- Careers
- Digital & IT at ZEISS
- Story – Sabrina
Helpful bytes in medical technology
Sabrina has been fascinated by computers and their programs ever since she was 13. “We took IT classes for the first time in seventh grade. We would program something funny together during break times and I would then continue on a Windows 95 PC at home,” she recalls. Today, Sabrina is a software developer at ZEISS Digital Innovation (ZDI) in Dresden: “Databases and software development are my thing. I have a passion for programming.”
Meaningful software
No matter which field? “Yes, pretty much. Although some fields are more exciting than others,” says Sabrina. When she completed her degree in computer science at Fulda University of Applied Sciences, she was the youngest woman to graduate in her year group. She then worked as a software developer in various industries, from logistics to insurance to car components.
“Each industry is interesting and has its challenges. But software development in the medical sphere is the most meaningful industry to me. After all, we and our software help doctors to make a more specific diagnosis and therefore improve their patients’ lives.”
Software development in the medical sphere is the most meaningful industry to me. After all, we and our software help doctors to make a more specific diagnosis and therefore improve their patients’ lives.
Digital medicine
Sabrina met the woman who would become her boss at a ZEISS Digital Innovation evening event. A few interesting discussions and a signature later and she became part of the current project team – and has been here for over four years now.
With her software development skills specialized in healthcare, Sabrina and her team are working on a cloud-based web application. This enables doctors to exchange information and, for example, share more complex cases with colleagues in order to obtain a second opinion quickly and easily – all in the spirit of connectivity and collaboration with the help of digital innovations.
Taking pride in her work
Sabrina is proud of her and her team’s work: "We are working on digital solutions that help doctors to treat patients."
Her core team includes software architects and developers. And her contacts include designers who work on user experience and user interfaces whenever required. “We mainly work on new features together, which then generally results in a more homogeneous software solution. We debate a lot, share our knowledge, and push each other to ensure we are always performing at our best. In any case, my own learning curve has been steep since day one.”
Looking to the future
And what’s next? “I feel at home in the team. I like my role and I value ZEISS as an employer. You can really feel the social responsibility of a foundation-owned company and the innovative strength of a global player when you work here. I am exactly where I want to be right now. But if I ever need a change, ZEISS offers me plenty of career development opportunities.” And not just in medical technology, but also in semiconductor technology, metrology, microscopy, and ophthalmic optics. The ZDI teams work with all ZEISS business units.
And if she could have one wish granted, what would it be? “More of a female presence! Software development today is an organic process within agile teams – agile teams that are crying out for highly trained women in particular. Ladies, go for it!”