Senior Scientist (m/f/x) AI-Driven Optical System Development

ZEISS Group; Oberkochen; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

ZEISS Group in Oberkochen seeks a Senior Scientist (m/f/x) who combines scientific excellence with technical leadership to drive AI-driven design workflows. You will lead and coordinate innovative projects across optics, simulation, and machine learning, acting as a key interface between research, development, and application.

You will ensure interdisciplinary teams deliver on strategic objectives, manage stakeholders across business units and levels, and contribute to continuous improvement of

Qualifications

• PhD in a relevant field is essential.
• Several years of experience leading complex technical projects.
• Strong expertise in optics, simulation, machine learning, or scientific computing.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate innovation-driven technical projects in model-, data-, and AI-driven design workflows.
• Define project goals, milestones, and deliverables in close alignment with key stakeholders.
• Drive stakeholder management across business units, functions, and organizational levels.
• Ensure technical consistency and quality of developed solutions.
• Facilitate and steer interdisciplinary teams comprising scientists, software engineers, and system engineers.
• Identify dependencies, synergies, and risks within complex project landscapes.
• Support the transfer of research results into sustainable industrial applications.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of methods and best practices in technical project leadership.

Skills

Optics

Simulation

Machine learning

Scientific computing

Education

PhD in Physics, Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field

Job description

Your Role

You are passionate about combining scientific excellence with technical leadership and want to actively shape the transformation towards AI-driven development workflows? In this role, you will take on a central position in leading and coordinating innovative projects in the field of optical system design. As a Senior Scientist (m/f/x), you act as a key interface between research, development, and application. You ensure that complex, interdisciplinary initiatives are executed efficiently, purposefully, and aligned with strategic objectives. A strong focus of your role will be effective stakeholder management across the ZEISS Innovation Ecosystem.

Your Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate innovation-driven technical projects in the area of model-, data-, and AI-driven design workflows
• Define project goals, milestones, and deliverables in close alignment with key stakeholders
• Drive stakeholder management across business units, functions, and organizational levels
• Ensure technical consistency and quality of developed solutions
• Facilitate and steer interdisciplinary teams comprising scientists, software engineers, and system engineers
• Identify dependencies, synergies, and risks within complex project landscapes
• Support the transfer of research results into sustainable industrial applications
• Contribute to continuous improvement of methods and best practices in technical project leadership

Your Profile

• PhD in Physics, Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field
• Several years of experience in leading complex technical projects
• Strong expertise in optics, simulation, machine learning, or scientific computing
• Proven ability to structure and manage complex topics
• Experience in stakeholder and interface management
• Excellent communication skills across organizational levels ZEISS classification: Confidential
• Strategic mindset with hands‑on execution focus
• High level of initiative and team orientation

Your ZEISS Recruiting Team:

Friederike Kirklar-Harms, Selina Riccio