Program Officer for division Mechanics and Materials

Functieomschrijving

The Mechanics and Materials group within the department Mechanical Engineering is searching for an experienced Program Officer.

General

Advanced materials, materials applications and manufacturing methods rely on the fundamental understanding of the physics and mechanics of the underlying microstructure and the influence of complex processing steps affecting this microstructure, governing the mechanical behaviour of materials under various loading conditions.

Within the group’s research scope, the research program entails:

Mechanics of Materials:

Additive Manufacturing or 3D printing is a highly innovative production technology with an enormous potential in light-weight and personalized product design, enabling unprecedented geometric features. Within the group of Mechanics of Materials, we focus on improving the mechanical properties of printed products by investigating the relation between the print process conditions, the microstructure of the materials and the mechanical properties of the final products.

Microsystems:

We develop innovative technological concepts and fabrication methods by carrying out research in our Microfab/lab, often in collaboration with industrial, biomedical, or clinical partners.  Practical applications of the group’s research range from organ-on-a-chip systems for cancer and brain research, point-of-care diagnostics, wearable health sensors, water and air quality monitoring and purification, lithography machines, displays, and brain-inspired computing, to soft microrobotics.

Polymer Technology:

Design of polymer products and shaping processes benefit from a change from experimental trial-and-error to quantitative predictive capability. The main objective is to provide knowledge and models for the prediction and understanding of structure development during processing and the resulting final properties of polymeric products. These properties are determined by intrinsic (molecular) material parameters and, to a great extent, by the processing conditions.

As program officer you are expected to

• Come to a strategy that will give direction to future efforts in the acquisition of funding.
• Identify funding opportunities for researchers.
• Acquire, together with scientific staff, external research funding from national and international funding bodies or industry. You analyze calls for projects, attend networking events, identify project opportunities, contribute to project proposals, manage proposal submission processes, and steer contract negotiations.
• Develop and manage project portfolio of the group, including financial and budget management of the research programs.
• Manage research projects. You assist in monitoring project plans, manage budgets, report to the funding bodies, monitor financial and legal aspects, design and maintain project websites, and organize project meetings and events.

Functie-eisen

We are looking for excellent candidates that meet the following requirements:

• An MSc or PhD degree in physics or mechanical engineering (fluid mechanics, heat transfer, thermo dynamics)
• If you have no technical background, than the role requires high affinity with scientific environment where research is key, High Tech systems and industry.
• Several years of comparable work experience, for example in industry, a consultancy firm for research applications, a research institute or a university.
• A proven track record in defining and attracting research projects and funding, preferably in European funding schemes (H2020, FP7, Artemis, etc.), or Dutch funding schemes (STW, NWO, RVO) or industry.
• Experience and training in project management.
• Affinity with academic research.
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral), excellent networking skills, strong analytical skills, strong organizational and negotiation skills. Proficiency in Dutch and English.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, team player willing to work in a multidisciplinary multicultural environment.
• Well-organized, autonomous, flexible, service- and result oriented, deadline-driven.

Arbeidsvoorwaarden

We offer an exciting position in the Materials division of the department of Mechanical Engineering with an excellent reputation. Salary and benefits depend on experience and are in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities.

We offer:

• A full-time (1.0 fte) appointment that is initially temporary with the option to become permanent. The duration of the temporary appointment depends on your prior professional experience. Whether the appointment becomes permanent, depends on prior experience and your performance in the role of program manager.
• A challenging job in a dynamic and ambitious group and department.
• Plenty of room for personal development and growth.
• A gross monthly salary between € 2.709 - and € 4.978,- (on a full-time basis),  depending on experience and knowledge (scale 11 CAO VSNU).
• Annual holiday allowance of 8% of the annual salary.
• End-of-year bonus of 8.3% of the annual salary.
• A minimum of 41 holidays per year (excluding bank holidays, for a full-time employment of 40 hrs./week)
• Additional benefits, including excellent child care, excellent technical infrastructure, holiday savings schemes, and excellent sports facilities.

Informatie en sollicitatie

Application:

If you are interested in working in an exciting, dynamic, high-tech environment, where you will contribute to creating the society of the future, you can respond to this vacancy by clicking on the button "Solliciteer nu" on this page. We do not respond to applications that are sent to us in a different way.

Upload an extended curriculum vitae and a well­ motivated application letter. If you do not have a technical background, please provide us with several successful reference projects. You can upload a maximum of 5 documents of up to 2MB each.

Information:

Information about the employment conditions can be found here.

For more information about this vacancy, please contact: Elly van den Eertwegh, Talent Attraction Consultant, tel + 31 639186476 or mail e.a.m.v.d.eertwegh[at]tue.nl