Senior Consultant Systems Architect

About this position

The Senior Consultant Systems Architect is a recognized expert in systems architecting and systems engineering who combines deep technical expertise with a strong affinity for research, innovation, and industrial impact. In this role, you contribute to the creation, validation, and deployment of next-generation systems engineering and architecting methodologies, helping organizations engineer increasingly complex systems in a more effective and predictable manner.

Working at the intersection of research and industrial practice, you collaborate with researchers, architects, engineers, and industry partners to transform scientific knowledge into practical engineering approaches, methods, and tools. Through innovation and collaboration projects at TNO-ESI, you contribute to strengthening the engineering capabilities of organizations in the High-Tech Equipment, Energy, Mission Critical Infrastructure, and Defense sectors while advancing the competitiveness of Dutch industry and addressing important societal challenges.

What will be your role?

At TNO-ESI, we bridge the gap between research and industrial practice. Our mission is to develop and embed advanced systems engineering methodologies, tools, and expertise in industry, enabling organizations to engineer increasingly complex systems more effectively. By scaling the adoption of these innovations, TNO-ESI contributes to the competitiveness of Dutch industry and helps address major societal challenges such as the energy transition, digitalization, and sustainable high-tech innovation.

As a Senior Consultant Systems Architect, you will contribute to advancing the state of practice in systems engineering and architecting by connecting industrial challenges with scientific research. Working closely with industrial partners, researchers, architects, and engineers, you will help identify emerging complexity challenges, evaluate and validate new methodologies, and support their adoption in industrial environments. Through this work, you will contribute to both the relevance of TNO-ESI's research portfolio and the engineering effectiveness of organizations operating in complex domains.

Your responsibilities include:

• Helping organizations tackle complex system development challenges by analyzing technical and organizational bottlenecks and identifying practical, scalable solutions using systems engineering and architecting principles.
• Advising industrial partners on systems engineering, systems architecting, MBSE, digital engineering, and related methodologies, helping them improve the effectiveness, predictability, and quality of their product and system development processes.
• Working closely with stakeholders across multiple disciplines and organizational levels to align business objectives, engineering decisions, system requirements, and operational constraints.
• Supporting the adoption and deployment of advanced systems engineering and architecting methodologies, ensuring these approaches create sustainable impact within client organizations.
• Leading and facilitating architecture studies, assessments, workshops, and improvement initiatives that address complex engineering and system design challenges.
• Translating scientific insights, emerging technologies, and research results into industrially applicable methods, practices, and solutions, bridging the gap between research and industrial adoption.
• Strengthening the engineering capabilities of client organizations through coaching, mentoring, training, and hands-on guidance for architects, systems engineers, and technical leaders.
• Leading consultancy and innovation projects in collaboration with industrial partners, researchers, and multidisciplinary teams, ensuring that project outcomes result in measurable and lasting impact.
• Contributing to the development, validation, and continuous improvement of systems engineering and architecting methodologies within TNO-ESI, based on both research outcomes and industrial experience.
• Identifying emerging challenges and innovation opportunities in industry and translating them into new research topics, collaborative programs, and innovation initiatives that strengthen TNO-ESI's impact and relevance.

What we expect from you

• You have 15+ years of experience in systems architecture, systems engineering, product development, technical leadership, or related roles, preferably in high-tech environments.
• You hold a master's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field.
• You are a goal-oriented and self-driven professional who is energized by solving complex system-level challenges and delivering high-quality results.
• You possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills, enabling you to engage effectively with technical experts, architects, management teams, and executive stakeholders. You are fluent in Dutch and English.
• You have proven experience in multidisciplinary development environments and are capable of managing complex stakeholder relationships across organizational boundaries.
• You are passionate about advancing systems architecting and systems engineering practices and helping organizations improve their engineering capabilities.
• You have extensive experience with systems architecting and systems engineering methodologies, processes, frameworks, and associated competencies.
• You are skilled in understanding stakeholder needs and translating them into system architectures, requirements structures, and solution concepts across multiple abstraction levels.
• You have experience applying Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and other model-driven approaches to support system development, decision-making, and organizational improvement.
• You have strong analytical and conceptual thinking skills and are capable of making and defending architectural trade-offs.
• You enjoy coaching, mentoring, and facilitating multidisciplinary teams and helping organizations successfully adopt engineering best practices.
• You are motivated by applying scientific insights and emerging technologies to industrial challenges and creating lasting impact through architectural excellence.

What you'll get in return

Challenging and varied work with a real impact. And plenty of opportunities as, at TNO, you are in charge of shaping your career. We offer a gross monthly salary between € 5951,- and € 7945,- (based on your knowledge and experience), 8% holiday pay, a 13^th month bonus of 8.33% and a flex budget (5.58% + € 180). In addition, you will be given every opportunity to develop yourself.

TNO offers optional employee benefits, enabling you to tailor your benefits package to match your personal situation. You may also expect:

• An extremely professional, innovative working environment where colleagues are leading experts in their field.
• The opportunity to attend courses, workshops and conferences, and to receive training and coaching based on your needs.
• 33 days annual leave plus a flexible holiday that can be used on a cultural, religious, or otherwise important day of your choosing (on a full-time basis).
• An employer working towards a respectful, inclusive, and equitable work environment where every employee can flourish, with various initiatives such as Jong TNO, numerous expertise based guilds, Rainbow Community and Round Tables on diverse inclusion topics.
• We offer a comprehensive and flexible mobility plan that also includes full compensation for public transportation for commuting and business travel.
• Great social events with your team and other TNO colleagues. That’s how you will get to know a lot of people really quickly.
• Flexible working hours, the possibility to work parttime (32 or 36 hours) and the possibility of working from home.
• A good pension scheme.

Read more about tailoring your benefits package.

TNO as an employer

Our people are at the heart of TNO. Their curiosity, expertise and entrepreneurial mindset make it possible to deliver high-impact research and innovations that contribute to society’s sustainable wellbeing and prosperity. That is why we invest in an inspiring and inclusive working environment where colleagues can excel, have autonomy and continue to grow.

Your talent and ambition have every opportunity to flourish at TNO. You work with experts (both within and beyond TNO), have access to advanced technology and the freedom to explore, experiment and innovate. Our strength lies in independence, reliability and collaboration. We find each other in wonder and ingenuity. We are driven to push boundaries. By working with businesses and government, and by connecting different perspectives, we strengthen our innovative capability and create responsible, meaningful results.

At TNO, we believe this is our time to help society, government and business move forward faster. Together with driven colleagues, you turn knowledge into concrete innovations or ventures that truly make a difference by combining the power of science and entrepreneurship. And in doing so, you make your mark on our time.

The selection process

Please apply before the 11th of October. The selection process comprises two interview rounds. The preliminary interview takes place on the 20st of October. The second interview round has been scheduled for the 29th of October. In a final meeting we will discuss the terms of employment and your tailored benefits package. We aim to finalize the entire process within four weeks.

The selection process may include an online assessment and a reference check.
A certificate of Conduct (VOG) is required before starting a new job at TNO.