Our graduates have access to a wide range of interesting career opportunities thanks to their solid education. Potential employers include, for example:
Quirin Schaupp
As part of the second cohort starting in the winter semester of 2012, I began my studies in Wood Science in Rottenburg. I successfully completed the program in summer 2016. I then continued directly into the master’s program in Wood Science at the University of Hamburg, which I also completed successfully in January 2019.
Since finishing my master’s degree, I have been working at Hördener Holzwerk GmbH in Gaggenau, a KVH and glued laminated timber manufacturer specializing in the prefabricated housing industry and timber construction, employing around 75 people. Due to the company’s size, my range of tasks is broad and varied, spanning from quality management to product costing and PEFC auditing. I also regularly supervise individual projects. Among the most interesting projects were the implementation of a contactless wood moisture measurement system and the planning and commissioning of a lamella humidification system to improve bonding quality.
Looking back, I can say that what I appreciated most about studying at HFR was the family-like atmosphere—both within the degree program and on campus. I would recommend the Wood Science program for several reasons. The professors, staff, and external lecturers are highly qualified and extremely motivated, and the support is excellent due to the small cohort size. Additionally, the program offers a strong practical orientation, which is highly valued by companies. In my opinion, graduates in Wood Science can rely on a solid, broadly based qualification that opens many doors in industry and research.
Sophie Koch
After completing my B.Sc. in Wood Science at HFR in 2017, I went on to Maastricht University to pursue a Master of Science in Biobased Materials. This is a highly research-oriented program focused on developing materials from renewable raw resources. Since August 2020, I have been pursuing a PhD at ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology), in the Wood Materials Science group, which works on the functionalization and modification of wood.
In my doctoral research, I remove the wood component lignin in a way that preserves the structure of natural wood. I then fill the resulting spaces between the cellulose bundles with a matrix, enabling the creation of entirely new materials—materials that can exhibit extremely high mechanical properties or even electrical conductivity.
The question of how we will use our renewable resources in the future is becoming increasingly urgent in light of climate change. The B.Sc. Wood Science program provides a broad foundational education on this topic. From there, one can develop in many directions that will play an important role in the sustainable development of our world.
The ability to engage in discussion and to justify one’s own opinion constructively are skills I learned during my Wood Science studies—and they benefit me greatly in my professional life.
Magdalena Nafz
From 2012 to 2016, I was the only woman in the second cohort of the Wood Science program at Schadenweilerhof.
After graduating, I worked for one year in Florida for the Austrian sawmill group Klausner. There, I was able to consolidate and deepen the technical and economic knowledge gained during my studies. I then joined Klenk Holz AG in Oberrot as a sales representative for pallet and sawn timber, responsible for Germany and Italy. After the company was acquired by Binderholz, my work shifted to the sales of sawn timber and planed goods in the USA, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and England.
After four years of international experience in the sawmill and planing industry at European and American locations, I returned home. Today, my work in our family business, Nafz Holzhaus, includes advising customers on purchasing a healthy wooden home, supporting them throughout the construction phase, and accompanying them through to the handover of the keys and move-in. Interface management between marketing, sales, and architecture, as well as personnel and financial tasks, round off my role as executive assistant. Our mission at Nafz Holzhaus is to help as many people as possible obtain truly sustainable and healthy living spaces that benefit both people and the environment.
HFR is such a family-oriented university—I can wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone. The personal and highly competent support is outstanding. The broad structure of the Wood Science program enables you to launch a career in a wide variety of sustainable fields.
Axel Creuzberger
When I started in the second cohort in 2012, it never occurred to me that I would one day work for a company offering scanner systems and software solutions. But let me start at the beginning.
Since sawmills always fascinated me during my studies, it was a logical step to complete my thesis in a sawmill operation.
After finishing my thesis, I received a job offer from HIT Torgau, where the thesis had been conducted, and I gladly accepted. As an assistant to the department manager, I gained a wide range of experience and increasingly worked with the scanner systems of my current employer. Due to personnel changes, I was promoted to department manager after a short time, which allowed me to gain detailed knowledge in additional areas beyond scanner systems.
After a brief stop at another major German sawmill, I began my current position in 2018 at Microtec srl., headquartered in Brixen (Italy).
It may not seem obvious that a degree in Wood Science is ideal preparation for working as a Key Account Manager, but the opposite is often true. My main task is to advise customers on the best solutions. Since both the material wood and the sales markets of my customers vary greatly, each project is unique. This requires not only an understanding of wood as a material and relevant standards but also knowledge of further production steps up to modern timber construction. Essentially, exactly what is taught as a foundation during the degree program.