Michiel van der Hoeven

Michiel van der Hoeven serves as the Director of Engineering at the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, overseeing a diverse engineering group of 130 FTE across locations in Chile, Arizona, and Hawaii, with a focus on strategic workforce planning and professional development. Previously, Michiel held the position of Head of Engineering at the Gemini Observatory, managing a smaller team while aligning engineering operations with scientific objectives amidst budgetary constraints. Experience also includes leadership roles at Gran Telescopio de Canarias as Head of Engineering Operations and the Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes, where responsibilities ranged from overseeing technical operations to mechanical instrument engineering. Michiel's education includes specialized courses in negotiation, system engineering management, and project management from prestigious institutions.