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

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

Job summary

ZEISS Group is seeking a Senior Scientist (m/f/x) to lead and coordinate innovation-driven projects at the interface of research, development, and application. You will steer model-, data-, and AI-driven design workflows while ensuring alignment with strategic objectives.

You will manage stakeholders across units, drive technical quality, and guide interdisciplinary teams of scientists, software, and system engineers toward impactful industrial applications.

Qualifications

• 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.
• Strategic mindset with hands-on execution focus.
• High level of initiative and team orientation.

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

Stakeholder management

Communication

Team leadership

Education

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

Experience leading complex technical projects

Job description

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.

Diversity is a part of ZEISS. 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.

Aufgaben

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.

• 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

Profil

• 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

Wir bieten

Important note

Please be advised that a valid work permit for Germany is required for non-EU citizens. Unfortunately, applications without a valid work permit and sufficient German language skills may not be considered.

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