Research Project Manager

Are you a motivated project manager who enjoys turning research into structured projects with clear plans, timelines, and deliverables? Then join Octave.energy's mission to accelerate the energy transition by bringing smart energy storage and energy management solutions to the market.

Have a real impact and become part of a young and dynamic team in a fast-growing scale-up.

Your role

You will own Octave.energy's portfolio of research and innovation projects (Flemish, Belgian federal, and European funding) from application to closeout, and be the driving force behind new funding proposals. You keep these projects on track, on budget, and compliant with research objectives. You will be able to lean on the technical and product team for expertise and be the contact point with top-tier research institutes and universities.

You will be responsible for:

• Owning subsidized projects end-to-end: planning, timelines, milestones, deliverables, and all reporting obligations towards funding bodies.
• Driving new funding proposals: structuring the proposal, drafting the non-technical sections, and gathering and integrating technical input from the technical team.
• Full administrative and financial ownership: tracking budgets, hours, and costs per project, and preparing/submitting the claims, justifications, and documentation needed for audits.
• Scouting the funding pipeline: actively tracking open calls relevant to Octave.energy and proposing which ones to pursue to the management team.
• Aligning with the technical team and product owner on research and project priorities, and coordinating with them to make sure technical deliverables and reports come in on time.

What we are looking for

• 1–3 years of experience in project management, project coordination, or grant/proposal administration.
• Excellent writing skills; able to structure and edit long, technical documents even without being a technical expert yourself.
• Highly organized and autonomous to be comfortable owning multiple projects and deadlines in parallel.
• Prior knowledge of or interest in the energy industry (e.g. renewables, energy storage, energy management).
• Strong communication skills; confident coordinating between founders, technical/product team, and external partners (universities, funding agencies), and comfortable chasing people for input.
• Fluent in English. French and Dutch are a plus but not a requirement.

Nice to have:

• Master's degree in the field of business or engineering, or equivalent level of experience.
• Prior exposure to Flemish/Belgian or EU subsidy schemes (e.g., VLAIO, Innoviris, Horizon Europe, etc.).
• Experience with research institutes or university collaborations.
• Familiarity with project management tools and AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, etc.)

What's in it for you

An interesting and varied role at a fast-growing cleantech start-up, with real ownership over how Octave.energy's funding pipeline runs.

We also offer:

• An attractive salary package.
• Flexible working hours with hybrid working, ideally 2 days at our office in Mechelen and Brussels.
• A supportive, collaborative team with strong learning and growth opportunities in a scale-up environment.

Why join Octave.energy

Founded in April 2020, Octave.energy is a Belgian cleantech company specialized in battery energy storage and energy management services for businesses. Octave.energy has sold over 200 MWh of battery energy storage capacity and operates the largest fleet of behind-the-meter batteries in Belgium. Backed by private investors, Imec, and the EIC Accelerator of the European Commission, Octave.energy is working on large-scale projects at the forefront of technology and sustainability.

How to apply

Interested in the role of Research Project Manager at Octave.energy? Send your CV and motivation letter to recruitment@octave.energy. We'll get back to you as soon as possible.