Associate - Early-Stage Innovation Team (m/f/d)

As a (Junior) Associate, you are the operational backbone of the Early-Stage Innovation Team, ensuring the smooth running of daily activities while supporting the ongoing development of our innovation strategy. In this role, you support the team's diverse activities – such as driving idea generation and managing innovation teams – while independently creating presentations and compelling storylines, planning and coordinating workshops and meetings, and managing the team's software and AI infrastructure. You work autonomously, take ownership, and actively bring your own ideas to the table – with significantly more freedom than in traditional corporate roles. You gain insights into group-wide innovation projects, continuously learn alongside the team, build experience in real innovation processes, and grow through hands-on work alongside internal and external stakeholders.

Associate - Early-Stage Innovation Team (m/f/d)

Your responsibilities

• Early-Stage Innovation Activities: Support the Early-Stage Innovation Team (part of TDK's Internal Incubator) in screening, evaluating, planning, developing and executing innovation projects across the global organization
• Storytelling & Presentations: Transform strategy, planning, innovation, digital, and technology topics into compelling presentations, storylines and other (visual) communication formats
• Decision-Making Materials: Create decision papers, overviews, data reports and visualizations for management and other stakeholders
• Workshop & Meeting Support: Plan, organize and follow up on workshops, project meetings and appointments
• Project Support: Operations support for innovation projects, including coordination, team management, documentation and follow-ups
• (Internal) Communications: Manage contact databases and develop newsletters, blogs, updates that make innovation visible within the company
• Digital Efficiency: Leverage digital tools and AI applications to optimize workflows and project processes

A Note on Culture: This position is ideal for ambitious talents who want to grow in a startup-like environment within the TDK Corporation. You'll become part of a motivated team driving real innovation on a global scale – and you'll play a central role in making it happen. For our team, your skills and ideas matter just as much as the operational excellence we expect from anyone in our team.

Hybrid work model: 3 days onsite, 2 days remote.

Your qualification

Education & Professional Experience:

• Completed degree (at minimum Bachelor's) in a relevant field (e.g., Business Administration, BWL, Digital Business, UX design, Innovation Management, Business Informatics, Informatics, Marketing, Media Design, product management, physics, math or comparable)
• 2–5 years of professional experience
• Fundamental understanding of innovation processes and business development

Core Competencies (Must-Have):

• Exceptional storytelling abilities – you craft clear narratives and compelling visualizations
• Demonstrated, advanced PowerPoint skills
• Experience supporting programs and projects (planning, organization, workshops, stakeholder management, follow-ups)
• Structured, independent work style with strong initiative and sense of responsibility
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; Japanese is a plus
• Ability to communicate complex innovation topics clearly

Digital Affinity & Tools (Must-have):

• Advanced MS Office skills and experience with standard software workflows. Interest in evolving software solutions (especially through/with AI)
• Affinity for digital topics, AI applications, and emerging technologies
• Experience using AI tools (e.g., to support communications, analysis, or project processes/results)

Soft Skills:

• Willingness to drive initiatives: You think critically and proactively bring new ideas to the table
• Flexibility and stress resilience: You keep a clear head even when juggling multiple projects
• Positive mindset, curiosity about new developments, and genuine interest in innovation, technology, startups, and more
• Reliability, dependability, and attention to detail

Additional nice-to-have skills:

• Insights into the TDK corporate structures, products and processes
• Experience in startup, venturing or corporate innovation environments
• Entrepreneurial thinking and understanding of agile methods
• Experience in Design Thinking or similar innovation methodologies
• Experience with Miro, Atlassian/Jira, Salesforce or comparable CRM platforms
• Experience in management, implementation and administration of software

Who we are

TDK Corporation

TDK Corporation is a global technology company and innovation leader in the electronics industry, based in Tokyo, Japan. With the tagline "In Everything, Better” TDK aims to realize a better future across all aspects of life, industry, and society. For over 90 years, TDK has shaped the world from within; from the pioneering ferrite cores to cassette tapes that defined an era, to powering the digital age with advanced components, sensors, and batteries, leading the way towards a more sustainable future. United by TDK Venture Spirit, a start-up mentality built on visions, courage and mutual trust, TDK’s passionate team members around the globe pursue better—for ourselves, customers, partners, and the world. Today, the state-of-the-art technologies of TDK are in everything, from industrial applications, energy systems, electric vehicles, to smartphones and gaming, at the core of modern life.

TDK’s comprehensive, innovative-driven portfolio includes cutting-edge passive components, sensors and sensor systems, power supplies, lithium-ion and solid-state batteries, magnetic heads, AI and enterprise software solutions, and more—featuring numerous market-leading products. These are marketed under the product brands TDK, InvenSense, Micronas, Tronics, TDK-Lambda, TDK SensEI, and ATL.

Positioning the AI ecosystem as a key strategic area, TDK leverages its global network across the automotive, information and communication technology, and industrial equipment sectors to expand its business in a wide range of fields. In fiscal 2026, TDK posted total sales of USD 16.6 billion and employed about 107,000 people worldwide.

• Metalworking and electrical industry
• 30 days' vacation entitlement
• Additional vacation pay
• Payments to employees' retirement savings plans
• Special payments pursuant to collective bargaining agreements
• Verified childminders
• Liability insurance included
• Short notice booking
• Occupational medical care
• Healthcare advice for business travel
• First aid
• Eye tests
• Vaccinations
• Advice on Reintegration into the workplace after a prolonged illness
• Advice on Difficulties at the workplace
• Advice on Personal and family-related challenges
• Advice on Nursing care for relatives
• Employer-funded defined-contribution benefit plan
• Cut-price fitness studio membership
• Subsidized by the employer
• Through salary conversion
• Over a period of 36 months
• Mandatory insurance including a mobility guarantee
• Central location near the Ostbahnhof station
• Very good links to rail, commuter rail, subway and bus services
• Subsidy for public transportation passes