Illumina Scientist Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 63 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Candidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at Illumina.
Illumina
Senior Scientist
Senior Average Negative experience No offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Onsite
Interview formats
Technical Behavioral
I had an online interview with Illumina in Singapore for a scientist role focused on material characterization and thermogravimetric analysis. The interview had 3-4 people, including the hiring manager. Even though I answered their questions, they seemed uninterested and like they were reading from notes. After the interview, I noticed they updated the job description on LinkedIn to add more details and specifically asked for an "experienced" scientist, which wasn't there before.
Confirmed questions2 questions
- Can you explain the process of conducting thermogravimetric analysis?
- How would you approach a situation where your boss asks you to do something you disagree with?
Illumina
Scientist
Mid Average Negative experience No offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Onsite
Interview formats
Technical Behavioral
This experience is from a while ago, so things might be different now. It started with a recorded video interview, followed by an HR interview. Then, there was a technical interview via Zoom. They provided guidelines for the technical presentation, but the hiring manager seemed to expect something different than what I presented based on those guidelines. The whole process felt disorganized and poorly managed. Also, expect very slow response times; I've had them reach out months after applying, by which time I had already accepted another job.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Can you explain why you believe you are suitable for this role?
Illumina
Scientist
Entry Average Positive experience No offer 6 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Phone screen Presentation Onsite Offer
Interview formats
Technical Behavioral Presentation
You first apply through their online portal where you can see the status, even rejections. The job description was kinda vague, but I applied anyway. A week later, I got a link for a digital screening interview that I had 5 days to complete. It had about 5 questions, 2 were technical but easy. You get 3 mins to prep and 2 mins to answer. You can re-record once, but the second take is what's submitted. The hiring manager and team will review your answers. A week after that, I had an HR screening call asking standard questions like why I want to work there, when I can start, and my salary expectations. They told me I'd have a video chat with the hiring manager in a week. The chat with the hiring manager was chill, mostly them trying to sell the role. After that, they said there'd be a final interview. HR emailed me on Tuesday about possible dates for the final interview, which was scheduled for later that week through the next Tuesday. The final interview spanned two days: a 45-min presentation followed by 45-min 1:1 chats with 5 team members. After two weeks of silence, they offered the job to someone else but kept me hanging until that person signed, ultimately rejecting me after 3 weeks.
Confirmed questions8 questions
- Tell me about your most recent project
- What would you consider your biggest scientific achievement?
- How would you determine if a qPCR sample had a contaminant?
Illumina Scientist Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from Illumina interview reports.
“What are potential reasons for a failed sequencing run, specifically related to cluster failure?”
Read reports →“Can you compare and contrast Next Generation Sequencing and Sanger Sequencing, including their pros and cons?”
Read reports →“Regarding attaching a polymer to glass, would you modify the functional groups or utilize an intermediary material, and what physical actions would you take?”
Read reports →“Walk me through the end-to-end process of DNA preparation for Next Generation Sequencing.”
Read reports →“What methods would you use to assess the effectiveness of this enzyme?”
Read report →“What are your thoughts on other upcoming sequencing technologies, and which do you find most promising?”
Read report →“Regarding assay development, do you prefer tasks to be completed on time but imperfectly, or perfectly but late? Which do you favor?”
Read report →“Can you share an instance where you had to determine a measurement indirectly?”
Read report →“Imagine you've proven a new multi-step library prep workflow works, but larger tests show a 15% sample failure rate because of low yield. How would you figure out the main reasons for this and make it more reliable?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 63 Illumina interview reports.