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Kick-Start your career.

You determine your own direction – with ZEISS' graduate program.

Do you want to take on responsibility soon after graduation and become an expert in your team? Do you want to develop an in-depth understanding of a global technology leader's markets, products and networks early in your career? With the graduate program, ZEISS sends you on your individual path. The focus is on your development – both professionally and personally.

You will rotate through different departments and build up your personal network in order to successfully start into your future role. The Graduate Program creates the basis for your start at ZEISS. You determine your own direction.

The Graduate Program: an overview

The timeline depicts the sequence of events in an 18-month program consisting of four assignments followed by onboarding days and training measures. It can begin in October or April. Between the assignments, there are 'base camps', workshops, training sessions and further professional qualifications. At the end of the program, there is a graduation ceremony and the graduate is transferred to the specialist department. Mentoring, team projects, challenges and networking events also complement the program.

What you can expect

During the 18 months, you will rotate between four different ZEISS stations across the company's different business units and possibly also abroad. Which departments these are depends on your chosen focus and your future role. During the program, you will also take part in several training sessions, workshops and project work for professional and personal development. All this is aims at enabling you to hit the ground running after completing the program. The program begins in October and April, with new vacancies normally posted six months in advance (October and April).

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Requirements

✔ You have a university degree

✔ Initial relevant practical experience (at least six months, maximum 1.5 years of internships or work experience in the respective field)

✔ Fluent in English

✔ Extramural commitment

✔ You want to help shape future markets in areas such as digitalization, medical technology or Industry 4.0

✔ You show initiative, motivation, a desire for personal responsibility, a willingness to learn and team spirit and want to drive change forward

✔ You are not afraid to overcome demanding project tasks and their challenges

✔ Willingness to work at a ZEISS location in Germany

Selection process

The ZEISS graduate program selection process takes place in several stages:

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Job openings and applications

The different business units and the central corporate and service functions at ZEISS offer a large number of career options for all disciplines.

Explore job openings

Our selection process starts in spring or autumn. As soon as the job vacancies are posted, you can apply via our online application portal. After registration, fill in all fields completely and upload your application documents.
In order for us to get a comprehensive picture, please submit a resume and, ideally, a covering letter, proof of internships and a current grade sheet or diploma.

The individual documents should not exceed a size of 5 MB.
The application process consists of three stages to allow you to best get to know us and us to get to know you. If your application has aroused our curiosity, you will receive an invitation to the online test. You then have 7 days to complete the test. This test includes logical thinking tasks and questions about your personality.
The second step involves you meeting representatives from the department and the recruiter in a video interview. If you have also successfully mastered this stage, you will be invited to an on-site application day at ZEISS.
Our program is primarily aimed at graduates, so you should have completed your degree no more than 1.5 years ago. Alternatively, you can take a look at our careers page to get to work straightaway.
The stations you visit depend on the focus you have chosen. Some departments are key for your development at ZEISS, others can be determined by you and your manager. Your previous experience and current projects play a key role in that decision.