Field reports

Dipl.-Ing. Katrin Nagel

studied mechanical engineering with a focus on Biomedical and Process Engineering. Diploma 2009.

In which company and in which fields of activity do you work now?

After my studies I worked for 5 years as a research assistant at the Technical University in Hamburg and am currently in the process of obtaining my doctorate. Currently I am working at Syntellix AG, a company which is engaged in the development and production of magnesium implants. I am employed there in the research & development department.

What are you responsible for?

For the development of new products: Design of biomechanical testing, risk management, serviceability, process validation.

Which professional and extra-curricular knowledge from your studies is helpful?

Basics of mechanics, biomechanics, anatomy, materials engineering, technical English, handling of various software. In any case, you should have a relatively broad basic knowledge and a general interest in technical issues in the field of development.

How was the career entry successful?

I applied for a long time after submitting my dissertation and went through several interviews. I have also turned down some offers. In the end it was a speculative application that led to success. The application phase was important for me to be clear about which area was interesting for me.

Lena Busch, M. Sc.

studied industrial engineering with a specialization in Energy and Process Engineering. Bachelor in 2012, Master in 2014.

In which company and in which fields of activity do you work now?

I currently work at Vaillant GmbH in Remscheid. Vaillant offers energy-saving and environmentally friendly systems for heating, cooling and hot water - mainly based on renewable energies.

What are you responsible for?

I work in Industrial Engineering as a Test and Assembly Systems Engineer, i.e. I am responsible for test bench design, commissioning and production support in case of problems, including test training. The management of projects regarding Lean Testing or Design-to-Manufacture approaches are also part of my field of activity.

Which professional and extra-curricular knowledge from your studies is helpful?

In order to be able to fully test heating appliances (heat pumps, fuel cells, gas condensing boilers, CHPs) in production, a good knowledge of the product is required. Especially the subjects of my specialisation, such as thermodynamics, heat transfer and renewable energies, make it easy for me to familiarise myself with the functions of the device. When dealing with people from all areas of production, R&D (= research and development), quality control and also with customers, what counts is adaptability, teamwork and a confident manner.

How was the career entry successful?

I looked for jobs in the classic way via a job portal and was then hired for an unlimited period after two interviews.

Dr.-Ing. Christian Reinema

studied Industrial Engineering and Management. Diploma 2009.

In which company and in which fields of activity do you work now?

Volkswagen Utility Vehicles - Logistics planning

What are you responsible for?

Project manager in the logistics area for the Amarok

Innovation coordinator of the Volkswagen Utility Vehicles brand in the field of logistics

Which professional and extra-curricular knowledge from your studies is helpful?

Professional: Understanding of processes, understanding of logistical and production-technical interrelations

Extra-professional: Structured approach, conceptual thinking, problem-solving orientation

How was the career entry successful?

Application procedure

Viet Minh Duc Le, M. Sc.

studied Mechanical Engineering, specialising in Automation/Control Engineering. Master's degree in 2014.

In which company and in which fields of activity do you work now?

Since October 2014 I have been working for B. Braun Melsungen AG in a trainee program. My focus is Project Manager. I am responsible for project planning and project management. Since I am a trainee, I switch between many departments so that I can build up a good network. As a project manager I work on many projects at the same time, e.g:

Development of a new product (Medical Devices) in the R&D department Global Change Control for the implementation of a new component of the existing product (Strategic Project department) Process optimization to minimize the reject rate (in production) Benchmarking between our products and competitors' products (Global Marketing & Sales) Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Which professional and extra-curricular knowledge from your studies is helpful?

During my studies I got good technical basics. In addition, I also learned to read efficiently, to understand what I read correctly and to find ideas / solutions / measures for a problem. These skills help me a lot in my work. I can quickly grasp new technologies or functions of a machine or plant and then develop an idea / solution / measure for it. However, you can never learn everything during your studies, and your future job will most likely not be a perfect fit for your studies (like me). Therefore, learning basic methods is most important.

How was the career entry successful?

A trainee program is a very good start for graduates who have just finished their studies (like me). We work in many departments, so we can see a lot, continue learning and - most importantly - build up a large network of contacts. After the trainee program (between 18 and 24 months) we can see better which function or job suits us best.

Dipl.-Ing. Zahra Mahiyan

studied Mechanical Engineering. Diploma 2014.

In which company and in which fields of activity do you work now?

I work at AUDI AG in the area of complete vehicle development. There I am doing my doctorate in the department for vehicle acoustics.

What are you responsible for?

I deal with the vibration behaviour of the body structure and the influence of the vibrations on the interior acoustics. The aim is to eliminate disturbing noises and thus to ensure acoustic and vibration comfort for the driver.

