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

Carl Zeiss AG; Oberkochen; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Carl Zeiss AG in Oberkochen seeks a Senior Scientist to lead and coordinate AI-driven design projects at the interface of research, development and application. You will manage interdisciplinary teams of scientists, software and systems engineers, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and effective stakeholder engagement.

PhD in a relevant field and several years of leadership in technical projects are essential, with strong optics, simulation, ML, or scientific computing expertise.

Qualifications

• PhD in Physics, Engineering, CS, or related field.
• Several years of experience 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.

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

Project leadership

Optics

Simulation

Machine learning

Scientific computing

Stakeholder management

Communication across levels

Education

PhD in Physics, Engineering, Computer Science, or 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

Step out of your comfort zone, excel and redefine the limits of what is possible. That’s just what our employees are doing every single day – in order to set the pace through our innovations and enable outstanding achievements. After all, behind every successful company are many great fascinating people. In a spacious modern setting full of opportunities for further development, ZEISS employees work in a place where expert knowledge and team spirit reign supreme. All of this is supported by a special ownership structure and the long-term goal of the Carl Zeiss Foundation: to bring science and society into the future together. Join us today. Inspire people tomorrow.

We look forward to receiving your application regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion, philosophy of life, disability, age, sexual orientation or identity.