Your capabilities
Conditions
- You have a master degree in industrial or bioscience engineering, computer science, or another related technical or agricultural discipline If you have a foreign diploma we ask you, upon employment, to obtain equivalence recognition. You can apply for this at NARIC Vlaanderen
- You have a basic knowledge of data processing (e.g., in R, Python, or Matlab)
- You are familiar with scientific reporting.
- You communicate fluently in English, both orally and in writing.
Personal competences
- Interested and motivated: You show genuine curiosity for the project’s content and challenges, think along proactively, and ask focused questions.
- Communicative and professional: You communicate clearly and respectfully, both by email and in meetings, and represent ILVO positively.
- Flexible: You adapt easily where needed and manage unexpected situations or changing priorities well.
- Team-oriented: You enjoy working with colleagues and external partners, align efficiently with researchers and technicians, and ensure smooth information flow.
- Hands-on: You tackle technical challenges practically, are ready to step in yourself, and find creative solutions to move forward.
We offer
We offer you a open-ended contract with a competitive salary based on your degree. You will be hired in salary scale A165. You can make a calculation of your monthly salary, a holiday bonus and your end-of-year allowance via de Salarissimulator (note, under salary system select "volgens anciënniteit - according to seniority"). Relevant experience can be considered for financial seniority.
A PhD trajectory is possible if you are interested.
At ILVO, you join a research environment where things are truly happening. You contribute to innovative research with real societal impact while having the opportunity to further develop your own talents. Thanks to flexible working hours and hybrid work options (where compatible with the role), we help you maintain a healthy work-life balance.
We offer an attractive leave package with 35 vacation days (based on the previous year’s performance, private-sector system). Additionally, ILVO closes between Christmas and New Year, offering you a well-deserved break.
Additional benefits include: Hospitalization and group (life) insurance, commuting allowance (bicycle – public transport), meal vouchers (€8/day) and possibility of bicycle leasing.
You will join an enthusiastic precision agriculture team, where your initial focus will be on the European project SQAT, dedicated to soil quality and precision farming. Within this project, ILVO works with partners to develop and test new agricultural robots and technologies. Your role combines scientific tasks (conducting field trials, collecting data, training AI models, interpreting and analysing results) with project management responsibilities such as planning, follow-up, and reporting.
You will collaborate closely with engineers, technicians, and software developers, and you will serve as ILVO’s first point of contact for this project
What does your job look like?
- Co-manage and follow up on (European) research projects: planning, communication, deliverables, and reporting.
- Coordinate field trials with agricultural robots and sensor technologies, including data collection and evaluation.
- Process and analyse data; develop and train AI models.
- Optimise workflows and propose improvements to prototypes based on test results.
- Report back to project and work package leaders; motivate and engage partners.
- Represent ILVO at fairs, demonstrations, and technical meetings (English-speaking context).
- Contribute to publications and increase the scientific visibility of project results.
- Actively participate in fieldwork: create task maps, deploy robotic technologies, and collect data meticulously.