Which professional and extra-curricular knowledge from your studies is helpful?

For my work, knowledge in the field of mechanics and machine dynamics is particularly helpful. But I also encounter other contents from my studies again and again during my work.

All in all, I can say that my studies of general mechanical engineering at LUH have opened the doors to a wide variety of fields. I was able to apply the knowledge I had acquired to problems in the field of automotive engineering.

How was the career entry successful?

At that time I wrote my diploma thesis in vehicle acoustics at Audi. After successfully completing this thesis, I applied for a doctorate together with the chair (Institute for Dynamics and Vibrations) and the Acoustics Department and was able to start my doctorate shortly afterwards.

Dipl.-Ing. Sebastian Krieger

studied Mechanical Engineering. Graduated in 2013.

In which company and in which fields of activity do you work now?

I work in the oil business for Weatherford. There I work on the development of so-called centering aids and also advise our customers worldwide.

What are you responsible for?

Meanwhile I am Product Manager for a product group in the company. This means that I am responsible for all matters, such as new developments and worldwide customer support. Furthermore, I take over the technical management of several engineers.

Which professional and extra-curricular knowledge from your studies is helpful?

For my field of activity I mainly need knowledge of mechanics and design engineering. My internships also helped me to get to know working life in terms of behaviour / roles of different people and dealing with colleagues.

How was the career entry successful?

I started my career with an engineering service provider through whom I came to Weatherford. Weatherford then took me on immediately after a short period of lock-up.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Karsten Oehlert

studied Mechanical Engineering with a focus on energy and process engineering. Diploma in 2005.

In which institution and in which fields of activity are you working now?

After several years in power generation (E.ON) and in the development of the automotive industry (Volkswagen), I am now professor for fluid energy machines at Jade University in Wilhelmshaven.

In this function I teach the field of the fundamentals of fluid mechanics and fluid machines and offer specializations in energy technology such as fluid dynamics or combustion engines. In addition, I am currently setting up my own research projects in the field of power generation and engine combustion.

What are you responsible for?

For a qualified education of the future generation of engineers!

Which professional and extra-curricular knowledge from your studies is helpful?

The subject component naturally plays a very important role in the university landscape. Here, the knowledge gained from studies alone is not sufficient, but must be supplemented by in-depth detailed knowledge from doctoral studies and also from professional life. Furthermore, it is very advantageous - in teaching as well as in the industrial environment - to acquire good presentation and articulation skills.

How was the career entry successful?

I was outrageously lucky: Our chief engineer at the time gave me the phone number of a decision-maker at E.ON, whom I called and who immediately invited me to a meeting. After another interview I received an offer which I accepted immediately. E.ON was an excellent employer for me, which I only left because of the nuclear power phase-out and the lack of prospects it offered.

Carl-Christian Rodenberg-Lauenstein, M. Sc.

studied Mechanical Engineering. Master 2015.

In which company and in which fields of activity do you work now?

I am a specialist engineer for the water-steam cycle of EEW Energy from Waste GmbH in Helstedt.

What are you responsible for?

I am responsible for the operation, optimisation and design of aggregates in the water-steam cycle of a total of 18 waste-to-energy plants.

Which professional and extra-curricular knowledge from your studies is helpful?

In particular, in-depth lectures of the Master's program such as Power Plant Engineering were very helpful for the introduction to the topic. However, basic knowledge from lectures such as machine dynamics is also finding its way into my professional everyday life, for example in the vibration monitoring of shafts.

How was the career entry successful?

I got started with my master's thesis, where I was able to get to know my current boss and convince him of me.

Sandra Höppner, M. Sc.

studied Biomedical Engineering. Master 2015.

In which company and in which fields of activity do you work now?

In May 2016, I joined MSP Schmeiser, a medical technology company in Horb am Neckar (60 km south of Stuttgart), as Quality and Regulatory Affairs Manager. MSP Schmeiser, as part of the STS Medical Group, produces complete sets for operating theatre requirements. MSP Schmeiser packs (almost) everything that the doctor needs for treatment in the operating theatre, including syringes, gloves and scalpels.

What are you responsible for?

My fields of activity are quality assurance as well as process control and optimization. My area of responsibility also includes monitoring compliance with and implementation of regulatory requirements for medical devices.

Which professional and extra-curricular knowledge from your studies is helpful?

The lectures Quality Management and Rules of Technology are helpful, whereby I gained my professional knowledge in the regulatory area mainly through my bachelor's thesis. Also the knowledge from the lecture Medical Terminology helps me from time to time. My HiWi job was particularly helpful, as I was able to take on a lot of responsibility and work in a team.

How was the career entry successful?

