Wave Flume Operations Engineer (27078)

   →  Apply before 30/04/2024 (DD/MM/YYYY) 23:59 (Brussels Time)
   →  Faculty of Engineering and Architecture  
   →  Department: EA15 - Civiele Techniek
   →  Occupancy rate: 100%
   →  Number of positions: 1    
   →  Type of employment: Contract of unlimited duration 
   →  Term of assignment:  
   →  Wage scale:  WM1 to WM4 (master degree) 
   →  Required diploma: Master 

Vacancy for Wave Flume Operations Engineer

(PER30/2192)

ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY

Ghent University is a world of its own. Employing more than 15,000 people, it is actively involved in education and research, management and administration, as well as technical and social service provision on a daily basis. It is one of the largest, most exciting employers in the area and offers great career opportunities. With its 11 faculties and more than 80 departments offering state-of-the-art study programs grounded in research in a wide range of academic fields, Ghent University is a logical choice for its staff and students.

BACKGROUND

At the Coastal Engineering Research Group of the Department of Civil Engineering, we are looking for an engineer with hands-on-mentality, to act as the wave flume operations engineer. Our large wave flume is 30.0 m long, 1.0 m wide and 1.2 m high. With a piston type wave paddle, wave generation of waves up to 0.35 m is possible. We also have various smaller wave flumes. Physical model tests are executed for research projects, both academia and industry related, in the field of coastal engineering structures (e.g. breakwaters), offshore structures (e.g. moored floating platforms), ocean energy (e.g. wave energy converters) and nature based coastal defense solutions (e.g. artificial reefs). If you are triggered by innovation and technology in these fields, and have competences in creative solution finding, you will enjoy working in our international team of researchers at the Coastal Engineering Research Group.

YOUR TASKS

In this position you will be responsible for the planning, preparation and conducting of physical model tests in our wave flumes. You will act as lead for the technical team at the wave flumes and together with them manage the daily technical activities. Your activities involve administrative technical support, such as preparation of tender documents for new equipment,  and regular client interactions during a project.

As a summary, your tasks involve:

• Planning, preparing and conducting experimental wave flume experiments.
• Processing of test results and reporting to and interacting with the client (academia or industry)
• Leading the technical team and coordinate the daily activities.
• Management activities (e.g. time planning, inventories, safety procedures).
• Maintain, together with the technical team, the data acquisition system, instruments (e.g. wave gauges, current meters, pressure sensors) and electro-mechanical installations (e.g. wave generator).
• Administrative and technical follow-up of new installations.
• Assisting in preparation of offers (design of test methodology and drafting of test matrix and instrumentation plan) for wave flume projects.

You will be working in the office and laboratory in the Coastal Engineering Research Group, Technologiepark 60, 9052 Zwijnaarde. More information on the Coastal Engineering Research Group: https://awww.ugent.be

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Knowledge and experience

• You hold a Master’s degree in an engineering field (preferably with a focus on coastal/offshore engineering, civil engineering, (electro-) mechanical engineering, control engineering or similar).
• Ideally you have experience in laboratory operations with proven leadership skills of a technical team.
• You have knowledge of conducting experiments in a laboratory and you are familiar with planning, preparing and conducting these (ideally in wave, water, current facilities).
• It is a plus if you have delivered client based services (academic and industrial).
• It is a plus if you have experience with data acquisition systems and instrumentation.
• Knowledge of programming language is desirable (e.g. LabVIEW, MATLAB, Python).
• You are familiar with the Microsoft Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Knowledge of drawing software (e.g. AutoCAD, Inventor) is desirable.
• You speak and write English, and thorough knowledge of Dutch is a very strong asset.

Competences

• You have strong independent working skills and take ownership of your projects.
• You are a responsible and skillful manager of a team of technical colleagues.
• You strive for a professional work environment in which excellent results are produced.
• You endorse learning and constant development as part of your job.
• You are data driven and strive to always back your points with solid research.
• You enjoy combining design work with hands-on-work to support constructing models and testing.

Admission requirements:

• You hold a Master’s degree in an engineering field (see above); and you submit a transcript of your degree. For diplomas awarded outside the European Union, a certificate of equivalence (NARIC) must be submitted. 
• Ideally, you provide proof of preferably previous experience as laboratory operations engineer, alternatively (basic) experience of work in a laboratory environment.
• You apply online through the application tool by the application deadline, and you submit all the required documents by the application deadline.
• The admission requirements need to be fulfilled by the application deadline.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• We offer you a contract of indefinite duration.
• Your contract will start on 01/05/2024 at the earliest.
• Your remuneration will be determined by salary scale WM1 to WM4.  Click here for more information about our salary scales.
• All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full-time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, a bicycle allowance and eco vouchers. Click here for a complete overview of all the staff benefits (in Dutch).
• More detailed information on working at UGent is available on http://www.ugent.be/en/work.

INTERESTED?

Apply online through the e-recruitment system before the application deadline (see above). We do not accept late applications or applications that are not submitted through the online system.

Your application must include the following documents:

• In the field ‘CV’: your CV and an overview of your study results (merged into one pdf file)
• In the field ‘Cover letter’: your application letter with your personal motivation (in pdf format)
• In the field ‘Diploma’: a transcript of the required degree (if already in your possession). If you have a foreign diploma in a language other than our national languages (Dutch, French or German) or English, please add a translation in one of the mentioned languages.
• In the optional field “other documents”: a reference letter, an overview of your study results, a description of reference projects or a list of publications can be added.   

Note that the maximum file size for each field is 10 MB.

Our selection procedure consists of a cv-screening, an assessment and a selection interview with a selection committee. We will keep you informed of your application status.
As Ghent University maintains an equal opportunities and diversity policy, everyone is encouraged to apply for this position. Please do not send your application by email, use the online application tool. 

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Prof. Peter Troch (Peter.Troch@UGent.be). Important: do NOT send your application by email, but apply online.

Do you have a question regarding the online application process? Please read our FAQ or contact helpdesk (dpo@ugent.be - tel. 09/264 98 98).