Hello, I'm Max.

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PhD Researcher · Optimization & Algorithms

About Me

I'm a PhD researcher at Zuse Institute Berlin and Research Scientist Intern at IBM Research Zürich. Optimization drew me in because of the tension at its core — problems that are provably intractable in the worst case, yet often surprisingly solvable in practice. I work on combinatorial problems, algorithm design, and quantum optimization, collaborating with researchers across academia and industry. I also run a software company I founded at 18, which taught me that the hardest optimization problems rarely come with a clean objective function.

Experience

Jun 2026 - Ongoing

Research Scientist Intern

IBM Research, Zürich

Research internship at IBM Research Europe – Zürich

Mar 2024 - May 2026

Student Research Assistant

Zuse Institute Berlin, Berlin

Key contributor to "Quantum Optimization Benchmarking Library – The Intractable Decathlon" project
Implemented and analyzed classical baselines for optimization algorithm benchmarking
Collaborated with IBM and international research partners

Oct 2024 - Mar 2025

Research Assistant

National University of Singapore, Singapore

Developed and applied Optimal Decision Trees for modeling complex financial relationships
Applied optimization techniques in financial contexts
Presented preliminary results at MODAL Berlin Algorithmic Intelligence Workshop 2025

Jul 2020 - Ongoing

Founder & CEO

Alster Systems UG (haftungsbeschränkt), Kaltenkirchen

Founded a software company at age 18, growing it from idea to deployed product
Brought a digital class register to market, deploying it at multiple schools in the Henstedt-Ulzburg region
Managed all business operations: strategy, customer relations, hiring, and accounting

Education

Sep 2026 - Ongoing

PhD Student

Zuse Institute Berlin, Berlin

Research in optimization and algorithms

Sep 2023 - May 2026

Master of Science in Mathematics

Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin

Specialization in Algorithms and Discrete Mathematics
Focus on Optimization Theory and Computational Methods

2020 - 2023

Bachelor of Science in Mathematics

Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin

Specialization in Algorithms and Discrete Mathematics
Bachelor Thesis: "Competitive Algorithms for Non-Clairvoyant Scheduling with Lossy Preemption" (Grade: 1.0)
Overall Grade: 1.8 (German grading system: 1.0 is highest)

2012 - 2020

Abitur (University Entrance Qualification)

Alstergymnasium Henstedt-Ulzburg, Henstedt-Ulzburg

Physics Profile
Overall Grade: 1.5

Publications

Nature Computational Science · 2026

The Quantum Optimization Benchmarking Library

Thorsten Koch, David E. Bernal Neira, Ying Chen, Giorgio Cortiana, Daniel J. Egger, Raoul Heese, Narendra N. Hegade, Alejandro Gomez Cadavid, Rhea Huang, Toshinari Itoko, Thomas Kleinert, Pedro Maciel Xavier, Naeimeh Mohseni, Jhon A. Montanez-Barrera, Koji Nakano, Giacomo Nannicini, Corey O'Meara, Justin Pauckert, Manuel Proissl, Anurag Ramesh, Maximilian Schicker, Noriaki Shimada, Mitsuharu Takeori, Victor Valls, David Van Bulck, Stefan Woerner, and Christa Zoufal

A comprehensive benchmarking library for optimization algorithms, creating a "decathlon" for optimization methods with realistic benchmarks on particularly hard combinatorial problems. The project involves systematic analysis and comparison of modern optimization methods across a broad collection of challenging problems, in collaboration with IBM and international research partners.

Published in Nature Preprint on arXiv GitHub Repository

Bachelor Thesis: Competitive Algorithms for Non-Clairvoyant Scheduling with Lossy Preemption

Maximilian Schicker

Technische Universität Berlin 2023

Analysis and development of competitive algorithms for scheduling problems where job durations are unknown and preemption incurs cost. Thesis completed under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Max Klimm. Achieved grade 1.0.

Conferences & Workshops

Quantum Optimization Working Group Meeting 2026

IBM & Czech Technical University Prague June 2026

Participated in IBM's in-person workshop on quantum optimization research, held at the Czech Technical University (CTU) in Prague. Engaged with international collaborators on ongoing and future research directions in quantum optimization.

MODAL Berlin Algorithmic Intelligence Workshop 2025

Zuse Institute Berlin June 2025

Presented preliminary research results on Optimal Decision Trees in financial optimization. Engaged in scientific discussions leading to new ideas and potential collaborations.

Workshop Website

Quantum Optimization Working Group Meeting 2025

IBM & University of Liverpool April 2025

Participated in IBM's internal workshop focused on developing new ideas for upcoming research projects in quantum optimization. Gained valuable insights into scientific collaboration and established new contacts in the research community.

CO@Work 2024 Summer School

Zuse Institute Berlin Summer 2024

Intensive summer school on Combinatorial Optimization with over 40 lectures from renowned researchers from academia and industry. Also served as volunteer helper, including photography and participant coordination during the industry excursion.

Summer School Website