DevOps Engineer DANS

Do you believe that science should be transparent and accessible? Should research data be open and reusable to drive innovation and verification? Would you like to play a key role in advancing Open Science at both national and European levels? If so, we invite you to join us!

For our Technology section, we are looking for a:

DevOps Engineer
30,4 – 38 hours per week (0,8 – 1 FTE)

What will you be doing?

As part of our ICT Support Team, you will ensure smooth operations between platform service providers, operational systems, and our developers. Independence is key: you will take responsibility for deployments, operational testing, and the overall availability and usability of DANS data services and APIs. Your tasks will include implementation in the production environment, including integration and security testing. You will manage operational readiness and system availability, thoroughly documenting all processes and interdependencies.

You will develop and implement a verifiable and testable backup and failover plan for DANS. In close collaboration with the Development Team, R&D Engineers, and ICT Support, you will manage the architecture and platforms. You will maintain a Platform Architecture Roadmap for DANS and contribute to specifications and standards, including container deployment and potentially future ‘serverless’ solutions. You will evaluate, implement, and mitigate security issues, ensuring the proper use and specifications of encrypted storage for data deposited at DANS. In addition, you will handle daily maintenance and support.

What will you bring to the table?

We are looking for an enthusiastic professional with a completed higher professional or academic education in a relevant IT field, or equivalent proven knowledge and experience. You are well-versed in:

• Linux (RHEL/Ubuntu)
• Ansible
• Docker
• Terraform/OpenTofu
• Kubernetes
• BASH
• Python

You have experience as a DevOps Engineer, and familiarity with hardware, storage, network security, Cloud technologies, and Zabbix will be considered an advantage. You are customer-oriented and highly skilled in communication, capable of translating client requirements into effective ICT solutions. You also bring demonstrable experience with production systems. Fluency in both Dutch and English, spoken and written, is required. You combine a solution- and results-oriented mindset with the ability to work independently, while also thriving in collaborative, academic team environments.

What do we offer?

DANS provides a pleasant working environment, where a motivated and well-cooperating group of research data experts and engineers is dedicated to Open Science and FAIR data. At DANS, we value initiative, expertise, result-orientation, reliability and collaboration. We appreciate a lively atmosphere among colleagues and attach great importance to mutual knowledge exchange. Personal development is not forgotten, and employee satisfaction is high. The salary is depending on age and experience, ranging from a minimum of € 3.546,-- to a maximum of € 5.538,-- gross per month for a fulltime position (=38 hours per week, scale 10 of the collective labour agreement Dutch Universities/KNAW). Initially, it is a fixed-term contract for one year. A complete overview of the terms of employment can be found on this webpage: https://www.knaw.nl/en/working-at-knaw.

Where is your workplace?

DANS is located on Anna van Saksenlaan in The Hague, within walking distance of Laan van NOI station. It is possible to work partially (up to 50%) from home.

Who can you contact for more information?

For further information about the position, please contact Marc van Eersel at marc.van.eersel@dans.knaw.nl. Information about DANS is available on dans.knaw.nl.

How can you apply?

Send your motivational letter with CV before 20 October 2025 through the apply/solliciteren button/link, addressed to Patris van Boxel.

About DANS

DANS is the national expertise centre and repository for research data. We help researchers make their data available for reuse. This allows researchers to use the data for new research and makes published research verifiable and reproducible. With over 300,000 datasets and a staff of fifty, DANS is one of the leading repositories in Europe. DANS is an institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and the Dutch Research Council (NWO).

Working at DANS means working in an informal and international environment where colleagues with diverse backgrounds collaborate to achieve goals, and where people are given the opportunity and the confidence to fulfil their roles and develop as they see fit. Internally, we apply the same principles of our service: we are accessible, reliable and innovative.

Terms of employment
Depending on education and experience the minimum salary is € 3.546,-- to a maximum of € 5.538,-- gross per month for a fulltime employment (=38 hours per week, scale 10, cao Nederlandse Universiteiten/KNAW). This is exclusive of 8% vacation allowance, 8.3% year-end bonus, travel allowance, internet allowance, home working allowance and pension accrual with ABP.

The KNAW offers its staff an excellent package of secondary benefits. A package that meets the different needs of employees depending on their stage of life, lifestyle or career ambitions. For example, by working an extra two hours a week, it is possible to increase the number of days off from 29 to 41 days a year (with fulltime employment). 

For a complete overview of the terms of employment, please refer to the web page: werken bij de KNAW.

Applying for a Certificate of Good Conduct can be part of the employment procedure.

Diversity & Inclusion
The KNAW considers a working environment in which everyone feels welcome and appreciated of great importance. A working environment in which attention is paid to individual quality and where development opportunities are paramount. Together we strive for an inclusive culture in which we embrace differences. We would therefore like to invite candidates who want to contribute to this through their background and experience. In the event of equal suitability, preference will be given to the candidate who thus enhances diversity within the Academy.

We will not respond to any supplier enquiries based on this job advertisement.