Technical Manager Defense - #52743

LEUVEN, BELGIUM

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

HYBRID

FULL-TIME

ENGLISH CV

As Technical Manager for Defense, you will play a key role in building and strengthening our defense-related activities. You will be the technical expert within this domain, connecting market needs, customer expectations, regulatory requirements, and internal operational capabilities

Job description

In this role, you ensure that our products, processes, and technical capabilities meet the specific demands of the defense market. You work across teams to translate customer and regulatory requirements into practical, compliant, and scalable solutions. By combining technical expertise with business insight, you help shape the segment portfolio, guide process improvements, and support strategic growth. This is a highly cross-functional position in which you collaborate closely with sales, engineering, production, quality, procurement, and compliance stakeholders What you will do

Technical and regulatory expertise in defense

• Act as the main technical reference point for defense-related technical, regulatory, compliance, and industry-specific requirements
• Interpret and translate information security, export control, and other defense-related requirements into compliant systems, processes, and ways of working
• Support commercial teams in understanding and assessing customer requirements, including classification, compliance, and technical feasibility
• Serve as the main point of contact for export license requests and related documentation with the relevant authorities
• Provide technical input during customer discussions, pre-sales activities, and project scoping

Process ownership and operational excellence

• Define and own the technical requirements needed to support efficient and compliant internal processes for the defense segment
• Establish and follow up on standardized workflows, methodologies, and procedures to ensure consistency, quality, and regulatory compliance
• Support and guide sales engineering teams by providing technical direction, coaching, and practical expertise
• Work closely with production and quality teams to define, validate, and improve required production capabilities, assets, and process standards in line with customer expectations

Portfolio and technology management

• Manage the defense segment portfolio and help ensure it remains aligned with market developments, customer needs, and internal capabilities
• Identify gaps between current capabilities and future market requirements, and contribute to the technical roadmap
• Lead or support the qualification and introduction of new products, materials, technologies, and processes into the operational environment
• Collaborate with external partners and suppliers to gather technical information, understand product roadmaps, and identify opportunities for improvement
• Evaluate the business and financial impact of introducing new technologies, products, or processes, together with business stakeholders

Cross-functional alignment and prioritization

• Maintain close collaboration with engineering, production, quality, and commercial teams to understand operational realities and technical constraints
• Assess technical feasibility and advise on capability fit, resource implications, and operational impact
• Support decision-making on priorities by balancing strategic opportunities, customer needs, compliance requirements, and internal capacity
• Contribute to backlog and roadmap prioritization together with business and operational stakeholders

Your profile

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering, or equivalent relevant experience
• 5 to 10 years of experience in manufacturing, engineering, industrialization, technical program management, or a related technical environment
• A strong understanding of technical processes, products, and industrial operations
• Experience with or affinity for regulated environments, preferably including defense, aerospace, manufacturing, export control, compliance, or information security
• Comfortable translating complex technical and regulatory requirements into practical solutions and workable processes
• Strong analytical skills and able to assess technical feasibility, weigh priorities, and make well-founded decisions
• A strong quality mindset and understanding of how to implement and maintain high standards in line with customer and industry expectations
• Able to work effectively across multiple stakeholders and influence teams without direct hierarchical authority
• Combine technical expertise with business understanding and are able to balance short-term operational needs with long-term strategic goals

What we offer

Healthy life-work balance When creating a better and healthier world, a good place to start is with yourself. That's why we encourage our employees to prioritize their overall well-being, fostering physical fitness, mental resilience, and social connections through a range of workshops, sports activities, and other events and initiatives that contribute to a balanced and fulfilling work-life harmony Hybrid working & flexibility Personal growth and career advancement Team building Innovation is key Location and type of contract

• Leuven, Belgium
• Full-time
• Hybrid
• Mid-senior level
• CV in English

Working at Materialise

Materialise is a dynamic, international high-tech company, founded in 1990 and headquartered in Belgium, with over 2,300 employees worldwide. Materialise’s mission is to innovate for a better and healthier world through its software and hardware infrastructure and in-depth knowledge of additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing). Our customers are in diverse industries, such as automotive, aerospace, medical, research, and academia.

As a growing company, Materialise is always looking for enthusiastic professionals who want to work in an environment full of revolutionary technology and surrounded by people passionate about their work