Research Support Engineer / Space Instrumentation Lab Technician

Updated: about 1 year ago
Deadline: 22 Feb 2023

Would you like to contribute to pioneering research into space instrumentation and support world-class education? 

Become a Research Support Engineer and Lab Technician at the new TU Delft Space Instrumentation Lab.

At the Space Instrumentation Department’s new optical lab, you’ll be working at the forefront of space technology. Developing state-of-the-art optomechanical instrumentation, we contribute to a wide range of studies. Like exoplanetary research, gaining knowledge of the universe outside our solar system. But also research into gravitational waves, and earth observation geared to combating climate change and pollution. As research support engineer and lab technician, you’ll support our Master students, PhD candidates and academic staff with their research by enabling their experiments.

We conduct fundamental and applied research for which you will design, assemble and build unique experimental setups geared to the researchers’ experiment objectives. As you are the technical expert, you will advise them on the best research-specific techniques, methodology and configurations. In addition, you will be responsible for the performance of our cutting-edge equipment. To secure availability, you’ll arrange timely maintenance, replacement or refurbishment based on performance analysis. You will also build and maintain a components and equipment database. In addition, you’ll instruct the users in the safe use of the equipment, and assist students during laboratory practicals. Managing lab access, for which you’ll draw up and apply regulations, is also part of your remit.

At the Space Instrumentation Lab, you will join a small but growing international team of Assistant and Associate Professors, and PhD candidates. Your colleagues are highly motivated, open-minded women and men. We offer you a friendly, open and supportive environment, in which your ideas are valued. At Space Instrumentation Lab you’ll not only develop your personal and technical skills but also gain in-depth understanding of the rationale of our research. Because we interact and share knowledge with each other and the Space Engineering community at large, including ESA and NASA specialists!

  • You hold a BSc in Mechanical Engineering or Mechatronics, specialized in optics, or you have graduate-level ability thanks to relevant working experience.
  • You have experience of optical breadboarding, CAD and optomechanical assembly.
  • You have experience of working as a lab technician, or are highly motivated to learn all you need to know to become one.
  • You thrive on working in an international academic environment, and you leverage your communication skills to interact with students, PhD candidates, teachers and professors.
  • You think in solutions, which may involve reconfigurations of setups, or changes in the methodology, and are driven to achieve meaningful team results.
  • You endorse the importance of diversity and inclusiveness.
  • You have a good command of spoken and written English, and are willing to learn Dutch, as you’ll be working closely with Dutch-speaking and international users.
  • A salary based on scale 9 of the collective agreement (cao) for Dutch Universities between € 3.098,00 and € 4.257,00 gross per month, plus an 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
  • An excellent pension scheme at ABP.
  • The possibility to compile an individual employment package every year.
  • Discount with health insurers.
  • Flexible working week.
  • Every year, 232 leave hours (at 38 hours). You can also sell or buy additional leave hours via the individual choice budget.
  • Plenty of opportunities for education, training and courses.
  • Partially paid parental leave
  • Attention for working healthy and energetically with the vitality program.

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

The Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at Delft University of Technology is one of the world’s most highly ranked (and most comprehensive) research, education and innovation communities devoted entirely to aerospace engineering. More than 200 science staff, around 250 PhD candidates and over 2,700 BSc and MSc students apply aerospace engineering disciplines to address the global societal challenges that threaten us today, climate change without doubt being the most important. Our focal subjects: sustainable aerospace, big data and artificial intelligence, bio-inspired engineering and smart instruments and systems. Working at the faculty means working together. With partners in other faculties, knowledge institutes, governments and industry, both aerospace and non-aerospace. Working in field labs and innovation hubs on our university campus and beyond.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering.

We offer a one-year/permanent contract for 38 hours a week (1 fte), which we hope to convert into a permanent contract. 

If you would you like to know more about this role, please contact Prof. Jérôme Loicq [email protected] . For more information about the application procedure, please contact [email protected]

Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply before 22 February 2023 via the application button and upload your motivation and CV.

