Jobs

Project Engineer

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Vacancy closed

Project Engineer

Vopak Rotterdam

What is required?

  • Bachelor thinking level
  • Project Management experience
  • Good level Dutch and English
  • Technical background
  • Analytical skills

What will you get?

  • €4,600 - €6,900 gross p/m (ex. bonus)
  • 40+ hour workweek
  • 30 vacation days
  • No work in weekend
  • Internal training

What will you do?

  • 30% Internal / external meetings
  • 35% Work on problem/ solution
  • 15% Control third parties
  • 10% Write reports
  • 10% Administration

This vacancy has been created based on interviews with employees to help you get a realistic preview of the job.

Vacancy

As a Project Engineer, you will be responsible for projects within your discipline. In the case of large-scale projects, you and your discipline will be part of a larger project team. You will serve as a link between Vopak’s terminals and various external parties.

In the initial phase of projects, the emphasis is placed on accurately elaborating the problem definition as well as determining the budget. You are involved in the outsourcing of work to contractors and, at times, other external parties. Additionally, you will provide several parties with technical advice and support during the project. You will monitor the project budget, provide progress reports, and guarantee the quality of the project.

Working week

Project Engineer Mechanical
Micheäl de Groot

On nice days, I start with an accurate elaboration of the problem definition to subsequently draft a design for a potential solution with an engineering agency.

To me, days that are fully scheduled with meetings are less pleasant; then, I don’t have time for other tasks.
  • 08:00
  • 09:00
  • 10:00
  • 11:00
  • 12:00
  • 13:00
  • 14:00
  • 15:00
  • 16:00
  • 17:00

Firsthand experience

Project Engineer – Mechanical

The Terminal calls to notify you of the fact that the protection for climbing trucks, bridges, and installations at the Terminal no longer complies with current laws and regulations. What to do?

Within Vopak it is the norm to anticipate on future legislation.

First, you accurately elaborate the problem definition. Which installations are we talking about? What fall protection do we currently have? What do official laws and regulations entail?

You visit the Terminal to review the situation and you work out potential solutions. If you do not have all the required knowledge, you hire an external engineering agency to provide assistance regarding a design. You present the Terminal with the detailed solutions. Along with the Terminal, a peer review is conducted for the chosen solution to test the fall protection.

Upon formal approval, you will contact a contractor – in collaboration with the Purchasing Department – to manufacture the fall protection. You are fully involved in the project from start to finish.

You sent a specification to the supplier to create a design for a solution devised by you. The supplier sends you the design for formal approval. Before you have approved it, the supplier has already ordered the components. During the internal audit, it becomes clear that the design does not meet all specifications. What to do?

At Vopak, it is important that designs meet all specifications. No exceptions can be made due to strict laws.

In this case, you and the supplier should jointly look for components in the design that can be used. Subsequently, you and the supplier should discuss the most-desired solution with the least impact on the budget with the Terminal.

It is important that as a Project Engineer, you are creative and solution-oriented. You serve as the link between the Terminal and third parties. If you cannot find a proper solution, you should reject the supplier’s design. Although you had outsourced the order to the supplier, they should have waited for your formal approval. Vopak strictly adheres to rules and legislation to maintain its license to operate.

Project Engineer – Process Installation

One of the Amsterdam locations has a 2011 installation that has been running for several years. The emission of this installation might be too high, which may cause Vopak to have trouble with the competent authority and the corresponding laws. This information is shared with you by a co-worker from Amsterdam. What to do?

You head to Amsterdam to see what is going on. You accurately elaborate the problem definition and you try to extract process data from the installation. Subsequently, you conduct a process data check, and you research the maximum emission.

If the check points out that there are too many issues with the installation, you draft a plan of action to resolve this. You work out various options, you make a cost analysis, and you give a recommendation to the Terminal. If the Terminal agrees with your recommendation, you start a new project. You are involved in the project from start to finish.

Growth

At Vopak, you can grow in all directions; we also look for opportunities beyond your current discipline. It depends on how you develop yourself as well as the opportunities available at that time. This could be a logical growth path.

Discipline Engineer
Programma Manager
Project Manager
Technical Manager

Working at Vopak

At Vopak, we store vital products with care. Products for everyday life. The energy that allows people to cook, heat or cool their homes and for transportation. The chemicals that enable companies to manufacture millions of useful products. The edible oils to prepare food. We take pride in improving access to cleaner energy and feedstocks for a growing world population, ensuring safe, clean and efficient storage and handling of bulk liquid products and gases at strategic locations around the world. We are excited to help shape a sustainable future by developing infrastructure solutions for new vital products, focusing on zero- and low-carbon hydrogen, ammonia, CO2, long-duration energy storage and sustainable feedstocks. Although the demand for storage and logistics of sustainable energy products is changing, today we also meet the needs of today's society. At our terminals, where everything goes on 24/7, we store the vital products on which today's society is built.

We have a track record of over 400 years in navigating change and are continuously investing in innovation. On sustainability, we are ambitious and performance-driven. Our balanced sustainability roadmap reflects key topics that matter most to our stakeholders and where we can have a positive impact for people, planet and profit and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

View company profile of Vopak
  • Headquarters Rotterdam
  • Active in 23 countries
  • 18% / 82%
  • Average age 38
  • 1,100 employees in NL
  • 6,000 employees worldwide
  • 10 terminals in the Netherlands, 78 terminals worldwide

Colleagues

Thomas Visser - Management Trainee

Why did you decide to work for this company?
I have always been very interested in the global energy markets and how the energy transition will create new opportunities for the import and export of renewable energy and sustainable feedstocks. When you are working for Vopak you are right in the middle of it! As a Management Trainee, I got the opportunity to first work in the Operations department at one of the largest energy terminals. Afterwards I moved to the New Energy & LNG team, where I am currently working on developing low-carbon supply chains for new and existing customers.

What did you study?
Applied Earth Sciences

What do you do in your spare time?
During my free time, I am mainly busy with sports. I regularly play football, tennis and padel

Sander de Jong - Management Trainee

Why did you decide to work for this company?
The port is the place where it happens. And Vopak is a company that can make it happen. It is a leading company with the influence, pioneering spirit and right set of values to make a difference and help accelerate the energy transition. The dynamic and multidisciplinary character of the company really appealed to me.

What did you study?
Master Hydraulic Engineering (TU Delft)

What do you do in your spare time?
Playing football, tennis and hanging out with friends

Emma Zomer - Management Trainee

Why did you decide to work for this company?
I was looking for a company with an international work environment and where I could contribute to the decarbonization of large industrial players. Within Vopak I found not only that, but also an informal constructive workplace with amazing people. I joined Vopak during my graduation internship, and felt like I could truly make a difference with my background in Sustainable Energy Technologies. Nowadays, I work on new energy related projects all over the world!

What did you study?
Master Sustainable Energy Technology, TU Delft

What do you do in your spare time?
Horseback riding, running and drawing

Interesting job?