Operations Manager

Cosine; Sassenheim; On-site; EUR 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

27 days annual leave

Annual bonus

Bicycle program

Fitness plan

Personal development budget

One-year contract

Job summary

cosine Remote Sensing in the Netherlands is seeking an Operations Manager to enable scientists and engineers to focus on breakthrough technologies for space missions and Earth observation. You will act as the operational backbone, streamline processes, coordinate activities, and support planning and execution of a diverse pipeline of projects.

The role combines hands-on execution with professional development, offering a one-year contract with potential for long-term collaboration and a hybrid

Qualifications

• MSc or PhD in a scientific, engineering or technical discipline.
• Several years of experience in a research, engineering or R&D environment.
• Experience coordinating complex technical projects with planning, budgeting and reporting.
• Proven ability to improve processes and introduce structure.
• Strong stakeholder management and the ability to influence highly educated professionals.
• Excellent analytical and organisational skills with a pragmatic hands-on mindset.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of operational and administrative processes supporting scientific and engineering projects.
• Support planning and execution of R&D projects, including effort estimations, resource planning, progress tracking and reporting.
• Develop and standardise workflows, procedures and reporting structures across the remote sensing unit.
• Work with scientists and engineers to translate objectives into executable project plans.
• Provide portfolio insights to management and help scale the organisation.

Skills

MSc

Engineering degree

PhD asset

R&D experience

Project coordination

Process improvement

Stakeholder management

Analytical ability

Hands-on mindset

Education

MSc/Eng/PhD required

Job description

As the Operations Manager at cosine Remote Sensing you enable our Scientist and Engineers to focus on what they do best: developing breakthrough technologies and solving complex scientific challenges for space missions and Earth observation applications.

You act as the operational backbone of our high-tech organisation, supporting the technical leads and the management. You streamline processes, help coordinate operational activities and support the planning and execution of a diverse portfolio of scientific and engineering projects. By creating structure, transparency and efficient ways of working, you help accelerate innovation while reducing administrative burden for our highly specialised scientific staff.

This role combines hands‑on operational execution, project coordination, process optimisation and organisational development. You work closely with scientists, engineers and management, helping to translate ambitious research objectives into well‑organised and executable project plans. Over time, the role can grow into broader operational leadership responsibilities within the company.

In this role you will:

• Take ownership of operational and administrative processes that support scientific and engineering projects
• Support the planning and execution of R&D projects, including effort estimations, resource planning, progress tracking and project reporting
• Develop, standardise and continuously improve workflows, procedures and reporting structures, including procurements, across the remote sensing business unit of cosine
• Act as a trusted partner to our scientists and engineers, helping them complete operational and project‑related requirements while minimising disruption to their technical work
• Provide management with operational and project portfolio insights, identify improvement opportunities and contribute to the professionalisation and scalability of the organisation

We are looking for candidates with the following qualifications:

• MSc, Eng or PhD degree in a scientific, engineering or technical discipline. Having a PhD is an asset.
• Several years of experience in a research, engineering, deep‑tech, (aero)space or other R&D‑intensive environments
• Experience coordinating complex technical projects, including planning, budgeting, estimation and stakeholder management
• Demonstrated ability to improve processes, implement structure and drive operational excellence
• Strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to influence highly educated technical professionals without direct authority
• Excellent analytical and organisational skills, combined with a pragmatic hands‑on mindset
• Strong supporting and service‑oriented mindset, focused on enabling teams and removing obstacles so others can perform effectively

At cosine, we highly value our employees, and we will support your professional and personal development.

We also provide our employees with:

• A unique, international working environment at the intersection of physics and engineering
• 27 days of annual leave (based on full‑time employment)
• Annual bonus based on personal and company performance
• Hybrid working options, including the possibility to work partially from home
• Company bicycle- and fitness plan
• A personal development budget
• Initial one‑year contract, with the aim of long‑term collaboration

Founded in 1998, cosine is a world‑leading developer of space instrumentation and measurement systems, making the invisible measurable and the complex actionable. Its expertise spans High‑Energy Optics, including optics developed for ESA's future NewAthena X‑ray observatory, as well as remote sensing solutions for Earth Observation and planetary science.

With over 25 years of experience and advanced cleanroom and assembly facilities across the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy, cosine brings deep scientific and engineering expertise to some of the most demanding missions in space and on Earth.

What makes cosine a unique place to work is that your work goes end‑to‑end: from concept and design to building, testing, and delivering hardware that actually flies in space.

You work in small, highly skilled teams where you have real ownership and impact, alongside experts in optics, physics, nanofabrication, and systems engineering.

cosine is committed to providing an inclusive and equal opportunities work environment where everyone can thrive. As a proud member of the Women in Aerospace community, we recognise the importance of diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity in the workplace.