HYBRID

Salary and Compensation:

The estimated base salary range for the Staff Program Manager, Technical role based in the United States of America is: $129,400 - $194,000. Should the level or location of the role change during the hiring process, the applicable base pay range may be updated accordingly. The range reflects long‑term growth in the role; therefore, most candidates are hired between the minimum and middle of the range. Placement depends on experience, skills, location, and internal equity. Additionally, all employees are eligible for one of our variable cash programs (bonus or commission) and eligible roles may receive equity as part of the compensation package.

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. 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 [e-mail]. 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.