Sebastian Wicklein
About Sebastian Wicklein
Sebastian Wicklein serves as the Director of Business Development and R&D Coordination at Fraunhofer USA, where he leads transatlantic R&D collaboration efforts. He has a diverse background in engineering and research, having held various positions at notable organizations including SanDisk and Intel Corporation.
Current Role at Fraunhofer USA
Sebastian Wicklein serves as the Director of Business Development and R&D Coordination at Fraunhofer USA Inc. since 2023. In this role, he is responsible for initiating and managing transatlantic research and development collaboration efforts. He coordinates the activities of Fraunhofer USA’s Science and Technology Advisory Council and guides the corporate research and development strategy. Additionally, he oversees corporate business development and R&D project acquisition efforts.
Previous Experience in R&D and Engineering
Prior to his current position, Wicklein held various roles in research and development. He worked as Lead of Corporate R&D Coordination at Fraunhofer USA from 2020 to 2023. His experience also includes positions at SanDisk® as a Senior Device Engineer and Staff Engineer, where he contributed to R&D engineering from 2013 to 2017. He has also worked at Intel Corporation as an NVM Device Integration & Yield Engineer from 2018 to 2020.
Educational Background
Wicklein studied at Aalen University, where he achieved a Dipl.-Ing. (Fh) in Surface Engineering and Materials Sciences from 2002 to 2006. He later pursued a Ph.D. in Materials Sciences at Kiel University, which he has been studying since 2013. His academic background provides a strong foundation for his work in engineering and research.
Early Career and Internships
Wicklein began his professional career with internships, including a full-time position at the German Aerospace Center from 2003 to 2004. He also interned at Fraunhofer USA - Center for Coatings and Laser Applications in 2005. Following these internships, he worked as a Project Engineer at Fraunhofer USA and Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Regensburg between 2006 and 2009.