To Germany from Bazil: Cássia Castro Müller's inspiring career at thyssenkrupp Steel Europe

Curiosity, courage and a great deal of drive - that is what characterizes Cássia Castro Müller. Raised in Brazil, her path led her to Germany via a scholarship from thyssenkrupp Steel (tkSE). In 2013, at the age of 25, she decided to leave her home country to complete her master’s degree in cooperation with tkSE and the University of Duisburg-Essen. “This collaboration allowed thyssenkrupp and I to get to know each other better and laid the foundation for the start of my career,” recalls Cássia.

After graduating, she worked as a Ph.D. student at thyssenkrupp Steel for a year. Following her doctorate, she moved into project management and product development. At the end of 2024, she made a conscious decision to leave her comfort zone and take on new challenges as an Innovation and Technology Senior Expert. Today, she focuses on technologies for sustainable steel production. What she particularly appreciates about her work is the freedom to shape her own topics and take responsibility for driving them forward. What drives her? The joy of learning: “Without constant learning opportunities, I quickly get bored,” says Cássia.

Cássia Castro Müller
„A company that promotes and values diversity is very attractive to skilled workers” - Cassia Castro Müller

Integration and cultural exchange

For Cássia, one thing is certain: diversity is a real benefit for any company. “If we don't reflect diversity in teams, we only ever consider one perspective on challenges,” she explains. Different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives not only enrich the process of finding solutions, but also strengthen respect and a sense of belonging within a team. “In such environments, you feel valued and can contribute with a sense of security,” she adds.

But how do international specialists manage to not only gain a foothold in Germany professionally, but also integrate personally? For Cássia, openness and good communication are the key. Her advice to everyone who comes to Germany from abroad: “Learning the language as well as possible helps enormously - both at work and in everyday life.” Perfection is not a must: “I've lived here for twelve years, still mix up articles occasionally and will continue to speak with my accent. That's completely normal and should be more accepted.”

Cássia sees integration as a mutual process in which both sides can learn from each other. “Integration is not a one-way street - we must understand and appreciate each other for it to work. I am open to you, you are open to me, I help you, you help me.” For Cássia, the people she works with are also a key part of her professional success: “I appreciate the honesty with which we treat each other in the team,” she says. At the same time, her own personality also helps to promote good cooperation - with her positive charisma and reliability, she creates an atmosphere in which everyone can feel comfortable.

Passion meets innovation

A particular milestone in her career was the development of the product MBW1900 +AS Pro - a high-strength, hot-rolled steel for the automotive industry. The project, which was launched in 2020, was successfully introduced to the market in 2023. “Together with the project team, I achieved this major goal for myself and tkSE. This product will always be special to me, as it embodies exactly what I wanted to achieve when I joined thyssenkrupp Steel as a product developer in 2015,” emphasizes Cássia.

Cássia Castro Müller

Cássia Castro Müller | Innovation and Technology Senior Expert

Where there's a will, there's a way

Cássia's story shows how important communication, openness and a willingness to learn throughout life are for a successful international career. With her positive attitude and commitment, she inspires not only her colleagues, but also anyone who wants to follow a similar path.

As Cássia says: “Getting to know people, cultures and languages broadens our horizons.” This openness and her tireless will to develop further make her a real asset - for thyssenkrupp and the international working environment.

You can find more exciting insights into the careers of our employees and the technologies with which we are changing our industries sustainably in our stories.