Lead Engineer - Space & High-Tech Industry (m/w/d)

Everience; Leiden; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

SmartRecruiters, Inc. in Leiden is seeking a Lead Engineer for Space & High-Tech Industry. You will provide technical leadership across complex development projects, acting as the link between customer requirements, engineering solutions, and project execution.

You will guide projects from proposal through development and delivery, review concepts, support decision-making, coordinate multidisciplinary activities, and contribute to planning, budgeting, and product improvements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Applied Physics, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• 5–10 years of relevant engineering experience.
• Experience leading engineering teams and reviewing mechanical designs and drawings.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical execution of development projects.
• Translate customer requirements into practical and innovative technical solutions.
• Support the selection, optimization, and further development of existing product solutions.
• Review and approve mechanical designs, engineering concepts, and 3D models.
• Provide technical guidance throughout the full project lifecycle.
• Assist project planning by estimating engineering effort, resources, and technical costs.
• Collaborate with Project Managers, Product Managers, Sales teams, and multidisciplinary engineers.
• Contribute to technical decisions and continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Technical leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Engineering leadership

English communication

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related

Tools

CATIA

ANSYS

Job description

Lead Engineer - Space & High-Tech Industry (m/w/d)

• Temps complet

We are ooking for a Lead Engineerwho will provide technical leadership across complex development projects.

In this role, you will act as the technical link between customer requirements, engineering solutions, and project execution. You will guide projects from the early proposal phase through development and delivery, ensuring that technical solutions are feasible, efficient, and aligned with customer expectations.

This is a technical leadership role rather than a pure design position. You will review engineering concepts, support technical decision-making, coordinate multidisciplinary activities, and contribute to project planning, budgeting, and product improvements.

Your responsibilities :

• Lead the technical execution ofdevelopment projects
• Translate customer requirements into practical and innovative technical solutions
• Support the selection, optimisation, and further development of existing product solutions
• Review and approve mechanical designs, engineering concepts, and 3D models
• Provide technical guidance throughout the full project lifecycle
• Support project planning by estimating engineering effort, resources, and technical costs
• Collaborate closely with Project Managers, Product Managers, Sales teams, and multidisciplinary engineering specialists
• Contribute to technical decisions and continuous improvement initiatives.

You bring:

• A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree (HBO/WO) in Mechanical Engineering, Applied Physics, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical discipline;
• Approximately 5–10 years of relevant engineering experience;
• Experience providing technical leadership or guiding engineering teams;
• Experience within a high-tech manufacturing, engineering, or product development environment;
• Experience reviewing mechanical designs, technical drawings, and engineering documentation;
• Experience with CAD software such as CATIA or similar tools;
• Knowledge of mechanical analysis tools such as ANSYS or comparable software is an advantage;
• Experience creating engineering estimates, effort calculations, and technical cost assessments;
• Strong communication skills in English (Dutch is a plus);
• A proactive, hands-on, and solution-oriented approach.

Experience within the aerospace or space industry is considered a strong advantage.

What we offer:

• The opportunity to contribute to advanced space technology and international missions;
• A challenging technical leadership role within a high-tech engineering environment;
• Collaboration with highly skilled multidisciplinary teams;
• Exposure to innovative satellite and aerospace programmes;
• A 1-year deta-vast assignment with the intention of transitioning into a permanent position.

All our positions are open to both women and men and are, of course, open to people with disabilities.