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

ZEISS Group; Oberkochen; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

ZEISS Group in Germany seeks a Senior Scientist (m/f/x) to lead and coordinate AI-driven optical design projects, acting as a central interface between research, development and application. You will manage interdisciplinary teams, drive stakeholder alignment across business units, and ensure the technical quality and impact of delivered solutions.

This role combines scientific excellence with strategic execution and a hands-on, collaborative leadership style.

Qualifications

• PhD in Physics, Engineering, Computer Science, or a 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.
• Strategic mindset with hands-on execution focus.
• Excellent communication 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 expertise

Simulation

Machine learning

Scientific computing

Stakeholder management

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

Your ZEISS Recruiting Team

Friederike Kirklar-Harms, Selina Riccio