R&D Manager - Hardware and Software - Rotterdam

Lovely role this one - R&D Manager working with products that make a difference, in an incredible company.

You could be managing a small, sharp team of physicists and software engineers who spend their days modelling how the physical world actually behaves. Not hypothetically. Not on a whiteboard. In silicon, at scale, shipping billions of devices.

This role sits inside an R&D organisation in Zuid Hollant. The focus is the in house simulation and design platform that underpins how their products are conceived, tested and refined long before they ever reach a fab.

If you enjoy the messy intersection of physics, mathematics and real world manufacturing constraints, this will probably feel familiar in a good way.

What you will actually be doing

You will lead a team of around two to five engineers working on multi physics MEMS simulation software. These are not toy models. They span mechanics, electrostatics, thermal effects and non linear behaviour, and they have to line up with experimental reality.

Day to day, that means:

• Shaping and delivering new simulation modules and features, from concept through validation.
• Owning parts of the platform and being accountable for their accuracy, performance and usability.
• Comparing simulation outputs with experimental data and being honest about where the gaps are.
• Working closely with MEMS designers, fabrication, metrology and project leads to gather feedback and prioritise what matters next.
• Maintaining and refining the development roadmap so it aligns with the wider product roadmap.
• Supporting the product owner and keeping the team moving towards agreed milestones.
• Occasionally coaching and training design engineers who rely on these tools.

You will also line manage the team, support hiring, and create an environment where deep technical work can actually get done.

What you will bring

You should have have:

• A PhD in Physics, Mechanical Engineering or something closely related.
• A deep understanding of finite element analysis and hands on experience with tools like COMSOL or ANSYS and FEA Protocols.
• Strong mathematical foundations. Linear algebra, statistics, optimisation and numerical methods will not scare you.
• Enough coding ability to automate analysis, build scripts and visualise results, ideally in Python or MATLAB.
• Experience analysing experimental data and understanding why it rarely behaves perfectly.

Management experience is a plus, but technical leadership and the ability to organise complex work matter just as much.

The setup

• Full time, permanent role.
• Based in ZH.
• English is the working language.
• Good salary and benefits...

If you are close but not ticking every box, still shout. Good people do not always match job specs perfectly.

If you want to talk it through, send over a CV or drop a message. Look forward to hearing from you.