Medior Operations Research Engineer

What you will do

You will join the Data & Intelligence team at a Belgian port authority, working closely with senior and expert operations research colleagues on holistic planning optimisation prototypes in the nautical chain. Your role combines strategic thinking about optimisation possibilities with hands-on development of advanced planning techniques to improve efficiency and throughput.

Your responsibilities include:

• Developing planning optimisation solvers that integrate multiple functional domains and data streams
• Modelling complex operations research problems with multiple objectives
• Building prototypes to test the feasibility and effectiveness of new planning optimisations
• Setting up large-scale constraint programming processes
• Deploying scalable planning and optimisation solvers in Azure cloud environments with integrated CI/CD
• Collaborating closely with the Port Intelligence team and various stakeholders in the nautical chain
• Documenting and explaining model choices and trade-offs to both technical and business stakeholders

What we are looking for

You have a strong background in operations research with proven experience in deploying planning and optimisation solvers. You combine technical depth with the ability to communicate complex topics clearly to non-technical stakeholders.

Required:

• Master's or bachelor's degree (or equivalent through experience)
• At least 3 years of experience as an innovation consultant
• At least 3 years of experience developing planning optimisation solvers that integrate multiple functional domains and data streams
• At least 3 years of experience modelling complex operations research problems with multiple objectives
• At least 3 years of experience setting up large-scale constraint programming processes
• Experience with scalable deployment of planning optimisation solvers in Azure cloud environments with integrated CI/CD
• At least 3 successful references of planning and optimisation solver deployments at different clients
• Dutch at CEFR level C2

Valued:

• Experience in process engineering, lean manufacturing or continuous improvement
• At least 1 year of experience collaborating with software engineers within one delivery team
• Experience with business processes and project management
• At least 3 years of experience deploying and maintaining scalable API integrations in a B2B context
• At least 3 years of experience documenting and explaining model choices and trade-offs for both technical and business stakeholders
• At least 3 years of experience with Python-based OR/AI libraries and frameworks (e.g. Pyomo, OR Tools, scikit-learn) combined with custom model development
• At least 3 years of experience with versioning, testing and validation of optimisation models (e.g. scenario testing, regression testing of solution quality)
• At least 2 years of knowledge of nautical chain operations and collaboration between stakeholders (port areas and service providers)

You work in a results-oriented manner with a sense of accuracy and quality in both execution and follow-up. You have strong statistical knowledge and understand how to apply it to diverse challenges.

The setting

This assignment runs from early November 2026 to the end of April 2027, with an estimated 800 hours of work. The role is based in Antwerp, with hybrid working possible. You will work in Dutch.