Mechanical R&D Engineer

Jobs for Growth is powered by: HortiHeroes, World Horti Center & AVAG • jobs · • companies Mechanical R&D Engineer - Robotics & AGV Ridder Maassluis, Netherlands Posted on Jul 16, 2026 As Mechanical R&D Engineer, you develop and improve the mechanical subsystems of robotic platforms and AGVs that operate in greenhouse environments. You combine mechanical design with system integration and hands-on field support: what you design at your desk, you see working, or you make it work, at the customer's site. You work closely with electronics, motion control, software and vision engineers, and you play a key role in the step from prototype to small-series production. This is hands-on engineering in a small team with short decision lines and plenty of room for your own initiative. What will you do? • Design, develop and improve mechanical subsystems and assemblies for robotic platforms and AGVs; • Integrate your designs into the complete system together with electronics, motion control, software and vision engineers; • Test, troubleshoot and solve mechanical issues in the workshop, lab and at customer sites; • Create and maintain drawings, BOMs and documentation, with a sharp eye for manufacturability, assembly and serviceability; • Identify and work with local suppliers and support the transition from prototype to small-series production. Who are you? You are a practical, solution-oriented engineer who likes to take ownership. You feel at home in a small multidisciplinary team, work independently and are just as comfortable behind a CAD station as with a wrench in the field. In addition, you bring: • A Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field; • At least 3-5 years of experience in mechanical design and development, including CAD, for example SolidWorks; • Strong hands-on experience with mechanical systems, mechanisms and assemblies; • A good understanding of robotic systems and/or AGVs and experience in operational or field environments; • Knowledge of manufacturing processes, such as sheet metal, machining or plastics, or experience with agricultural robotics is a plus. What do we offer? You will join an ambitious, multidisciplinary team where your work is directly visible in the field. You can also count on: • A responsible and varied role with direct impact on a real product in the field; • The opportunity to help shape one of the most advanced harvesting robots in greenhouse horticulture; • Short communication lines, room for initiative and a pragmatic, no-nonsense working environment; • A pioneering role in a new Dutch team, with the opportunity to grow as the company scales; • Good secondary employment conditions and room for personal and professional development. About Ridder & MetoMotion At Ridder, we work with our customers every day on a sustainable agrifood sector. As an international player in the horticultural industry, we develop technical solutions that contribute to more sustainable food and flower production. With more than 350 colleagues, we have been building innovation and long-term partnerships for over 70 years. For this position, you will be employed by MetoMotion NL BV, a sister company of Ridder focused on the development and deployment of the Ridder Harvesting Robot: an advanced robotic solution for greenhouse horticulture. You will join a small and ambitious engineering team that plays a key role in the further development, deployment and scaling of this technology. This way, you combine the agility and freedom of a scale-up with the stability, expertise and network of Ridder. Your primary work location is our engineering and workshop facility in Maassluis, the Netherlands. The location is easily accessible by both public transport and car. Interested? Ready to build robots that harvest tomorrow's food? Apply via the form or contact , Product Manager Labour & Robotics, via