Process Engineer - Simulation

885 Damen Naval B.V.; Vlissingen; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

8% holiday pay

27 holidays

13 ADV days

Travel allowance

Pension (60% employer contribution)

Profit sharing

Bicycle plan

Company fitness

Job summary

Damen Naval B.V. in Vlissingen, Netherlands, seeks a Process Engineer (Simulation) to improve engineering and operations through simulation, data analytics, and digital engineering.

You will work on early-stage naval design using COTS real-time simulations and physical wargaming to evaluate performance and design trade-offs. Join a team pushing innovation in naval engineering, with opportunities to develop prototypes, advance digital workflows, and collaborate across disciplines.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in maritime technology, naval architecture, OR or related field with at least 1 year in R&D, innovation or engineering.
• Experience in early-stage design and concept development.
• Knowledge of modelling, simulation and analytical techniques for system design and operational analysis.
• Understanding of Mission Engineering or Systems Engineering with digital engineering.
• Basic understanding of naval operations and systems; interest in how they contribute to ops effectiveness.
• Experience or affinity with programming in Python, MATLAB, or Lua to test new ideas.
• Strong interest in emerging maritime and defence technologies including UxVs and digital simulation.

Responsibilities

• Apply Mission Engineering to explore scenarios and support naval design decisions.
• Develop immersive simulation environments combining COTS tools and physical wargaming.
• Enhance simulation toolchains and digital engineering workflows.
• Drive R&D from idea to proof of concept with prototypes and pilots.
• Explore new technologies and translate them into practical naval engineering opportunities.
• Collaborate with architects, engineers, clients, and specialists on multidisciplinary solutions.
• Strengthen capabilities by sharing knowledge and developing colleagues.

Skills

R&D Experience

Mission Engineering

System Modelling

Simulation Tools

Digital Engineering

Programming (Python/MATLAB/Lua)

Education

Master’s degree in Maritime Technology / Naval Architecture / Operations Research

Tools

Python

MATLAB

Lua

Job description

We offer you an Ocean of Possibilities. Join our family. About us Hop aboard Damen Naval; the naval division of the family-owned Damen Shipyards Group, where 12,000 professionals work worldwide. Damen Naval delivers advanced naval vessels to clients all over the globe. By implementing the most innovative technological developments in practice, we continue to push the boundaries of the shipbuilding industry. You can be part of our team! Are you ready for duty? The role The Process Engineer (Simulation) is responsible for improving engineering and operational processes through the application of smart technologies, simulation, and data analytics. The role supports the early-stage design and development of naval vessels by conducting mission exploration, operational analysis, and concept evaluations. A key focus is the integration and application of Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) real-time simulations and physical wargaming frameworks to enable a Mission Engineering approach, providing mission-based insights into operational effectiveness, capability trade-offs, and system performance during the concept and preliminary design phases. The Process Engineer (Simulation) develops, implements, and maintains simulation-based toolchains, methodologies, and engineering processes, contributing to ongoing innovation initiatives and the advancement of digital engineering capabilities.

Key responsibilities

• Apply Mission Engineering principles to explore operational scenarios, assess capabilities, and support early-stage naval design decisions.
• Develop and facilitate immersive simulation environments, combining COTS real-time simulation tools and physical wargaming to evaluate operational effectiveness, system behaviour, and design trade-offs.
• Develop and enhance simulation toolchains, digital engineering workflows, and analytical methods, integrating modelling, simulation, and data analytics into the naval design process.
• Drive R&D initiatives from idea to proof of concept, developing prototypes and pilot solutions that introduce new methods, simulation capabilities, and digital technologies into naval engineering.
• Explore emerging technologies and simulation techniques, translating promising developments into practical opportunities for future naval products and engineering processes.
• Collaborate with architects, engineers, clients, and technical specialists to turn complex operational and engineering challenges into innovative, multidisciplinary solutions.
• Strengthen our digital engineering and Mission Engineering capabilities by improving working methods, sharing knowledge, capturing lessons learned, and supporting the development of colleagues.

Skills & experience

• A Master’s degree (EQF Level 7) in Maritime Technology, Naval Architecture, Operations Research, or a related technical discipline, combined with at least one year of relevant experience in R&D, innovation, or engineering, preferably within the maritime or defence domain.
• Experience with early-stage design and concept development, including exploring, evaluating, and comparing different design alternatives.
• Knowledge of modelling, simulation, and analytical techniques used for system design, operational analysis, and design space exploration.
• An understanding of Mission Engineering and/or Systems Engineering, preferably combined with knowledge of simulation-based design, digital engineering, or complex naval systems.
• Basic understanding of naval operations and systems, such as sensors, effectors, and command & control systems, and an interest in how these contribute to operational effectiveness.
• Experience or affinity with programming and rapid prototyping, using languages and tools such as Python, MATLAB, or Lua to develop and test new ideas.
• A strong interest in emerging maritime and defence technologies, including autonomous and uncrewed systems (UxVs), digital engineering, simulation technologies, and new approaches to naval design.

What we offer

• A competitive salary and 8% holiday pay.
• 27 holidays and 13 ADV days.
• Travel allowance of 23 cents per kilometre.
• PME-pension arrangement with an employer contribution of 60%.
• Profit sharing based on company results.
• Additional benefits including a bicycle plan and company fitness.

Damen has 35 shipyards on five different continents and operates in more than 100 countries. We are still growing and that gives you options. You contribute to this growth while benefitting from the diverse development and career opportunities that our company offers. We will continue to challenge you. With our extensive portfolio of products and solutions you will never get bored and never stop learning. We offer you a world of possibilities. Working at Damen means contributing to the highest quality in shipbuilding, with an eye to the future and future generations. We want to make the world a better place by becoming the most sustainable maritime solution provider. For that, we need you. Become part of our family. We are Damen. We’re a family company that has been building ships for almost 100 years. However, our focus is not on the past, however – we’re looking forward. Our ambition is to become the most sustainable and connected maritime solutions provider there is. To achieve this, we combine digital technology with our philosophy of standardised shipbuilding to offer a portfolio of services that takes care of vessels throughout the entire lifecycle. Working at Damen offers the best of several worlds. Active in more than 100 countries, with over 30 shipyards, we are internationally renowned for quality. And we are still growing, still innovating. Which means we will continue to challenge you. You will never stop learning, and you will never get bored – we promise you that. We offer you an ocean of possibilities. Join our family.