It Started With a PhD
I came to Germany in 2019 for a PhD in computational astrophysics at the University of Cologne. Four years building computational models of how diffusion impacts star formation.
Background and expertise
From PhD to applied AI, on both sides of the leap.
I made this exact transition myself, then built the system to help other STEM PhDs do the same. The story starts in a physics department in Cologne and ends in production ML in Aachen.
I Published, Like We All Do
I produced academic output for years, so I know exactly how it reads and why industry recruiters cannot parse it.
Then I Hit the Wall
Near the end, I sent my academic CV into the industry job market and heard silence. I was not underqualified. I was untranslated. Learning to fix that changed everything.
The Translation Worked
Today I am a Machine Learning Engineer at Access e.V. in Aachen, and lead developer of PorosAI, a physics-informed ML system that predicts casting defects at the design stage.
I Also Taught It
AI and ML lecturer at Fresenius University of Applied Sciences, 2024-2026. Teaching engineering students kept my explanations honest. Strip the jargon, keep the substance. The same clarity still runs through my coaching.
And I Coach the Same Move
The translation system I built for my own search became Academia to Industry. German recruiters, German ATS, salary bands, interview rituals. Not theory. The market I got hired in is the one my clients get hired in.
135
Clients coached
~90
Avg. days to offer
4.9/5
Client rating
€62-85K
Typical starting salary
“Everyone said with a PhD, finding a job would be easy. After 3 months and 200 applications, I only had 2 failed HR interviews. Aleena immediately identified the real problems. By week 2, I got my first interview call.”
Olivia, Career Bridge client · signed at €85,000 in under 8 weeks
Read the full case studies →Ready to make the transition?
Pick the depth of support that fits where you are. Or start with the free diagnostic to find your bottleneck first.