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Sander van den Broek

@sandervandenbroek

Message

Probabilistic ML engineer building reliable, uncertainty-aware platforms for aerospace and offshore engineering.

United Kingdom

Message

What I'm looking for

I seek roles where I can apply probabilistic ML and uncertainty quantification to industrial problems, collaborate with engineering teams, and convert research into scalable, production-ready platforms.

I am a probabilistic machine learning engineer and computational scientist with a PhD in engineering and over ten years of experience translating research-grade uncertainty quantification into practical modelling pipelines and surrogate models.

At the University of Bristol I built and maintained Python-based ML pipelines, developed Gaussian Process surrogates, and integrated optimisation and Bayesian inference to replace expensive simulations and enable uncertainty-aware design exploration with industrial partners including Airbus and ORE Catapult.

I collaborate across academia and industry, manage research codebases, supervise researchers, publish peer-reviewed work, and seek to bring rigorous probabilistic methods into product engineering contexts to create maintainable, scalable platform software.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Senior Research Associate

Current

University of Bristol

Jun 2021 - Present (4 years 9 months)

Designed and implemented probabilistic ML and uncertainty quantification pipelines for industry-funded programmes, building Python-based surrogate models and Bayesian inference workflows that enabled rapid design-space exploration and validated predictive outputs in collaboration with Airbus and ORE Catapult.

Surrogate Models Uncertainty Quantification Python NumPy PyTorch scikit learn

Research Associate

Leibniz Universität Hannover

Apr 2016 - Sep 2020 (4 years 5 months)

Developed probabilistic structural analysis software and Monte Carlo–based uncertainty propagation methods, built surrogate models to accelerate stochastic analyses, and coordinated international research collaborations within DFG-funded projects.

Surrogate Models Python Matlab Finite Element Analysis HPC

R&D Engineer

Allseas Engineering

Jan 2014 - Jan 2014 (0 months)

Modelled and analysed complex offshore pipeline and platform structures, executed experimental test programmes, and communicated results to senior stakeholders to inform engineering decisions and supervise MSc student projects.

Data Analysis Python Matlab

Design Engineer

Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift Europe

Aug 2008 - Jul 2011 (2 years 11 months)

Performed numerical and experimental stress analyses for new mechanical designs, managed design validation and requirements, and prepared structured test plans to support production readiness.

Stress Analysis Design Testing Risk Analysis CAD Matlab

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

Leibniz Universität Hannover

Doctorate in Engineering, Engineering

2016 - 2023

Activities and societies: Published journal articles and conference papers; contributed a book chapter; coordinated international research partners.

Doctorate in Engineering focusing on probabilistic modelling, uncertainty propagation, and surrogate models for composite aerospace structures; thesis on tailoring structures using stochastic variations of structural parameters.