Greiling studied social and natural sciences in Frankfurt and Marburg (Dr. phil. 1921). He partially earned his living as a worker in coal and sulfide mining.
Greiling did research in the field of agricultural microbiology. He worked at the Technische Hochschule in Hanover, as an assistant, as well as for the Hamburgisches Welt-Wirtschafts-Archiv (Hamburg archive of world economy).
He participated in designing the Brussels Atomium for Expo 58, was an editor of the social and economic magazine Wirtschaftsdienst, editor-in-chief of Chemische Industrie (chemical industry), and a collaborator of the London and Cambridge Economic Service. He led the information service of the main association of the chemical industry of Germany and wrote several books on developments in sciences and technique.