Studied energy and power plant engineering at Flensburg University of Applied Sciences, followed by a doctorate in a cooperative doctoral program at Flensburg University of Applied Sciences and TU Dresden, funded by a scholarship from the Schleswig-Holstein Energy Foundation. During his studies, he also worked as a freelancer in projects on energy system evaluation and the use of renewable energies. From 2000 to 2006, he worked in industry at ABB, later ALSTOM Power, in Heidelberg and Mannheim, with changing tasks in research, development, technical consulting and sales of complete power plants and steam turbines in particular. Also lecturer for new power plant technologies and thermodynamics. Appointed to the Flensburg University of Applied Sciences in 2006 for energy technology in mechanical engineering. During this time, various contract research projects on topics including solar thermal power plants, compressed air storage power plants and heat supply technologies.