The UK arm of the German optics and technology group ZEISS, with more than 800 UK staff at Cambourne, Birmingham, Lutterworth and Edinburgh.
ZEISS is a science and technology group best known for lenses and microscopes. In the UK, its work covers four areas. At Cambourne near Cambridge the company makes most of the group's electron microscopes, including the GeminiSEM range, which scientists use to look at materials and cells at tiny scales. In Birmingham it makes lenses for glasses under its Vision Care business. In Lutterworth it runs a quality centre for industrial measuring equipment, and in Edinburgh its Hyaltech site makes sterile hyaluronic acid injectables used in orthopaedic and eye treatments.
The ZEISS Group was founded in 1846, and the company says it has had a presence in the UK for over a century. It describes itself as a pioneer of scientific optics. Its UK career pages say it looks for people who are empathetic, passionate, committed and drawn to challenges, and that the more diverse the company is, the more creative its solutions can be. We did not find a UK-only mission statement beyond this.
ZEISS reports more than 800 employees in the UK. Cambourne, at ZEISS House on Cambourne Business Park, is home to production and supply chain for research microscopy and to the head office for UK sales and service. The microscopy business was previously at Coldhams Lane in Cambridge, where it expanded in 2013, before moving to a purpose-built three-storey building at Cambourne. Customers can see electron microscopes being built through windows from the customer centre.
In a 2021 interview, managing director Daniel Aldridge said the culture is about empowering people to make decisions, adapting quickly and building trust through open feedback. Keeping most of the workforce through the move to Cambourne was a priority. The site uses digital lean methods and is working with the University of Cambridge's Institute for Manufacturing on automation, including overnight production. The Vision Care business says it is Great Place To Work certified. These are company statements, and the interview is now a few years old.
ZEISS lists career areas including digital and IT, research and development, production and manufacturing, project management and engineering, sales, field service, applications, quality and customer care. Its microscopes help researchers with problems as varied as improving battery power density, studying food ingredients and mapping brain synapses in 3D. Employees can follow leadership or expert paths, and the company mentions support for professional qualifications and STEM outreach. Check the ZEISS UK site for roles near you.
Website: www.zeiss.co.uk
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