I found this job through some classic applications on job advertisements. The topic of my bachelor's thesis, which already dealt with regulatory requirements for in-vitro diagnostics products - a similar area - was helpful in this respect.

My tip for future graduates or current students: Try to identify your interests and strengths as early as possible during your studies, so that the first selection is easier when looking for a job. You can deepen your knowledge of topics and discover your strengths through the targeted selection of theses and, if necessary, additional internships.

Dr.-Ing. Sebastian Bertsch

studied Industrial Engineering and Management. Diploma 2010.

In which company and in which fields of activity do you work now?

I have been working for Continental AG in the Tire Division since the beginning of 2015. This division develops, produces and sells all types of tires - from passenger car to industrial tires. With approximately €2 billion, this division generates approximately 50% of the total profit of Continental AG (in 2015). In this division I work in the "Global Tire Logistics" department, a department responsible for planning and controlling the worldwide production and logistics processes.

What are you responsible for?

I am a member of a project in which large parts of our production and logistics processes are being redesigned over a period of several years. To this end, we are currently introducing new software with the aim of further optimizing the planning and execution of our logistics processes. Within this project, I am responsible for the topic "Supply Chain Segmentation". In short, this is about ensuring that we do not lose sight of what our customers actually expect from us in logistics. Continental supplies very different customers. One customer may be more interested in getting the tires as quickly as possible, for example, the very next day. For other customers it may be more important that we deliver particularly reliably, i.e. that we keep to a promised delivery date in any case. In segmentation, we ensure that each of these customer groups gets what is important to them from us.

Which professional and extra-curricular knowledge from your studies is helpful?

In addition to the content, which is taught in the lectures anyway, a good knowledge of English and a good presentation technique were important for me (to name just two examples). Continental is an international company. Accordingly, many of the employees in my project are not from Germany, and the majority of my work is in English. In my experience, the best way to learn English is to spend time abroad. I can only recommend a stay abroad anyway, because it's not only good for your English skills, but also a lot of fun.

I consider presentation techniques important because a large part of my work consists of presenting new ideas and concepts to other employees. A good way to practice presenting during your studies is a HiWi position as a tutor. Many institutes offer these tutorials, in which students from higher semesters explain the lecture contents to younger students.

How was the career entry successful?

After my studies I received my doctorate at the Institute for Factory Plants and Logistics. During my doctorate I had a lot of contact with industrial companies through various research or consulting projects. This experience helped me a lot when I started my career, as I already had a good idea of what kind of position might suit me well and what would come up in my first job after university.

Dipl.-Ing. Paul Maria Schlattmann

studied Mechanical Engineering with specialization in production engineering. Diploma in 2009.

In which company and in which fields of activity do you work now?

Since the beginning of 2016 I have been working for Bernd Siegmund GmbH, a medium-sized manufacturer of welding and clamping tables. As logistics manager I am responsible for warehouse, transport and production logistics.

What are you responsible for?

I am responsible for the logistic processes of the group of companies with a total of 4 locations. For a fast growing medium-sized company there are many details to be regulated there. In addition, I am responsible for a small team of logisticians and forwarding agents at the main location.

Which professional and extra-curricular knowledge from your studies is helpful?

My student assistant work at IFA was certainly important from a technical point of view, I learned a lot about operational process control in companies. Apart from that, I am really glad to have heard control engineering. Of course it doesn't help in the narrow sense, but understanding control loops is very helpful in logistics.

How was the career entry successful?

More difficult than expected. It was difficult to assign a concrete entry-level job to my interests and knowledge. After a long time and an unfortunate excursion into management consulting, I ended up at Amazon, which, contrary to public opinion, is a great employer and an excellent school for operational management and personnel leadership.

Dr.-Ing. Christian Wellmann

studied Computer-aided Engineering. Master 2006, PhD at the Institute of Continuum Mechanics 2011.

In which company and in which fields of activity do you work now?

I work for INTES GmbH in Stuttgart. We develop the finite element software PERMAS for the simulation of component properties under mechanical and thermal loads. Our customers come from the automotive, aerospace and general engineering industries.

What are you responsible for?

The maintenance and further development of the software. This includes the detection of errors and the development of new software modules to take other physical effects into account. For this, it is necessary to study the technical literature in order to know the current state of the art.

Which professional and extra-curricular knowledge from your studies is helpful?

Primarily knowledge of technical mechanics and continuum mechanics as well as the finite element method. In addition programming knowledge and knowledge of thermomechanics. To understand customer projects, technical understanding is important to understand the function of the component under consideration.

How was the career entry successful?

