SCIENCE FOR A HEALTHIER, CLEANER AND SAFER WORLD

Thermo Fisher builds advanced electron microscopes to help its customers solve some of the world’s most complex scientific challenges. These microscopes are so sophisticated that you could be on the moon looking down on Earth and see the lettering of a tennis ball on a tennis court. The company’s customers work in the fields of life sciences, materials sciences and semiconductors. Concepts and first prototypes are tested and validated in its own R&D labs with a key focus on applications development. Meanwhile, Thermo Fisher works with experts across the globe (including Nobel Prize winners) to ensure its advancements will meet the current and future needs of customers.

Very international

Sarah Neumann did her PhD in Microbiology in Nijmegen. “When I completed it in 2014, rather than staying in the lab studying bacteria, I wanted a regular, more permanent job at a company instead. During my PhD, a lot I touched was from Thermo Fisher, or FEI as it was still known at that time. I was always very interested in the electron microscopes, so I thought why not work at the company that makes those machines?”

“I am now an Application Specialist at Thermo Fisher. It’s a diverse job. I demonstrate the microscope to customers and I show what they can do with it, including different ways to see things in their materials. I also train customers in how to work with the machines. Besides that, I test new software and hardware. Another part of my job is giving feedback in the R&D process, because we know how our customers actually use the machines.”

“Thermo Fisher is very international; we have colleagues from all over the world. There’s a very flexible culture in terms of working hours, how you structure your day and how you set and achieve your own goals. The organization is quite big and there are lots of possibilities to switch jobs, so the company puts a lot of effort into helping you think about your own development. Moreover, Thermo Fisher is fair to its employees. The communication style is open, working conditions are very good and there is flexibility in finding positions that suit you. After eight years, I’m still very happy in my job.”

Super high tech

Jurjen Leer did his bachelor in Biomedical Engineering and his master in Medical Engineering, both at TU Eindhoven. He subsequently found a job at Thermo Fisher as a Global Technical Support Engineer. “I was familiar with Thermo Fisher from my studies, but I wasn’t aware that they also made such huge electron microscopes.”

“I already knew a few people who were working here. What I noticed was that they were all very positive about the good atmosphere and the opportunities for career progression. In my job, I am collaborating with Operations and R&D on the development of new products, while on the other hand working with the service organization on fixing technical issues on the customers microscope. It’s a very varied role in which you soon get to know a lot of people.”

“I’ve been at Thermo Fisher for two years now. It’s super high tech, with very complex machines. The people here are very approachable and always happy to lend you a helping hand. It’s a warm and friendly culture. Because you get to know people quickly, you also soon get a good overview of all the opportunities. I see that as an advantage for anyone who has just joined the company. And if you want to learn something extra in your line of work, the management is always open to giving you the freedom you need to develop yourself even further.”

“If you’re close to completing your master, then I would definitely recommend you to check out Thermo Fisher. People often don’t realize how high tech we are. Here, we have the aim to make the world a better place. It’s mind-blowing what our machines are capable of and which kinds of companies are using them. For example, the first detailed structures of the coronavirus and the Tau protein associated with causing Alzheimer’s were reconstructed using our machines.”

The culture was the deciding factor

Frederieke van Tuijl studied Biomedical Engineering at TU/e, where she worked already with Thermo Fisher equipment. When she started looking for a job, four high-tech companies caught her eye but she ultimately made a conscious decision for Thermo Fisher.

“There is a huge degree of complexity and innovation here. Thermo Fisher combines high tech with life science, but the deciding factor for me was the culture. I felt a certain sense of openness in all my interviews beforehand. I noticed that people made time for you and I liked how the colleagues interacted with one another. You’re not compartmentalized and there are countless possibilities if you take the initiative. Plus people are down-to-earth and fun, as you would expect here in Eindhoven. Since joining, I’ve now discovered that we work together with our customers very openly too, which really appeals to me.”

“In my first year here I was a mentor, supporting the factory engineers. In my second and third years I was a project lead for non-standard orders. Since 2019, I’ve been New Product Introduction Lead for the Life Science section. That’s a good illustration of how you can shape your own career here.”

“Our electron microscopes are the epitome of high tech. Our workforce includes mechanical engineers, physicists, optical engineers, electronics engineers and more. It also includes biomedical engineers, because life science is one of the biggest application areas for electron microscopes, alongside materials science and semiconductor. In my view, the high tech, the complexity, the high-level innovation and the pleasant atmosphere are all good reasons to take a look at whether Thermo Fisher could be right for you.”

Contact details

Simen Sturme simen.sturme@thermofisher.com

Sr Talent Acquisition Business Partner

When Thermo Fisher Scientific acquired FEI Company, the leader in high-performance electron microscopy, the business became part of Thermo Fisher’s Analytical Instruments Segment. The site in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, is where high-end transmission electron microscopes are developed and manufactured. The company is proud to have facilitated the advancements of the 2017 Nobel Prize-winning chemistry scientists within cryo-electron microscopy. Thermo Fisher Scientific offers exciting and highly rewarding career opportunities. It has core technical openings in R&D, manufacturing, operations and engineering. Besides that, the company also has opportunities in its Business Units, Sales & Service, Supply Chain and Logistics, Product Marketing and its own Applications Demo Lab.

For a complete overview of current vacancies, please go to jobs.thermofisher.com and select Eindhoven as the location.

At Eindhoven University of Technology, Maarten obtains his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering. He graduates in February 2022 under the department of Energy Technology: a broad department focusing on all aspects of green energy. “In my final year, I did a three-month internship at TNO, and afterwards also accommodated my graduation project here for nine months. Due to COVID-19 virus an internship abroad was not possible, so I wanted to do something new and exciting near Eindhoven. Through LinkedIn I found a project in the field of fuel cell technology. Personally, I hadn’t thought about automotive at all, but hydrogen energy sounded very interesting. In my internship I researched the