Technical Project Manager – Optics

This Technical Project Manager role offers the opportunity to become the link between customers and cutting-edge product development within a fast-growing technology company. Rather than sitting within engineering or sales, you’ll operate at the centre of both, ensuring customer requirements are translated into clear, achievable delivery plans and that projects move efficiently from concept to completion.

The role is based in Rotterdam, with a preference for 5 days per week on-site. Flexibility around 4 days may be considered initially, but the long-term expectation is a highly collaborative, office-based environment.

Our client is developing advanced optical technology for next-generation consumer and industrial applications. Working with some of the world’s most innovative technology companies, they are solving complex engineering challenges where precision, performance and speed of execution are critical. What makes this opportunity unique is the combination of customer-facing project leadership and exposure to highly specialised optical hardware development. You’ll be working directly with engineers on both sides of the relationship, helping shape products that sit at the forefront of emerging technology.

As the Technical Project Manager, you’ll own customer programmes from handover through to delivery, ensuring internal teams, suppliers and customers remain aligned throughout the project lifecycle.

Responsibilities include

• Acting as the primary link between customers and engineering teams
• Translating technical requirements into clear project plans and delivery schedules
• Managing timelines, dependencies, priorities and customer expectations
• Working closely with engineering teams to identify bottlenecks and remove obstacles
• Coordinating suppliers, procurement activities and project resources
• Driving continuous improvement of project management tools, processes and reporting
• Managing stakeholder communication across both technical and commercial audiences

What you’ll bring

• Experience managing technical hardware development projects. Ideally with an optical, photonic or adjacent technology
• Background in consumer electronics, hardware development or advanced manufacturing environments
• Ability to communicate confidently with both engineers and customers
• Strong project ownership mentality with a proactive, solutions-focused approach
• Experience introducing structure and improving delivery processes
• Comfortable operating within a growing company where flexibility and initiative are highly valued

This isn’t a traditional project management role. You’ll have direct influence on customer success, product delivery and how the business scales its operations. The combination of advanced optical technology, customer-facing ownership and the opportunity to help shape internal processes creates a role that offers far more variety and visibility than a typical project management position.

If you are interested in the Technical Project Manager position, please contact Emily Wright.