Process Engineer - Simulation

Damen Shipbuilding & Cooperation; Vlissingen; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

8% holiday pay

27 holidays

13 ADV days

Travel allowance

PME-pension 60%

Profit sharing

Bike plan

Company fitness

Job summary

Damen Naval invites a Process Engineer (Simulation) to advance digital engineering in naval design. You’ll drive simulation-based toolchains, apply Mission Engineering, and integrate COTS real-time simulations with physical wargaming to inform early design decisions.

With a Master’s in a relevant field and 1+ year of R&D or engineering experience, you will collaborate across disciplines to translate complex operational challenges into innovative naval solutions and future-capable systems.

Qualifications

• Master's degree (EQF 7) in Maritime Technology, Naval Architecture, OR Operations Research.
• At least one year of relevant R&D or engineering experience in maritime/defence.
• Familiarity with modelling, simulation, and analytical techniques for system design.
• Understanding of Mission Engineering or Systems Engineering preferred.
• Interest in naval operations and uncrewed systems.

Responsibilities

• Apply Mission Engineering to explore naval scenarios and support early-stage design decisions.
• Develop immersive simulation environments combining COTS real-time simulation tools and physical wargaming.
• Enhance simulation toolchains, digital engineering workflows, and analytical methods.
• Collaborate with architects, engineers, clients, and specialists to turn complex problems into innovative naval solutions.

Skills

R&D experience

Concept development

Programming

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 accountabilities

• 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

To succeed in this role, you bring a strong technical foundation combined with curiosity for innovation, simulation, and the future of naval engineering. You have:

• 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.