Illumina Inc

Equipment Engineer 2

Illumina Inc$82K — $123K *
Manufacturing & Automotive
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical, Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
  • 2+ years of relevant experience in automated manufacturing environments.
  • Strong technical skills in mechanical and electrical troubleshooting.
  • Proficiency with PLCs, robotics, and other industrial automation technologies.
  • Experience analyzing equipment performance data for reliability improvements.

Responsibilities

  • Support manufacturing operations through hands-on troubleshooting and engineering improvements.
  • Develop and enhance preventive maintenance and reliability programs.
  • Independently troubleshoot complex mechanical and electrical issues using structured problem-solving.
  • Support automated manufacturing equipment including robotics and machine vision technologies.
  • Analyze equipment performance data to identify trends and improve uptime and reliability.
  • Assist in equipment installation, integration, and qualification activities.
  • Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders on reliability and spare parts initiatives.

Benefits

  • Access to genomics sequencing and family planning services.
  • Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
  • Retirement benefits with matching contributions.
  • Generous paid time off and work-life balance initiatives.
  • Participation in variable cash programs, including performance bonuses.
Full Job Description
The Equipment Engineer 2 is responsible for the sustainment, troubleshooting, reliability, and continuous improvement of automated manufacturing equipment used in Flow Cell Manufacturing. Working closely with Manufacturing Operations, Engineering, and key partners (e.g., Quality, Validation, Facilities, R&D), this role supports assigned equipment systems and subsystems while contributing to initiatives that enhance safety, quality, yield, reliability, and manufacturing efficiency.

This is a highly hands-on engineering role that balances manufacturing floor support with equipment analysis, technical documentation, and continuous improvement activities. Significant time is spent troubleshooting equipment, supporting production operations, investigating failures, and implementing equipment improvements. Working with appropriate technical oversight, the Equipment Engineer 2 plans and executes activities within assigned areas of responsibility, including ownership of equipment subsystems or components of larger manufacturing systems. The role also develops technical documentation, performs equipment performance analysis, supports training and knowledge-sharing activities, and contributes to continuous improvement efforts. Technical findings, project updates, and recommendations are communicated through reports and presentations.

Responsibilities
  • Support manufacturing operations through equipment troubleshooting, sustainment, technical problem solving, and engineering improvements while owning assigned equipment subsystems or components of larger manufacturing systems with appropriate oversight.
  • Develop and continuously improve preventive maintenance, calibration, repair, and equipment reliability programs, including procedures, work instructions, technical documentation, and training materials.
  • Independently troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, controls, automation, robotics, and process-related issues using structured problem-solving and root cause analysis methods, recognizing when to engage senior engineers, management, or subject matter experts for particularly complex challenges.
  • Support and troubleshoot automated manufacturing equipment, including industrial controls, robotics, machine vision, motion control, and related automation technologies.
  • Use electrical schematics and diagnostic tools to troubleshoot electrical control systems, instrumentation, automation systems, and equipment failures.
  • Collect, analyze, and interpret equipment performance data, maintenance records, and MMS information to identify failure trends, evaluate equipment health, and improve reliability, availability, and uptime.
  • Support investigations by providing equipment-specific analysis, contributing to root cause determination, and implementing corrective actions within assigned equipment areas.
  • Support equipment installation, integration, qualification, and readiness activities.
  • Partner with internal and external stakeholders to support reliability initiatives and component, spare-parts, or vendor selections within assigned areas.


Education & Experience:

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Engineering Technology, or a related technical discipline with 2+ years of relevant experience.

Technical Skills:
  • Strong mechanical and electrical/electronics troubleshooting skills demonstrated through experience supporting automated equipment and manufacturing systems.
  • Working knowledge of automated manufacturing systems, including PLCs, industrial controls, robotics, machine vision, motion control, servo systems, instrumentation, sensors, industrial communications, vacuum systems, chillers, pneumatic systems, and HMI/SCADA platforms.
  • Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, mechanical drawings, pneumatic diagrams, PLC logic, and technical documentation.
  • Experience using common measurement, inspection, and troubleshooting tools, including multimeters, oscilloscopes, gauges, and similar diagnostic equipment.
  • Experience analyzing equipment or process data to support troubleshooting, SPC, trend analysis, and reliability improvements; familiarity with SQL, Python, Power BI, JMP, Minitab, or similar analytical tools is preferred.
  • Understanding of safe work practices when working with mechanical, electrical, laboratory, manufacturing, automation, laser, or chemical systems.


Professional Skills:
  • Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and structured problem-solving skills with the ability to independently diagnose and resolve equipment-related issues within assigned areas of responsibility.
  • Effective verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical observations, findings, and project updates to manufacturing and engineering teams.
  • Ability to plan and prioritize assigned activities with minimal guidance while balancing manufacturing support, equipment sustainment, reliability improvements, documentation, and project commitments.
  • Ability to provide technical recommendations based on equipment performance, analysis, and operational data.
  • Comfortable balancing hands-on equipment support with analysis, documentation, and continuous improvement activities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.


Preferred Qualifications:
  • Flexibility to support manufacturing schedules outside the traditional Monday-Friday workweek, including fixed five-day schedules (e.g., Sunday-Thursday or Tuesday-Saturday).
  • Experience supporting automated manufacturing equipment within semiconductor, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, life sciences, advanced manufacturing, GMP-regulated manufacturing, or other highly automated production environments.
  • Experience with industrial automation and equipment-support technologies, including PLCs, robotics, machine vision, motion control, HMI/SCADA platforms, industrial communication protocols (e.g., EtherCAT or EtherNet/IP), vacuum systems, chillers, pneumatic systems, and MMS/CMMS. Familiarity with Beckhoff PLCs, Cognex In-Sight vision systems, or similar manufacturing automation technologies is preferred.
  • Experience supporting equipment installation, integration, qualification, reliability initiatives, continuous improvement projects, supplier interactions, and manufacturing support activities.


Listed responsibilities are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed and are not an exhaustive list of all duties. Responsibilities may change based on business needs and organizational priorities.

The estimated base salary range for the Equipment Engineer 2 role based in the United States of America is: $82,500 - $123,700. 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. 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.

About Illumina Inc

Illumina, Inc. is an American company incorporated in April 1998 that develops, manufactures and markets integrated systems for the analysis of genetic variation and biological function. The company provides a line of products and services that serves the sequencing, genotyping and gene expression markets. Its headquarters are located in San Diego, California.
Learn more about Illumina Inc
Size
9,800 employees
Market Cap
$30.3 billion
Industry
Net Income
$656 million
Founded
1998
5 Year Trend
+13.5%
Revenue
$3.2 billion
NASDAQ

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