POSTED: 31/03/2025
STARTING DATE:Â as soon as possible
FULL-TIME, ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
MISSION TO METRICS
The mission of The Ocean Cleanup is to develop advanced technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. One part of the solution is to design, develop, and deploy river plastic interceptor systems to stop plastic from reaching our oceans.
"Operations is about maximizing the river cleanup by ensuring the technology, the local infrastructure, the resources and the total OPEX are aligned in the most effective and safe way." - Onno van de Sande, Operations Director.
ASSIGNMENT
As our River Operations Manager, you will lead the installation, operational optimization, and scaling of our Interceptor solutions—cutting off plastic pollution at its source. We are looking for an operations manager with a connection to water bodies who wants to take on the challenge of bringing operational excellence to a still-new territory. This is not just a job; it’s a hands-on battle against one of the planet’s greatest environmental crises.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Lead Global  river cleaning operations
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS  Â
PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS Â
STARTING DATE:Â as soon as possible
FULL-TIME, ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
MISSION TO METRICS
The mission of The Ocean Cleanup is to develop advanced technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. One part of the solution is to design, develop, and deploy river plastic interceptor systems to stop plastic from reaching our oceans.
"Operations is about maximizing the river cleanup by ensuring the technology, the local infrastructure, the resources and the total OPEX are aligned in the most effective and safe way." - Onno van de Sande, Operations Director.
ASSIGNMENT
As our River Operations Manager, you will lead the installation, operational optimization, and scaling of our Interceptor solutions—cutting off plastic pollution at its source. We are looking for an operations manager with a connection to water bodies who wants to take on the challenge of bringing operational excellence to a still-new territory. This is not just a job; it’s a hands-on battle against one of the planet’s greatest environmental crises.
Lead Global  river cleaning operations
- Lead the installation and commissioning of our Interceptor systems in rivers worldwide, turning blueprints into real-world impact
- Be our boots-on-the-ground expert, troubleshooting challenges and ensuring smooth operations from day one
- Build strong partnerships with local teams to create lasting solutions tailored to each river's unique needs
- Continuously analyze system performance ensuring we maximize catch
- Develop smarter, safer and more efficient ways to operate our systems
- Turn field insights into actionable strategies that help scale our operations to hundreds of rivers
- Craft detailed  covering everything from heavy machinery logistics to local operator training
- Ensure every installation meets our rigorous safety standards while delivering on time and on budget
- Be the critical link between our engineers, local partners and global teams - making sure everyone is aligned for success
- Create comprehensive operational plans that become the gold standard for future deployments
- Develop accurate cost models that help us maximize our environmental return on investment
- Set and achieve aggressive performance targets that push the boundaries of what's possible
- Perfect the handoff process to local operators, ensuring long-term success beyond our initial deployment
- Design and oversee complex installation operations involving heavy machinery and marine logistics
- Review and approve all critical lifting and towing plans - safety is never compromised
- Establish operational protocols that protect both our teams and the local environment
- Train and transition systems to local partners, creating sustainable solutions that last
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS  Â
- A relevant technical bachelor’s or master’s degree (for example, in naval engineering, mechanical engineering, or civil engineering)Â
- Around 7-12 Â years of relevant field work experience in an operational role in the maritime world or river civil works. Such as: Marine/dewatering equipment, Heavy machinery installations, River/civil engineering projects and/or barge operations.
- Managed deployments in developing regions (Asia/Latin America/Africa)
- Experience with contract management, subcontracting, outsourcing, or collaborating with external partnersÂ
- Experience with repair & maintenance or asset management is preferred Â
- Fluent in English. Knowledge of Spanish, Portuguese, or Bahasa is a plus
PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS Â
- Hands-on; yes, we can attitudeÂ
- An intrinsic motivation to work on our ambitious and meaningful missionÂ
- Willing to travelÂ
- Practical way of working with good foresight Â
- Excellent communication and social skills, including a strong multicultural cultural awareness and ability to communicate on all levels (operational to political)Â
- Work permit: A valid European Union work permit is highly preferred for this position (the role is based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands)
- Starting date: January 2025
- Please note because we are a non-profit, our salaries reflect that of an organization fully reliant on donations rather than that of a commercial entity. Conducting a pre-employment check may be part of our recruitment process.
- At The Ocean Cleanup, we believe we are stronger together, while harnessing the uniqueness each individual brings. That is why we take a fair, equal opportunity, and transparent approach to hiring and welcome special needs requests