Project Manager | 32–40 hours | Leiden | Aerospace & Technology | Project Management | Start date: September 2026 | Duration: 1 year (detached)

Airbus Tech Hub Netherlands

Start date: September 2026 (October 2026 is still possible)
Hours: 32–40 hours per week (40 preferred)
Location: Leiden, Netherlands
Duration: 1-year fixed-term contract, with the possibility of a permanent position thereafter
Travel: Up to 10%
 

Company description

At Airbus Tech Hub NL, we work on developing innovative technologies that contribute to the future of aviation. The Tech Hub focuses on Research & Technology (R&T) projects aimed at accelerating the decarbonization of the aviation sector, in collaboration with industry partners, research institutions, universities, and government organizations.

The team operates at the intersection of technology, research, and business. You will work in a highly collaborative environment where engineers, project leaders, and external partners come together to turn innovative technological developments into concrete results.
 

About the role

Airbus Tech Hub NL is looking for a Project Manager to help ensure the successful delivery of several technical research and technology projects.

In this role, you will work closely with project leaders and a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. You will be responsible for keeping projects on track in terms of planning, budget, deliverables, and quality. A key part of the role is translating technical developments into clear actions, reports, and project deliverables.

Many projects are publicly funded and involve contracts, budgets, and formal project deliverables. You will therefore play an important role in ensuring that contractual and financial obligations are properly monitored and fulfilled.

You will report operationally to the Head of Airbus Tech Hub NL and work closely with team leads, engineers, other project managers, and supporting departments such as Finance and Legal.
 

Your role and responsibilities

As a Project Manager, you will:

• Monitor project schedules, milestones, deliverables, and budgets;
• Support project leaders in the structured execution of technical R&D projects;
• Monitor technical deliverables and translate complex technical developments into clear actions and reports;
• Manage project budgets, contracts, risks, and financial reporting;
• Coordinate contractual and reporting obligations related to publicly funded projects;
• Manage relationships with internal stakeholders, including Engineering, Finance, Legal, and Communications;
• Manage external stakeholders, including industry partners, research institutions, universities, and government organizations;
• Maintain project documentation, progress reports, risk registers, and KPIs;
• Facilitate workshops and project meetings using, where appropriate, Lean, Agile, Scrum, or Design Thinking methodologies;
• Support project proposals for national and EU-funded R&T projects;
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of project management processes and governance.

Your profile

You are a structured and proactive Project Manager who enjoys working in a technical and innovative environment. You are comfortable working with various stakeholders and are able to understand technical concepts and translate them into practical project actions.

You bring:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in engineering, business administration, project management, or a related field;
• Approximately 2–5 years of relevant project management experience;
• Experience with stakeholder management in a complex environment;
• Demonstrable experience managing budgets and contracts;
• Sufficient technical understanding to work effectively with engineers and understand technical project deliverables;
• Strong organizational and communication skills;
• Experience working with multiple internal and external stakeholders;
• Excellent command of English;
• Experience with publicly funded research projects, research consortia, or public-private partnerships is a strong advantage;
• Experience with SAP is a plus;
• Knowledge of Lean methodologies and/or a project management certification such as PMP, IPMA, or Scrum is a plus.

Experience in aerospace, high-tech innovation, the energy transition, or a similar technical field is highly desirable.

Candidates with significantly more than 5 years of relevant project management experience may be considered overqualified for the scope and level of this position.

What we offer

• A challenging project management role in an innovative aerospace technology environment;
• The opportunity to contribute to projects focused on the future and the decarbonization of aviation;
• Close collaboration with engineers, universities, industry partners, and government organizations;
• Exposure to technically complex, publicly funded R&T projects;
• A highly collaborative and international work environment;
• A one-year fixed-term assignment with the possibility of a permanent position afterward.

For questions: robert.vandenouwelant@headfirst.nl