Meet Sytske, Consultant & Project Manager Wind Energy

Sytske’s journey within our organisation

“During my Master's in Hydraulic and Coastal Engineering, I came into contact with Royal HaskoningDHV at an event organised by the study association. During that event, I immediately felt that this could be my future employer. I did my internship at Royal HaskoningDHV to see if this feeling was right - and yes, the feeling was right! After graduation, I returned and started working as a Hydraulic and Coastal Engineer.”

“At the beginning of my career at Royal HaskoningDHV, I took the opportunity to work on various projects in various roles. Something really helpful in exploring where my passion lies and what my qualities are. This led to a shift in focus from a specialist in Hydraulic and Coastal Engineering towards a Water Risk Management consultant and, eventually, towards a project manager and consultant Wind Energy.”

Seeing the first sketches become reality

In her current role, Sytske is involved in the different aspects and phases of the development of windfarms, such as environmental impact assessments, permit phase, procurement and realisation phase. “Guarding the process, getting all the right experts on board and aligning with various stakeholders such as clients, partners, and (sub) contractors is something I really enjoy doing.”

One of the most significant projects Sytske worked on is Windfarm Maasvlakte II. A wind farm consisting of 22 turbines located at the coastline of Maasvlakte II. “I’ve been involved in this project from the moment Eneco, of whom we are the subcontractor, won the tender in 2020 until now. As a co-project lead, I was responsible for various aspects of the project; delivering the reference designs (made by our team of experts), procurement and contract management, project lead for the substation, and involved in many other aspects that popped up during the whole process. In this role, my qualities came into their own, where I get a lot of energy from keeping the overview, switching quickly, aligning with the project team of Eneco and communicating clearly with the involved stakeholders such as Rijkswaterstaat and the Port of Rotterdam.”

“During the design and realisation phase, we were responsible for the contract management, meaning we had to check the contractor's documents for the requirements set. The most fun part during the realisation phase is going on-site and seeing the project actually being built. It is amazing to see the large monopile foundations being vibrated and driven into the ground and see the wind turbines rising in the sky. Reflecting there on what we've built together made me very proud of the project I’ve worked on for so long.”

"Projects like this are part of the energy transition. It is a drive for me to work on these kinds of projects that contribute to a more sustainable world."

Working together on the greater good

We stimulate our colleagues to open up, connect, and learn from each other's experiences and perspectives. “What I like most about working for Royal HaskoningDHV is that you can develop yourself so broadly and the flexible atmosphere that prevails. We have so many smart colleagues you can learn from ánd are willing to help and support you within the projects. It is a real team effort to work on the challenges of today and the future. Together we have a good drive to bring the projects to a success. Projects that benefit the customer, but that have a positive impact on the world, a better and more sustainable world.”