Biotech Internships at Illumina

Explore what’s possible at Illumina

What if your internship could impact the lives of people you know? Or all of humanity?

Take on a meaningful challenge

What we do at Illumina may seem complex, but our mission is clear, "To improve human health by unlocking the power of the genome." In every role, from scientific to operations, you play a part in impacting human health.

Interns are innovators, creators, and the future of Illumina. That's why our program(s) provides endless opportunities to do impactful work. You’ll join an established team doing work that directly contributes to our mission and deepen your knowledge with some of the world’s leaders in genomics.

Spend your time at Illumina connecting with extraordinary people through mentorship opportunities, advancing your professional skills in career development workshops, and giving back to the community through volunteer projects

If you are passionate, curious, and driven to achieve, you’ll contribute to a world-changing mission and grow in ways you never imagined.

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Interns in a discussion

Testimonials from interns


Learn more than you ever thought possible.

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Abhinand, 2021 Illumina Intern

My experience as an intern at Illumina was simply fantastic. My project made important contributions to the development of Illumina's products which allowed me to see the impact my work made in improving human health. Everyone I worked with was extremely supportive and went out of their way to help me. The future of human health is driven by the type of innovation at Illumina. If you are even remotely considering working in the biotech industry, Illumina is the perfect place to be to foster your growth as an individual.

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Neeraja, 2021 Illumina Intern

I had a fantastic experience as a doctoral data science intern at Illumina! I was hoping to figure out what type of career I wanted to pursue after my PhD, and I definitely think this internship prepared me and gave me more confidence to pursue more computational roles working with clinical data. I really enjoyed the peer intern groups: it was great to talk to other PhD students in the same boat as me, and we got great advice from our mentors.

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Stephanie, 2021 Illumina Intern

My experience at Illumina this summer was far more rewarding that I could have ever previously expected or hoped. I had the opportunity to complete 4 different sustaining and design projects - most of which were centered around the NovaSeq instrument. My favorite part of the internship was being able to experience the deeply collaborative Illumina culture. I am grateful that I was able to contribute to Illumina's meaningful mission of improving human health by unlocking the power of the genome!

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Ryan, 2021 Illumina Intern

The internship prepared me for my career via having a real work-life experience. Work-life is much different from school life. I think that having a flexible work schedule and a hardworking team showed me that Illumina cares about its employees. As an intern at Illumina, the work environment was very understanding and helpful.

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Kris, 2021 Illumina Intern

My Illumina MBA internship prepared me to leverage my prior experiences in diagnostics as a scientist and pivot towards marketing. My intern project was focused on oncology; with the importance of genomics in healthcare and treatment. My favorite part of my internship was being able to interact and be exposed with so many leaders within the marketing division. For any student wanting to break through into Biotech, Illumina is a perfect place to start because of wonderful culture built by their employees. You will always be challenged and as a result will grow along with the company and industry.

Key qualities we look for

  • Critical thinking and problem-solving: To help you thrive in our fast-paced environment.
  • Polished oral and written communication: To ensure you work successfully with cross-functional projects.
  • Open and collaborative mindset: To help you adapt to our rapidly-developing industry.
  • Professionalism and a strong work ethic: To allow you to contribute in a meaningful way.
  • Self-direction and self-awareness: To enable you to establish your own rewarding career path.

How our recruiting process works

Every journey from application to job offer is different. Generally, our hiring process includes the following steps:

  • Application
  • Digital Interview (HireVue)
  • Live Video Interview with the Hiring Team
  • Offer letter

Prepare for your interview

  • Practice talking about the work you’ve done, the things you’re passionate about, and how you’ve grown.
  • If it’s on your resume, we might ask about it. Be prepared to talk through anything listed.
  • Be curious. Come prepared with questions you have about the internship or the company.
happy interns laughing with laptops in-hand

Program Benefits

Building the world’s best teams starts with how we care for our employees. We strive to make everyone, including our interns, feel cared for through a range of benefits as innovative as our work. Program benefits vary by region and will be shared as you progress through the interview process.

Typically, these include:

  • Career Development
  • Competitive Pay Rate
  • Team Building & Mentorship

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  • Impactful Projects
  • Volunteer Opportunities
  • Networking with Senior Leaders
inter program - Interns enjoying snacks on outdoor patio

Explore More – Career Profiles

Everyone can play a part in changing the world for the better. Join the journey.
Clinical Lab Manager
Clinical Lab Manager

Rita Pitts walks you through her typical day. Get a feel for the role’s main responsibilities, like running samples and collaborating with others.

Bioinformatician
Bioinformatician

Find out how Daniel Brami spends his average day, and where he sees bioinformatics going in five years.

Bioengineer
Bioengineer

Find out what Erin Fang works on, who she works with, and what motivated her to pursue bioengineering.

AI
                            Engineer
AI Engineer

Greg Apker explains a bit more about how AI works and how to be successful in this role.