Illumina General Intern Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 85 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Candidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at Illumina.
Illumina
Industrial Placement Student
Intern Average Positive experience No offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
The interview process was smooth and the interviewers were friendly. They did their best to make me feel comfortable. Even though my answers weren't the best, the interviewers were patient and respectful. I really appreciated their professionalism, thank you.
Confirmed questions1 question
- What would you do if you had only one day left to live?
Illumina
Intern
Intern Average Positive experience Accept offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
The interview process was okay. It's mostly about getting to know you and your past experiences. I had a follow-up interview to learn about the team. This might differ by department though. If you applied for a software engineer role, they'll probably ask technical questions.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Can you tell me about your strengths?
Illumina
Intern
Intern Average Neutral experience No offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical Presentation Group
I applied online and then got a video interview in November. After that, I had a phone interview in December, and finally, an in-person event in January for the top two candidates. The video interview was with Hirevue and mostly behavioral, but had a couple of semi-technical biology questions. The phone interview was about 30 minutes with the hiring manager, discussing my technical background for the role. It was pretty casual. The in-person event lasted 5 hours and included a networking session, a company tour, four activities (two group activities, a presentation), and a 30-minute interview with the hiring manager. It was a well-organized event and they really sold the company well. It was a bit tough seeing the other candidate who applied for the same role. I was pretty bummed to get rejected a week later, especially after they mentioned hiring both candidates last year. I wish I hadn't gotten my hopes up.
Confirmed questions1 question
- What makes you want to work at Illumina?
Illumina General Intern Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from Illumina interview reports.
“Could you explain to a 6-year-old why the sky is orange at sunset?”
Read reports →“Can you determine the angle between the hour and minute hands at 12:15?”
Read reports →“What would you do if you had only one day left to live?”
Read reports →“Can you explain what you know about the illumina NGS platform and its functionality?”
Read reports →“Were there any courses you took that were not part of your main field of study?”
Read report →“Could you suggest some ways our technology might be used in emerging markets?”
Read report →“Can you tell me about an inspiring advertisement you've seen recently and what made it appealing to you?”
Read report →“In the next 15 minutes, can you tell us about your experience using bead linked transposomes (BLTs) for Illumina library prep?”
Read report →“How would you approach someone you don't know to get them to listen to you?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 85 Illumina interview reports.