Could you briefly describe your work and your areas of activity?

Our Printing Solutions team is concerned with various types of printing, ranging from 1D to 3D printing. I work mainly in the development of materials for 3D printing. My tasks extend from the preparation of test objects for mechanical testing to characterization of new material systems.

What do you like best about your work?

I chose to work as a chemical laboratory technician because I’ve been interested in chemistry from a very early age. And this work offers plenty of variety, from checking production samples in a plant laboratory, through analytics, to research: That’s what makes my job so exciting. What I like best about my work is that we’re always making new discoveries and advances. There’s a continual flow of new tasks and projects that present us with new challenges. I also particularly enjoy working in a team because each member contributes their own ideas to a project. Collaboration with other units, such as our analytical service, is also very interesting and reveals new aspects of our work to us.

What kind of person is successful at Evonik? What do you associate with the terms “opportunities” and “flexibility” at Evonik?

Any kind of person can be successful at Evonik as long as they like chemistry and enjoy their work. There’s no particular type that’s likely to be more—or less—successful, because each one is an individual and the ideas they bring to the company are correspondingly diverse. Thanks to my apprenticeship, I got the chance to do what I enjoy and what I have fun doing. With the conversion of my apprenticeship contract into a permanent employment, I was given the opportunity to plan my future in a stable environment. And due to Evonik’s promotion of further training I now have the chance to train as a laboratory technician while continuing in employment. Flexible working hours allow me to organize my time so that on days when there are no classes I can study at home, and on other days drive to vocational school straight after work. Our department is also very flexible when it comes to leave planning, and that is very useful in case of an unscheduled event or an exam. Evonik supports you in your professional development.

What do you personally understand by the term “HumanChemistry”?

To me “human chemistry” is about people working in chemistry and developing it further so that it helps us in our everyday lives. Chemistry can only be developed by people with a diversity of skills. At Evonik you never struggle in isolation but are part of a team, be it in training, in the laboratory, or with other units. Every individual contributes something to the final result and can capitalize on his or her strengths in the process.