Via a speculative application. I was looking for a company that also does research & development in the field of simulation methods. For this purpose I searched through the papers of the respective conferences and came across INTES. There I applied for a job as a developer on my own initiative.

Dipl.-Ing. Nils Kindt

studied Mechanical Engineering with a focus on energy processes and process engineering (with an emphasis on thermal process engineering)

In which company and in which fields of activity do you work now?

I work as a project manager at DEWA Engineering und Anlagenbau. DEWA is active in the pharmaceutical industry and mainly builds plants for the production of ultrapure water, but also general plants for the pharmaceutical industry.

What are you responsible for?

My job is the complete processing of orders from the moment the order is received. This includes the design, supervision of production and assembly, commissioning at the customer's site as well as the documentation of apparatuses and complete plants.

Which professional and extra-curricular knowledge from your studies is helpful?

Of the skills I acquired during my studies, the basic technical understanding is particularly important. In addition, I consider the lecture on apparatus engineering and plant engineering to be particularly important for my department. It is particularly worthwhile that I have been involved in voluntary work during my studies. The skills, knowledge and experience I acquired during this time are at least as important as the content of my studies.

How was the career entry successful?

The entry into the profession was not difficult for me. As regards content, I was well prepared. However, the difference between theory and practice is much more serious than I had assumed - still nothing that could not be done.

Henrik Westermann, M. Sc.

studied Mechatronics. Bachelor 2009, Master 2010.

In which company and in which fields of activity do you work now?

I work as an engineer in the research and development department of Volkswagen AG at the Wolfsburg site. Currently I am working in the acoustics department and support the company in the acoustic calculation of the complete vehicle. Among other things, we calculate the interior noise due to engine vibrations or tyre/road contact.

What are you responsible for?

My department is located in the early development process of the car and is responsible for comfortable and low-noise vehicles.

Which professional and extra-curricular knowledge from your studies is helpful?

The studies in Hanover prepared me excellently for this task. For example, the contents of many of the basic lectures of the bachelor's programme are a daily component of my work. The in-depth lectures of the master's degree also played a large part in my decision to go into the automotive industry later on. After my studies I started a doctorate at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the Leibniz University of Hanover, which is not yet completed at the moment. Within the scope of my work as a research assistant I have been dealing with mechanical vibrations and dynamics. During this time my interest in acoustics was awakened.

How was the career entry successful?

I would recommend all prospective engineers to use their studies to find out about their own strengths and weaknesses. Those who know these will enjoy their work more and will successfully master their career entry. A priceless asset is also the scientific network that can be created during the course of study.

Dr.-Ing. Arne Lucas

studied Mechanical Engineering with the specialization subjects production engineering and technical combustion. Diploma in 2004.

In which company and in which fields of activity do you work now?

• at the company Kroning GmbH Industrie- und Landtechnik as authorized signatory and member of the management,
• Focus on innovation and further development by building up/expanding the technical core competences, especially hydraulics.

What are you responsible for?

• is responsible for the operative business together with the managing directors,
• Generational succession in the family business by joining the company as the 3rd generation,
• technical development, innovation management.

Which professional and extra-curricular knowledge from your studies is helpful?

• Universal education and training at a university leading to independence
• The basic knowledge and basic technical understanding imparted in the course of studies serves first of all as a toolbox, in order to then gain further specialist qualifications in the profession (I am not a friend of courses of study that are already very focused on a specific subject)
• My focus has always been to make the education as diverse as possible (subjects, HiWi jobs, semester abroad, internship)
• Semesters abroad in Sweden (Erasmus) and Australia (arranged by the IFW) strengthen not only the professional aspects but also the soft skills to work confidently, independently and on one's own responsibility (and thus to take on responsibility oneself)
• End of 2013 Doctorate as Dr.-Ing. at the IFW (Prof. Denkena)
• The doctorate at an institute like the IFW is an extension of the toolbox from the studies on a higher academic level with increased complexity
• Doctorate as a challenge, that also the comprehensive and laborious deepening of a topic succeeds, naturally also a very strong subject-specific training, which prepares if necessary the professional career entry

How was the career entry successful?

• Career start already at the beginning of 2012 (after parental leave)
• Through an application-oriented transfer project in the Collaborative Research Centre for Medical Technology (SFB 599), contact was established with a start-up company in medical technology, Syntellix AG (Syntellix AG started as the second employee, but by the time it left the company at the beginning of 2016 it already had 27 employees)
• Finalization of the approval of an innovative medical device and market entry
• Finally, "Technical Director" (Vice-President level) with responsibility for R & D, regulatory affairs, supply chain management, quality management and regulatory affairs
• At the beginning of 2016, entry into the family business of the parents-in-law to take over the management of the company from the next generation