  • A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
  • You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
  • Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated.

Would you like to contribute to pioneering research into space instrumentation and support world-class education? 

Become a Research Support Engineer and Lab Technician at the new TU Delft Space Instrumentation Lab.

At the Space Instrumentation Department’s new optical lab, you’ll be working at the forefront of space technology. Developing state-of-the-art optomechanical instrumentation, we contribute to a wide range of studies. Like exoplanetary research, gaining knowledge of the universe outside our solar system. But also research into gravitational waves, and earth observation geared to combating climate change and pollution. As research support engineer and lab technician, you’ll support our Master students, PhD candidates and academic staff with their research by enabling their experiments.

We conduct fundamental and applied research for which you will design, assemble and build unique experimental setups geared to the researchers’ experiment objectives. As you are the technical expert, you will advise them on the best research-specific techniques, methodology and configurations. In addition, you will be responsible for the performance of our cutting-edge equipment. To secure availability, you’ll arrange timely maintenance, replacement or refurbishment based on performance analysis. You will also build and maintain a components and equipment database. In addition, you’ll instruct the users in the safe use of the equipment, and assist students during laboratory practicals. Managing lab access, for which you’ll draw up and apply regulations, is also part of your remit.

At the Space Instrumentation Lab, you will join a small but growing international team of Assistant and Associate Professors, and PhD candidates. Your colleagues are highly motivated, open-minded women and men. We offer you a friendly, open and supportive environment, in which your ideas are valued. At Space Instrumentation Lab you’ll not only develop your personal and technical skills but also gain in-depth understanding of the rationale of our research. Because we interact and share knowledge with each other and the Space Engineering community at large, including ESA and NASA specialists!

  • You hold a BSc in Mechanical Engineering or Mechatronics, specialized in optics, or you have graduate-level ability thanks to relevant working experience.
  • You have experience of optical breadboarding, CAD and optomechanical assembly.
  • You have experience of working as a lab technician, or are highly motivated to learn all you need to know to become one.
  • You thrive on working in an international academic environment, and you leverage your communication skills to interact with students, PhD candidates, teachers and professors.
  • You think in solutions, which may involve reconfigurations of setups, or changes in the methodology, and are driven to achieve meaningful team results.
  • You endorse the importance of diversity and inclusiveness.
  • You have a good command of spoken and written English, and are willing to learn Dutch, as you’ll be working closely with Dutch-speaking and international users.
  • A salary based on scale 9 of the collective agreement (cao) for Dutch Universities between € 3.098,00 and € 4.257,00 gross per month, plus an 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
  • An excellent pension scheme at ABP.
  • The possibility to compile an individual employment package every year.
  • Discount with health insurers.
  • Flexible working week.
  • Every year, 232 leave hours (at 38 hours). You can also sell or buy additional leave hours via the individual choice budget.
  • Plenty of opportunities for education, training and courses.
  • Partially paid parental leave
  • Attention for working healthy and energetically with the vitality program.

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

The Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at Delft University of Technology is one of the world’s most highly ranked (and most comprehensive) research, education and innovation communities devoted entirely to aerospace engineering. More than 200 science staff, around 250 PhD candidates and over 2,700 BSc and MSc students apply aerospace engineering disciplines to address the global societal challenges that threaten us today, climate change without doubt being the most important. Our focal subjects: sustainable aerospace, big data and artificial intelligence, bio-inspired engineering and smart instruments and systems. Working at the faculty means working together. With partners in other faculties, knowledge institutes, governments and industry, both aerospace and non-aerospace. Working in field labs and innovation hubs on our university campus and beyond.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering.

We offer a one-year/permanent contract for 38 hours a week (1 fte), which we hope to convert into a permanent contract. 

If you would you like to know more about this role, please contact Prof. Jérôme Loicq [email protected] . For more information about the application procedure, please contact [email protected]

Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply before 22 February 2023 via the application button and upload your motivation and CV.

  • A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
  • You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
  • Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated.


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