
Senior Project Manager
Key Skills
Job Description
As we continue to scale, we are looking for a Senior Project Manager, who wants to drive real impact, taking products from concept to deployment.
At Optics11, we build advanced sensing technology that helps protect what matters most, from critical offshore energy infrastructure to underwater security systems. Our solutions operate in complex, high-stakes environments where precision, reliability, and real-world performance are essential.
In this role, you will work at the intersection of New Product Introduction (NPI) and Field Integration, ensuring that what is developed by engineering teams can successfully operate in real-world, often offshore environments. You will play a key role in bridging the gap between development and deployment. This is a hands-on, execution-focused role in a fast-moving scale-up, where not everything is fully defined. You will need to balance structure with pragmatism, make decisions with incomplete information, and keep projects moving despite changing priorities.
What you will do
Lead end-to-end projects covering product delivery (hardware and software) and field integration, including offshore deployment
Coordinate across engineering, operations, supply chain, and external partners to ensure smooth execution
Translate ambiguous goals and requirements into clear, actionable plans
Drive momentum and remove blockers in fast-moving, real-world environments
Support bid preparation by building realistic timelines and execution strategies, even with limited information
Identify gaps in ways of working and proactively improve processes across teams
Enable a learning-oriented project environment by sharing best practices and coaching others
Establish feedback loops between R&D and field teams to improve product and execution quality
What’s in it for you
Work on products that are deployed in real-world, high-impact environments, not just concepts or internal tools
Operate in a fast-growing, international scale-up where you can truly influence how projects are run
Regular team activities and shared lunches throughout the week
What we are looking for
5–8 years of project management experience in a technical environment
MSc degree (or equivalent) in Engineering, Physics, or a related field
Hands-on experience with New Product Introduction (NPI) projects is essential
Proven track record of delivering projects with real-world execution (not only planning)
Comfortable combining structured planning with hands-on operational involvement
Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to think in a structured way
Experience with offshore or field deployment projects is a strong plus
Able to make decisions and move forward with incomplete information
Clear communicator who can align technical (R&D) and operational (field) teams
You will thrive here if you
Enjoy seeing projects come to life in the real world, not just in plans or presentations
Are comfortable navigating complexity, including on-site and offshore environments
Prefer progress over perfection and know how to balance speed with quality
Take ownership and proactively solve problems across both product and organization
Can switch between strategic thinking and hands-on execution with ease
This role might not be the best fit if you
Prefer fully defined scope and stable environments before getting started
Rely heavily on rigid methodologies or extensive upfront planning
Have worked mainly on large-scale, highly structured capital projects with limited exposure to fast-paced product environments
Prefer to stay removed from operational or field-level challenges
Find it difficult to make decisions or move forward with incomplete information
You'll be working with clients in the defense and security sectors, obtaining a Certificate of No Objection issued by the AIVD (Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service) is mandatory. This means you will need to undergo a security screening. For more information, please refer to details on security screening.
Core Responsibilities
Lead end-to-end hardware and software delivery projects, including field integration and offshore deployment, coordinating engineering, operations, supply chain, and external partners. Translate ambiguous goals into actionable plans, remove blockers, improve processes, support bid preparation, and strengthen feedback between R&D and field teams.
Requirements
Requires 5–8 years of project management experience in a technical environment, an MSc or equivalent in engineering, physics, or a related field, and hands-on New Product Introduction project experience. Candidates should have a record of delivering real-world projects, communicate effectively across technical and operational teams, and be comfortable making decisions amid complexity; offshore or field deployment experience is a strong plus.
Benefits
- Regular Team Activities
- Shared Lunches
About Optics11
Industry: Measuring and Control Instrument Manufacturing
Company size: 51-200 employees
Optics11, founded in 2011 and headquartered in Amsterdam, develops advanced fiber-optic sensing systems for the world’s harshest environments. With a diverse team of ~100 experts and a strong patent portfolio, the company delivers ultra-sensitive, reliable, and low-power solutions that give operators earlier warnings and more time to act.