Daniela Hilgert began her academic journey studying Economics before switching to Social Sciences. She earned her degree in Pedagogy from the University of Duisburg-Essen, with a focus on qualification management, organizational development, and psychology.

Daniela then lectured in Human Resources and applicant management and worked for three years as a research associate at Helmut-Schmidt University in Hamburg. There, she taught socio-economic foundations of HR and HR management while also conducting research on Corporate Social Responsibility. Following her time in academia, she worked in industry as an HR manager and recruiter at Hays AG in Düsseldorf and ATEXIS GmbH in Hamburg. Alongside her professional roles, she has consistently supported students with academic writing and job applications.