[1] Ullrich obtained an intermediate school-leaving certificate at a polytechnic school in 1979.

Then he trained as an electrician for three years, before he studied at Hermsdorf Technical College for Electrical Engineering and Ceramics from 1983 to 1986.

After he completed the 18 months of compulsory military service in the National People's Army of the German Democratic Republic he worked for one year as an engineer and from 1989 to 1990 as a project manager of a large-scale project.

[2] Shortly after the Peaceful Revolution he founded a family-run plastics processing company, which he managed until 2017.

In addition to his committee assignments, Ullrich has been serving as deputy chairman of the German-Portuguese-Spanish Parliamentary Friendship Group.