Field Applications Scientist

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.

Field Applications Scientist – AMR Midwest

Illumina is a Global Biotechnology company, growing at a rapid pace, we are currently looking for the best, customer focused Field Applications Scientist to join our mission, to improve human health by unlocking the power of the genome. The FAS is the primary technical field contact for Illumina customers, and is responsible for all new installations, all customer trainings, and for providing data analysis, logistical, and troubleshooting support in their territory.

This role is based in St. Louis – MO or Kansas City Missouri and will be primarily responsible for covering accounts in Missouri and Kansas. The role is remote but will require travel up-to 80% of your time.

Illumina's employee benefits are industry leading and include Flexible time off, Private medical insurance, Compassion and care time off, Leisure travel insurance, Lifestyle allowance, Employee Stock Purchasing Program, Volunteer time off and much more!!

Position Summary:

The Field Applications Scientist position is responsible for enabling customer success within their territory. The successful applicant will be part of an award-winning customer support team that leads the industry in customer satisfaction. The Field Applications Scientist partners with customers to provide technical training, troubleshooting, and complaint resolution. This position serves as a scientific consultant during pre- and post-sales activities and will collaborate with broader commercial team to maximize sales growth and customer satisfaction.

This role requires troubleshooting, communication, time management, situational awareness, poise under pressure, and collaboration. You will be expected to build and maintain strong relationships across territory Service and Support teams, Marketing, Sales, Customer Service, and Quality organizations.

Responsibilities:

• Coordinate new installations, including facility inspections and instrument validation.
• Answer questions on customer lab and experimental design, workflow best practices, and data storage and analysis.
• Conduct on-site customer trainings on cornerstone Illumina microarray, Next-Generation Sequencing, library preparation, bioinformatics, consumables, or related products.
• Troubleshoot customer complaints related to biochemistry, assay or experimental design, software, instruments, or user's technical skill. Escalate to appropriate internal resources as necessary to maximize customer uptime and minimize customer effort.
• Regularly communicate essential technical product updates to external customers and Sales counterparts to drive customer success.
• Partner with other functional roles and teammates under the Illumina team selling model that includes various specialist roles, (key) account managers, district sales managers, and Inside Sales to execute on and assist with the development of strategic plans for winning new business and expanding current customer growth and success through consulting, presentations, workshops, demonstrations, and seminars.
• Contributes to customer relationship management, understanding customer goals, setting appropriate product and performance expectations, and gathering intelligence regarding competitive intel and new sales opportunities.
• Support new product development through alpha and beta tests.
• Knowledge of competitor activities and innovations within the marketplace.
• Provide efficient communication on strategic and competitive customer feedback to Sales, Marketing, and product development teams.
• Participate on departmental project teams; work collaboratively to execute project plans.
• Prioritize tasks and responsibilities to achieve departmental key performance metrics.
• Represent the company professionally, ethically, and morally at all times.

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.

Requirements:

• 3+ years biotech experience preferred.
• Must be willing to travel up to 80%. 
• Knowledge of genomics, sequencing applications, and methods that apply to Illumina technology.
• Prior field experience training and supporting customers in a highly technical field is preferred.
• Experience in clinical NGS applications is preferred.
• Demonstrated understanding of commonly used Genotyping data analysis software applications and Bioinformatics data analysis tools and programs.
• Proficient with general lab best practices and common Molecular Biology techniques.
• Demonstrated superior problem solving and interpersonal and account management skills in a commercial environment.
• Experience with lab or liquid handling automation helpful.
• Capacity to interact with principal investigator-level scientists as well as bioinformaticians and laboratory personnel.
• Proven ability to troubleshoot and resolve technical issues.
• Strong written and verbal communication and superior presentation and training skills.
• Ability to operate as an independent contributor and as a cooperative member of a team.
• Commitment to providing outstanding customer service.
• Ability to successfully operate in a fast paced, rapidly changing environment.
• Capacity to maintain composure in stressful situations.

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

Experience/Education:

• Typically requires a Master’s degree in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Genetics, or related field and 3+ years of experience; or a PhD; or equivalent work experience.

The estimated base salary range for the Field Applications Scientist role based in the United States of America is: $96,500 - $144,700. Should the level or location of the role change during the hiring process, the applicable base pay range may be updated accordingly. Compensation decisions are dependent on several factors including, but not limited to, an individual’s qualifications, location where the role is to be performed, internal equity, and alignment with market data. 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.

At Illumina, we strive to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace by cultivating an environment in which everyone contributes to our mission. Built on a strong foundation, Illumina has always been rooted in openness, collaboration, and seeking alternative views and 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 demonstrate our collective commitment to diversity and inclusion in the communities we live and work. 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. If you require accommodation to complete the application or interview process, please contact accommodations@illumina.com. To learn more, visit: https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf. This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.