Jeff stands in a modern stairwell. His hands are in his pockets and he smiles at the camera.

ZEISS Stories | Jeff

Finding passion with new challenges every day

Project Management and Engineering

Jeff gets bored easily. This is partly what makes being an Applications Engineer at ZEISS Industrial Quality Solutions a great fit for him. In his team, they get the problems that their customers can't solve on their own. Every day he is faced with new challenges that require him to learn and adapt. He thrives in this environment.

Jeff is wearing a gray shirt in a laboratory and working with the ZEISS VAST XXT tactile scanning sensor.

Programming the most precise robots at ZEISS Industrial Quality Solutions

Imagine you had an item that was as thin as a piece of paper. Now imagine that you wanted to slice this item into 1,000 equally sized pieces. Jeff and his teammates program robots so precise that they could measure if your item was sliced 999 times instead of 1,000.

Jeff works with manufacturers, many of which produce parts for the automotive and aerospace industries. It is critical that they produce parts with high accuracy and precision. ZEISS measuring machines can determine if their production process is meeting their required standards.

Jeff monitors the ZEISS VAST scanning sensor while also controlling a coordinate measuring machine

"The customer will supply the print – a blueprint for a part – which will have all the specifications and tolerances and they will usually supply a CAD model. I will develop a plan on how the part will be inspected and how the part will be held and fixed to the measuring machine. I then work very closely with the fixture designer on how we're going to hold the part in a robust and repeatable manner that is both durable, repeatable and easy to do."

Jeff looks at the computer screen while standing next to the highly precise ZEISS PRISMO fortis coordinate measuring machine (CMM).

Advanced Engineers solve the most difficult problems

When a customer cannot figure out a way to measure a particularly challenging part on their own, they contact Applications Engineers like Jeff. Jeff and his team get the problems that no one else can do, which means everything is a new and unique challenge.

"The part of my job that I love is where I look at a process that takes ten people a couple of days and I can turn it into something for them that they can have in a couple of minutes. I've always been into manufacturing and robotics, and this is both together. I get to program a measuring machine that works in manufacturing."

Success through collaborative teamwork

How is it that Jeff and his team can continually find solutions to other peoples' most difficult challenges? Jeff is part of a larger team with a collective knowledge base and eagerness to work together to find solutions.

"People collaborate here in a way that I've seen with very few places or companies. If you don't know how to do something, someone in the group has probably done it. And they are not only willing, but happy to share the information with you. And then together, we work on an even better way to do it. All of us have our specialties. And everyone works very closely together. It's a very open environment for asking questions. If you say, "I don't know," you will have three people running over to help. We are all very driven to solve problems."

People collaborate here in a way that I've seen with very few places or companies. If you don't know how to do something, someone in the group has probably done it.

Jeff Applications Engineer

Rewarding work atmosphere

Although Jeff faces a constant stream of complex challenges, he finds the daily work atmosphere to be very satisfying.

"I'm never bored. This job is different every day and I'm always learning. Although I've been doing this for a long time; I learn something new every single day. The work life balance is good, and you are treated as a professional that is expected to do their role. The challenges are hard, but I am set up with the tools and knowledge base that make my tasks attainable. Anyone can do the easy stuff – but accomplishing the hard stuff is incredibly rewarding."

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Mario stands in a long, white corridor with a row of lockers on the left. He looks directly at the camera and has placed his hands in his pockets in a relaxed stance