Since 2013 Institute for The History, Philosophy, and Ethics in Medicine at Ulm University, head of the area Medical Sociology; 2002 to 2013 Institute of Epidemiology, Ulm University (provisional director of institute 2007 to 2010); 1999 to 2002 assistant professor Department of Medical Sociology at Ulm University, 1992 to 1999 senior researcher and assistant professor at the Institute of Medical Sociology at the University of Düsseldorf; 1988 to 1992 research fellow at the University of Marburg.

Research topics: social inequality in health, work stress and adverse health outcomes (particularly among older employees), physical activity and health in older people, trials aiming at the reduction of work stress.