Test Technician

Sirris is the collective research & technology centre for the Belgian technological industry. We cover multi-disciplinary research, development an innovation projects in many industry fields and technology theme’s. Since 2010 Sirris became highly active in the field of industrial (offshore) wind energy research and development as co-creator of the OWI-Lab, a leading expertise consortium including Sirris, VUB and UGent. It’s mission is to support onshore and offshore wind energy research, development and innovation projects that reduce the LCOE of wind energy and ensuring a strong Belgian industrial value chain. Through the OWI-Lab initiative different high tech testing infrastructures have been set-up (for example a large climatic test chamber in Antwerp where wind turbine components (and other spill-over applications) are tested in harsh climatic environments). Also, different research projects and experiments in (offshore) wind farms have been set-up to learn for example from field data to optimise the operations and maintenance of machinery. You can read more info on our blog. The Sirris OWI Lab, located in the port of Antwerp, is looking for a Test Technician-Operator for the climate chamber:

• In our climatic test facility, you are responsible for the daily operations of machines and equipment and you guarantee the:

- Optimal execution of test campaigns by controlling and operating the large climate chamber

- Continuous improvement of the lab capabilities and operations & maintenance activities

- the quality of the operations by order, cleanliness and safety in the lab

• You will control and monitor the climate chamber during tests. This involves:

- the organization of the lab lay-out and test infrastructure

- the execution and reporting, in collaboration with colleagues, from test requirement to test campaign

- the development and set-up of (complex) electro-mechanical test set-ups in climatic test lab

- the organisation and execution of the loading and unloading of the test objects

- the assembling/disassembling of test set-ups

- the calibrations of sensors & test-infrastructure (selecting sensors, calibrating them and connecting them to the data acquisition system)

- the analysis and interpretation of test results

• In collaboration with your colleague technician, you will execute the daily maintenance actions of the test lab infrastructure (climate chamber, test benches, DAQ and sensor set-ups,…). As such, you will lead the organization of maintenance activities with external stakeholders and suppliers and the development of a maintenance plan, organization of spare parts.

• You execute administrative tasks: Inventory management, registering visitors, placing and following up orders.

• You obtained a degree in a technical field such as electro-mechanics, electricity, ...

• You have a good dose of technical common sense and a good basis in electro-mechanics

• You have knowledge of sensors, instrumentations and data-acquisition

• You have a high sense of risk awareness and know how to manage risks (electrical risks BA4-BA5, high voltage)

• You have CAD skills

• You have good analytical skills for analysing test requirements and customer requests

• You are hands-on and have a flexible attitude (a test almost never proceeds according to the original planning)

• Eagerness to learn is at least as important as possible experience with measurements or refrigeration systems.

• You are quality oriented and have good organizational skills

• You are communicative (contact with customers and partners)

• You have good basic computer skills

• You are fluent in Dutch and in English (orally and in writing)

As a Sirris expert you actively participate in top projects at Belgian companies. You build up knowledge and experience in the most advanced technologies. Every day you experience the satisfaction of knowing that you are doing pioneering work. In short, you deliver innovative work in its purest form.

Flexible work, personal development and an environment in which collaboration is central, that's what Sirris stands for. We offer an attractive salary package that is completely in line with your job and experience.

For more information about this position, please contact

Pieter Jan Jordaens, Program Manager Onshore & Offshore Wind Energy Industry or Franne Godderis, HR business partner