Lead Engineer OT Software Solutions – Airports Domain

Are you a hands-on technical specialist who can guide a team of software engineers at deep technical level and take end-to-end ownership of OT software solutions for mission-critical airport systems? If so, this Lead Engineer role could be the ideal next step in your career.

Job Description

In the Business Function Technology we have a position available for a Lead Engineer OT Software Solutions in the Airports Equipment Development Transport and Sort stream. We offer you the opportunity to work in an inspiring and challenging environment where you will combine deep technical expertise with leadership, shaping robust and scalable OT software solutions used in airport operations worldwide.

Your department

The Transport and Sort stream team is a highly knowledgeable group responsible for the design, implementation and testing of our Airports platform modules. The team builds the bridge between development and project execution to ensure alignment across disciplines. In this context, the Lead Engineer plays a key role in driving technical direction, safeguarding solution quality and ensuring that our OT software solutions remain robust, scalable and fit for deployment across global airport projects.

Your position

As Lead Engineer OT Software Solutions, you are one of the technical owners of our OT software solutions within the Airports domain. You guide and coach a team of software engineers on a deep technical level, setting direction on architecture, software design, implementation approach and engineering quality. You translate system and product requirements into robust technical solutions and ensure the team delivers scalable, maintainable and reusable software. In this role, you actively contribute to design reviews, technical decision-making, coding standards, validation strategies and test approaches. You are expected to be hands-on where needed, supporting implementation and problem solving in complex technical areas. You oversee the full lifecycle of the solution, from concept and design to simulation, validation, deployment and support. Your solutions will be used globally in multiple airport projects, and you drive continuous improvement by incorporating lessons learned into our standards, libraries and development practices. This role is focused on technical leadership rather than formal people management or organizational aspects: you lead through expertise, direction-setting, coaching and quality ownership.

Your profile

You have a bachelor’s (HBO) or master’s degree in OT Controls, IT technology, software engineering or electronics with a strong OT affinity. In addition, you bring:

• Several years of experience in industrial automation or OT software engineering, in a lead or senior engineering role.
• Proven ability to guide software engineers on deep technical topics, drive design decisions and raise overall engineering quality.
• Strong experience with high-level programming languages, preferably IEC 61131-3 (ST/SCL), and affinity with languages such as Python, C# or MATLAB.
• Solid knowledge of Siemens TIA Portal, Visual Studio Code, CODESYS, software architecture principles, and modern industrial engineering practices.
• A strong mindset for ownership, standardization, modularization, validation and long-term maintainability of solutions.
• The ability to combine strategic technical thinking with a hands-on approach in implementation and problem solving.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to align engineers, architects and project stakeholders around technical direction.
• Good command of the English language.
• You are comfortable leading through technical authority and coaching, without requiring formal line-management responsibility.

What we offer

In this challenging and responsible position, you will have the chance to make a significant contribution to industry-leading projects and be connected to our dedicated people and customers. We offer a position in an informal, international and professional working environment with a lot of scope for personal development. By joining our profitable and growing company you will be able to reach your goals and focus on your future.

• 40 vacation days (20 statutory days and a flexible budget worth 20 days).
• Flexible working hours.
• A hybrid workplace (40% working from home and 60% in the office).
• A Health & Wellbeing budget worth €300,- per calendar year.
• Commuting allowance, including full reimbursement of travel by public transport.
• Working from home allowance.
• Collective pension scheme and discount on additional health insurance.
• On-site company health centres with a gym, physiotherapists and occupational therapists.
• Vanderlande Academy and training facilities to boost your skills.
• A variety in Vanderlande Network communities and initiatives.
• And a great company restaurant and coffee bar with barista.

For this role, you must already possess valid authorisation to work in the Netherlands.

Background screening

For this position it is possible that a background screening will be conducted. This screening can include checks such as verification of identity, qualifications or other relevant records, which may include criminal background or sanctions list checks, in accordance with our internal policies and applicable laws. Any job offer may be extended under the condition that the screening does not give reason to reconsider the hiring decision. Candidates will always be informed about the process and their rights before any screening is initiated.