Senior R&D Engineer (Optical Systems)

Location: Leuven, Vlaanderen, Belgium; hybrid working

Salary: EUR 61,700 yearly

Company

hirify.global develops sensor-based sorting, peeling, and integrated post-harvest solutions for the food industry, focused on food safety, resource efficiency, and reducing food loss.

What you will do

• Lead the end-to-end design, configuration, installation, and testing of sorting machines.
• Coordinate engineering disciplines and provide technical leadership to multidisciplinary teams.
• Support the development of optical systems, sensor technologies, and advanced vision systems for improved inspection quality.
• Contribute to system architecture decisions that balance performance, cost, manufacturability, reliability, and sustainability.
• Drive scalable engineering through reusable modular building blocks and maintain technical documentation.
• Align technology development with product requirements and collaborate with regional business units on market needs.

Requirements

• Master’s degree or equivalent experience in Engineering, Physics, or a related scientific discipline.
• Experience leading technically complex, cross-functional projects and bringing multidisciplinary teams together.
• Experience in one or more of automation, sorting machines, vision systems, photonics, optics, or spectroscopy.
• Experience using data analysis, programming, or modelling tools such as Python or MATLAB.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present technical information effectively.
• Experience working with R&D, manufacturing, supply chain, and quality teams.
• Ability to work effectively in an international and culturally diverse environment.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally.

Culture & Benefits

• Hybrid working policy in a collaborative, inclusive, and innovation-focused environment.
• Long-term career opportunities, internal promotion prospects, and professional training and development.
• Hospitalisation insurance with dental care, group insurance, and 20 days of holiday plus 6 ADV days per year.
• Bike lease, share purchase program, meal vouchers, eco-cheque, and performance-based bonus.
• Laptop, mobile phone, and company car.
• Work focused on resource efficiency, food safety, and reducing environmental impact.