R&D Engineer - Materials & Processes

As an R&D Engineer Materials & Processes, you will work on a range of internal technology development projects within our international organisation. Your focus will be on the practical development, testing, validation and implementation of new materials, components and manufacturing processes for connector solutions.

You will work closely with colleagues in R&D, production, sales, engineering and quality, both in the Netherlands and at our sites in Germany and Romania. You will also liaise with suppliers and external partners involved in testing, treatments and manufacturing processes.

The projects are technical and process-oriented and may involve a variety of materials, components, manufacturing techniques and technical challenges. One example is a project involving brass, with processes such as turning, milling, heat treatment and cold forming taking centre stage. Other projects may focus on different materials and manufacturing processes.

Within these projects, you will take a hands-on approach to setting up mechanical testing and trial programmes, arranging their execution and evaluating the results. You will translate the outcomes into material selections, manufacturing parameters and process improvements, and support their implementation in the production environment. This requires an understanding of tooling, deformation, shrinkage and material properties. When a process is outsourced, such as the heat treatment in the project mentioned above, you will have sufficient technical expertise to define an appropriate test programme and assess the results. This is therefore not a role in which materials-related issues are addressed solely through theoretical modelling.

You will coordinate activities within projects, align with international teams, monitor the progress of testing programmes and ensure that the right steps are taken at the right time. Collaboration with our production site in southern Germany is an important part of the role. You must therefore be willing to travel to Germany regularly.

The role combines applied materials and process development, validation and international collaboration in an environment that offers a high degree of freedom and responsibility.

You have a strong technical background, work in a structured manner and maintain an overview of complex projects. You enjoy investigating practical materials and process challenges and are motivated by improving processes and products. You are also a clear communicator who can engage others in your approach.

The level and relevance of your experience matter more than a fixed number of years. You are able to independently set up and manage testing and implementation programmes and feel comfortable working in an international manufacturing environment.

To succeed in this role, you will ideally have:

• A bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science or a comparable discipline.
• Demonstrable experience with practical materials-related challenges and mechanical testing and trial programmes.
• Knowledge of brass and relevant manufacturing processes, including turning, milling, heat treatment and cold forming.
• The ability to translate test results into manufacturing parameters, process improvements and implementation.
• Knowledge of tooling, deformation, shrinkage and material properties.
• Experience in project-based work and technical coordination with production, engineering, quality and suppliers.
• Experience with CAD systems such as SolidWorks or similar, or a willingness to learn.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to conduct technical discussions independently.
• Language skills: English is required. German and Dutch are strong advantages.
• A willingness to travel regularly to our site in Germany.

Do you not meet every requirement, but does your experience align with applied materials and process development? We would still like to hear from you.