Microsoft 365 engineer

You are responsible for further developing, managing, and strategically deploying Microsoft 365 as a digital platform within KWR. The foundation has already been laid with Connect, we have a robust SharePoint-based platform for document management, collaboration, and intranet. The platform is widely used and forms the foundation of how we work, share knowledge, and execute projects.

The next phase revolves around further developing Connect and realizing real added value for the organization. You will focus on professionalizing our information management, with attention to structure, metadata, lifecycle management, and governance. At the same time, you will leverage new capabilities such as Copilot and agents to better support employees in their daily work.

You will further develop the platform towards an environment where processes are better supported and automated, and where integrations with systems such as AFAS, AllSolutions, and processes for projects or our lab are logically and robustly configured. The goal is for Connect and M365 to be fully in service of our employees and their work processes.

In doing so, you look beyond just Microsoft. You have an eye for alternatives and additions where they add value, such as open-source solutions, cloud services, or niche applications from research practice. You know how to integrate these responsibly, without compromising manageability, security, or architecture.

You safeguard the technical and architectural quality of the platform and work within clear frameworks regarding architecture, security, and identity & access management. You ensure that solutions remain scalable, manageable, and compliant.

You operate at the intersection of technology, architecture, and organization, translating developments from Microsoft—such as AI and new features—into concrete applications for KWR. You handle the execution largely yourself, but you can also call upon the assistance of external experts. The choices you make have a direct impact on how researchers and projects function.

This is a role for someone who looks beyond management or implementation alone, and who truly makes a platform work for the organization.

You are an expert in M365 and want to further develop within this field. At the same time, you look beyond just the platform and actively delve into the application landscape, seeking opportunities to strengthen and optimize it with Microsoft solutions.

You are technically strong and think in terms of solutions and added value for the organization. You take ownership, complete tasks, and bring structure to complexity, whether technical, information, or processes. You are quick to grasp the core of a question and translate it into workable and appropriate solutions.

You are a skilled communicator and visible within the organization. You switch easily between IT, researchers, and management, actively seek contact, and know how to effectively translate interests and needs into concrete improvements. You can clearly explain your choices and bring people along with you.

You fit well into a compact team, work independently where necessary, and seek collaboration where it adds value. In doing so, you are mindful of KWR’s context and values, and understand how technology contributes to research and societal impact.

• Bachelor’s degree working and thinking level in an IT field, with extensive experience in ICT and several years of demonstrable experience with Microsoft 365 in a complex environment — necessary not only to build, but to further develop a mature platform.
• Experience with designing and monitoring application and platform architecture — essential to ensure coherence and prevent fragmentation or technical debt.
• Capable of independently leading projects and improvement initiatives — because this role requires a great deal of ownership and autonomy.
• You take initiative and realize change — you know that technology only has value when people actually start using it differently.
• You have a pragmatic and sometimes slightly rebellious attitude to really get things done.
• Strong in stakeholder management — you can listen, weigh interests, and create support among researchers, management, and partners.
• Excellent command of Dutch and English — necessary to switch effectively, explain choices, and communicate professionally.

• Relevant Microsoft certifications, appropriate to your role and experience level
• Experience with structured working methods (such as ITIL, Agile/Scrum, or Prince2) to implement changes and improvements in a controlled and manageable manner
• Demonstrable experience with similar M365 environments, so you know what works in practice and where the pitfalls lie

• An independent position within a professional yet informal, compact team;
• A collegial working environment in a modern, flexible, and sustainable building, with a logical combination of working at the office and from home;
• A workplace where you have ample opportunity to expand your network and knowledge through contact with application providers and the use of a training budget;
• Necessary training and personal development opportunities;
• An excellent salary (scale 10) and secondary employment conditions (including a Flexible Employment Conditions Budget of 15.49% and an ABP pension scheme (two-thirds for the employer)) within the Water Companies Collective Labour Agreement;
• A relevant laptop, phone, and setup of your home office.

You will join a compact ICT team where everyone works on their own area of ​​focus and takes responsibility for it. We expect you to operate independently and take ownership, while we actively seek each other out to test substantive choices and help one another progress.

The team is situated at the heart of a research environment. We collaborate closely with researchers, projects, and innovation processes within KWR, and also maintain contact with clients and partners in the water sector. This means you work in a context where new ideas emerge, where experimentation takes place, and where not everything is predetermined.

We combine a professional IT approach with the dynamics of science and practice. We work with a fixed group of suppliers, follow relevant developments, and attend events that matter. At the same time, we consciously set aside time to explore, test, and implement new solutions.

The combination of working at the office and from home is logically and flexibly structured. As a result, the role is substantively strong, varied, and challenging, with ample room to set your own direction and make a visible impact within an organization that thinks independently and is continuously evolving.

Safe and clean drinking water is a great asset. KWR is an internationally renowned research institute in the fields of water quality, the water cycle, and sustainable development. From our almost entirely sustainable building with state-of-the-art laboratories, our approximately 200 employees work on innovative projects in the Netherlands and, increasingly, in and outside Europe. The ten Dutch drinking water companies and the Belgian ‘De Watergroep’ are our shareholders.

Our researchers work at the intersection of science, business, and society. Their strength lies in translating scientific knowledge into applicable practical solutions for end-users in the Dutch and international water sector. To support this research, KWR has specialized laboratories and a test hall at its disposal, and pilot plants are built in-house. Additionally, company-specific software is developed for use within projects.

Please send your cover letter and CV by email to vacancy@kwrwater.nl before 1 May 2026, quoting vacancy number 260800.

For more detailed information about this position, please contact René ter Haar (CIO) by phone at 030-6069564 or by email rene.ter.haar@kwrwater.nl.

For information about the application procedure, please contact José van Lieshout (Human Resources Advisor) by phone at 030-6069536 or by email jose.van.lieshout@kwrwater.nl.

Recruitment agencies contacting us regarding this vacancy are not appreciated.