Maria Hergesell studied mechanical engineering at Technical University of Dresden, receiving in 2004 her Diplom-Ingenieur. From 2004-2011 she worked as a research associate at the Gear Research Centre (FZG), Technical University of Munich. She received her PhD in 2013 for her work, "Formation of Micropitting and Pitting on Case-Carburized Gears of Medium and Small size." For one year (2011-2012) she worked for Siemens AG and was responsible for the optimization of business processes. Hergesell in 2012 was named head of technology management for Wittenstein GmbH.