Work environment

Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) is one of Europe's top technological universities, situated at the heart of a most innovative high-tech region Brainport. Thanks to a wealth of collaborations with industry and academic institutes, TU/e's research has real-world impact. TU/e has around 3,000 employees and 2,300 PhD students (half of which international, representing about 70 nationalities).
Our university is at the heart of society: TU/e focuses in education and research on complex, societal challenges such as Energy, Health and Smart Mobility using the latest technologies including Artificial Intelligence, Quantum computing and Photonics.

The Eindhoven Institute for Renewable Energy Systems (EIRES) is the cross-departmental institute on Energy within TU/e working on modular scalable systems for energy conversion and storage, and their integration into the larger energy system. This executive team focuses on the (inter)national positioning of the institute, program acquisition, and impact (public-private partnerships, thought leadership, startups and spinouts, student teams, et cetera). Visit the website for more information www.tue.nl/eires .

Iron Power Technology is a relatively new technology which has the potential to store, transport and import at very large scales for the heat-intensive industry. Think for instance of coal and biomass plants which will run on iron powder instead of coal or biomass powder. Iron Power is an iconic project which finds its origin for a large part at EIRES @ TU/e, while Metalot (www.metalot.nl ) is the organization linked to TU/e which has the goal to develop the ecosystem needed to embed this new technology in our future energy system.

The Research Support Office (RSO) is the central Research Support Office of TU/e and is consists of a small, close-knit team of professionals who support the scientific staff in applying for European and national grants for research. The RSO team further consists of research funding advisors, grant consultants, corporate lawyers, program managers and project managers.

As program manager EIRES you will be embedded in the RSO and from there be allocated to work for EIRES in close collaboration with Metalot. One of the goals is to participate in the development of a large proposal on Iron Power Technology for the National Growth Fund (expected deadline early 2024). It is expected that you will work for a year on Iron Power, with the outlook of subsequent integration in the broader TU/e RSO team if successful.

Key activities

Activities are typically focused on the development of thematic programs in energy research:

• Drawing up (parts of) scientific and industrially/societally relevant research programs on Iron Power systems, or the integration thereof in the larger energy system, together with TU/e researchers and societal parties.
• Initiate new projects with industrial or societal partners and TU/e researchers and supervise acquisition projects.
• Consortium formation in the field of Iron Power both within TU/e across multiple departments (e.g., setting up TU/e's proposition for the Growth Fund proposal) as well as with relevant TU/e departments and external partners.
• Acquiring large external assignments or realizing medium to long-term cooperation agreements (3-5 years) with (inter)national partners.
• Participate in the development of long-term research and innovation roadmaps together with TU/e researchers and industrial/societal parties.
• Manage the proposal development process of (typically) complex, multi-disciplinary projects in good cooperation with departmental support.
• Exploring new research ideas and supporting researchers in clearly articulating problems, approaches, solutions and impact in project proposals or business contracts.
• Participate in the development of policies regarding the collaboration within and outside TU/e regarding Iron Power and sustainable energy systems and their integration in the energy network.
• Identifying promising funding opportunities in relation to Iron Power and TU/e's strength, forming consortia across multiple departments within TU/e as well as public and private partners outside TU/e, and managing the proposal writing process.
• Be an active member in relevant (NL and EU) networks (Public Private Partnerships, Associations and Thematic working groups), both to influence them, as well as to have an early view on upcoming possibilities.

We are searching for a Program Manager in the field of renewable energy with a high-tech focus. You're the experienced in renewable energy research, developing new projects and consortia in this field, and establish a connecting role towards industrial and societal applications. You are interested in the rules and regulations imposed by the various funding organizations, you have the wish to build up a network of relevant academic and business contacts and you want to know what researchers in multiple departments are looking for. Your expertise enables you to match interesting opportunities with innovative ideas. Together with the researchers, you explore new research ideas, and support them in clearly articulating problems, approach, solutions and impact in project proposals or business contracts.

As program manager, you will initiate and organise the setup of new projects and consortia on modular scalable systems for energy storage and conversion with a primary focus on Iron Power, and the integration thereof in the larger energy network. You have excellent communication and social skills, and initiate/facilitate the dialogue between the different teams and stakeholders at the interface between academia, society, and industry. You are well-versed in the scientific progress on renewable energy and able to stimulate collaborations between various disciplines to initiate new innovative research topics in the research agenda of EIRES and Metalot. You are aware of the industrial roadmaps of the relevant industries as well as the relevant European roadmaps from the research framework program.

We are looking for excellent candidates that meet the following requirements:

• A MSc or PhD degree level in a relevant field (e.g., electrical/mechanical/civil engineering, chemistry, physics).
• A deep understanding of thematic programs in both the National and European funding landscape and the ability to match the opportunities to the expertise and research interests of researchers at the TU/e.
• Over 5 (or in case of senior program manager 10) years of comparable work experience, for example in industry, a research institute or an academic or applied science university.
• A proven track record in defining and attracting innovative research projects and funding in international consortia.
• Ability to partner-in and initiate consortium building for collaboration projects in national and European research funding programs.
• Extensive external network in innovation in the field of renewable energy and ability to maintain and pro-actively develop this further.
• Ability to connect the academic world and (inter)national external networks resulting in well balanced consortia for successful research proposals.
• Relevant knowledge of rules and regulations imposed by the various funding organizations.
• Experience with academic research.
• Affinity with industrial innovation.
• Affinity with renewable energy systems and up to date knowledge about the latest developments in the energy transition.
• Excellent communication skills (both written and oral).
• Excellent networking skills.
• Strong analytical, organizational and negotiation skills.
• Fluent proficiency in both Dutch and English.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, team player.
• Well-organized, autonomous, flexible, service- and result oriented, deadline-driven.

We offer a fulltime (1,0 fte) employment position with a gross month salary in the range of € 4.814,- and € 6.702,- (scale 12-13) based on your education and experience. Besides that, we offer an annual holiday allowance of 8%, an annual end of the year bonus of 8,3%, a total of 41 days of paid holiday leave and a broad package of fringe benefits (including an excellent technical infrastructure, savings schemes, childcare and excellent sports facilities).