Data Scientist - Research Development and Innovation

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About us
At Damen, Research & Development plays a key role in helping us become the world’s most sustainable and digitally connected shipyard. We support the business with innovative product development and continuous improvement of ship performance and quality. R&D at Damen combines Research, Development, and Supporting Technologies (including Software and Data Science). Our teams build models and tools to accelerate engineering workflows and turn knowledge into practical applications. We also invest in internal R&D programs and collaborate with industry partners, universities, and research institutes, both in the Netherlands and internationally, to stay at the forefront of maritime innovation.

The role
The maritime industry is undergoing a major digital transformation. Data and AI-driven technologies are creating new opportunities in ship design, operations, and sustainability.

The Supporting Technologies teams play a key role in this transformation. We develop tools, models, and data solutions that enhance and accelerate the work of development and research engineers.

We are looking for a Data Scientist with 3+ years of experience to strengthen our R&D team. You’ll work on a variety of innovative projects that combine maritime engineering with modern machine learning, in close collaboration with engineers, naval architects, and fellow data scientists.

Current projects you could contribute to:

• Predictive maintenance for main engines based on sensor data and anomaly detection

• Graph Neural Networks for accelerating CFD-based predictions

• Computer vision models to automatically read draught marks during sea trials

• Operational mode classification to analyze and benchmark vessel behavior

• Manoeuvring trials analysis to understand how weather and currents affect results

• Resistance prediction for new hull designs

You’ll be part of a small, skilled data science team within R&D, working closely with domain experts across Damen.

Your main tasks:

• Define how data science can be applied to solve technical and business challenges

• Develop machine learning models and advanced analytics solutions

• Generate actionable insights to support product innovation and engineering processes

• Communicate results clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders

• Identify new opportunities where data science can add value

• Support colleagues within R&D on data-related topics

What we’re looking for:

• 3+ years of experience as a data scientist, machine learning engineer, or in a similar role

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Naval Architecture, Aerospace Engineering, or a similar technical field

• Solid knowledge of data science and machine learning methods, with hands-on project experience

• Familiar with the data science lifecycle and agile ways of working

• Strong collaboration skills; able to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams

• Business-oriented mindset and problem-solving attitude

• Ability to communicate complex results in an accessible way

• Strong programming skills in Python (experience with SQL is a plus)

• Curious, proactive, and eager to keep learning

Why join us?
You’ll work in a highly innovative environment where engineering meets data science. Damen offers a collaborative and supportive R&D culture, with the opportunity to contribute to the future of sustainable and digitally connected ships. You’ll have room to explore new ideas, apply the latest techniques, and grow your expertise, both in data science and in the unique world of maritime technology.

Recruiter:

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