From 17th to 19th of September 2019, the Fraunhofer IOF is organizing a high-rated HR and recruiting event for students and doctoral students of photonics. As part of the traditional annual event, the »Photonics Days Jena«, young scientists have the opportunity to network with other graduates from Germany, participate in workshops and makathons, or get to know business enterprises as potential employers at a science and industry breakfast and career fair. This year's cooperation with the photonics graduate school »Max Planck School of Photonics« offers the perfect setting for this.

The background to the event is the growing demand for new scientific talent that is haunting many companies in the optics and photonics industry. In addition, there is a lack of offers to show students and PhD students perspectives for their professional career even before they have completed their studies. For this reason, a networking format was created this year that addresses the needs of both sides: young scientists are sensitized to the knowledge and skills that are advantageous in job applications. Company representatives, on the other hand, have the opportunity to present themselves as attractive employers and make contacts with interested candidates. Confirmed participants for the company contact fair are currently ZEISS, EXCELITAS, Trumpf, Schott and the Thuringian state development company LEG.

The event will be complemented by an entertaining and exciting supporting program to which the public is cordially invited. On September 18th of 2019, starting at 1:00 pm, young scientists will be pitching for the »Hot Stuff Award« of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena in the lecture hall 1, presenting unusual and creative project ideas. Afterwards, ZEISS CEO Prof. Michael Kaschke will present his vision of the modern optics industry, and Nobel Prize winner Prof. Gérard Mourou will take everyone on a breathtaking journey into the world of laser physics.

In addition, the Photonics Days will present the young researchers award of the Fraunhofer IOF – the Applied Photonics Award – for particularly innovative final theses in the field of applied photonics by the Thuringian Minister of Economics, Science and Digital Society, Wolfgang Tiefensee. The award ceremony will take place again this year with the kind support of the companies Jenoptik, Trumpf, Active Fiber Systems and the VDI.

Registration and program of the Photonics Days Jena (for students and PhD students): www.photonicsdays.de

Participation and meals are free, travel and accommodation must be provided by the participants themselves.

Representatives of the optics and photonics industry, who would like to present their company in the context of the career fair or would like to report their personal career experiences as role models at the science and industry-breakfast, are welcome to contact photonics.days@iof.fraunhofer.de about the possibilities of participation and various sponsorship packages.