1968 - 1970
Course of studies in Education, 1st and 2nd state examination

1970 - 1975
Teacher of mathematics and physics employed by the municipal committee of Bremerhaven

1972 - 1987
Chairman of the Bremerhaven district branch of the SPD

1975 - 1987 and 1999 - 2002
Member of the Bremen City Assembly (state parliament); deputy chairman of the SPD parliamentary group

1987- 1999
Member of the Senate of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen e.g. as Senator for Economic Affairs, Ports, Transport, Labour and Federal Affairs

since 2002
Member of the German Bundestag

2006 - 2010
Chairman of the SPD in the state of Bremen

2004 - 2011
Spokesman for the working group for Transport, Building and Urban Affairs of the SPD parliamentary group in the German Bundestag

Since 2011
Coordinator for Maritime Affairs in the SPD parliamentary group in the German Bundestag

From 17 December 2013
Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy

From 29 January 2014
Federal Government Co-ordinator for the Maritime Industry

From 2 July 2014
Special Federal Government Commissioner for the Implementation of EITI in Germany ("Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative")