great people, turbulent times, focus is on costs - Staff Engineer Illumina Employee Review

4.0
Mar 9, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

the people are great: caring, supportive, friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. pay and benefits can be good in the right departments and roles.

Cons

job security is poor. there's often hints of promotions which never come to pass. there's a constant focus on cutting costs, this is needed partly because the company's previous boom times meant there wasn't the need, but with the world economy, and a breakaway group of shareholders wanting to milk the cash cow, cost cutting (jobs) has become a way of life. there's a disconnect between the highest tiers of management and their corporate waffle, and the people doing the work; lots of aspirational statements which basically translate to "work harder, faster, cheaper".

Explore other reviews about Illumina

5.0
Oct 19, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

great benefits, good working culture

Cons

Has gone through a lot of change over the past few years but stable now...

4.0
Jul 13, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Stuck with them for 7 years because it was good back then. Comp is good, benefits are good, and if you're on campus its a nice experience. If you find the right team it can be a dream, but the flipside can be awful. Overall they have a lack of direction in what is turning out to be a highly competitive market.

Cons

Corporate bureaucracy and internal politics are strong but could be worse. The benefits were better in the past and all the perks are winding down with time as they tighten the budgets and try hard to pivot away from dying segments

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