cv Valentijn Schepens

Languages

  • Dutch – native
  • English – fluent
  • French – fluent
  • Afrikaans – fluent

About me

Strong creative technology developer with industrial background. Specialist in ecological aquaponics and aquaculture systems with a focus on innovation and the integration of energy and residual flows.

Valentijn Schepens

Work experience 

  • Owner of Vasch Aquaponics – since 2009
    • R&D specialist in aquaponics and sustainable aquaculture.
    • Consultant in aquaculture and aquaponics R&D, engineering, formation, business feasibility studies and project management (from scratch to operations).
    • Focus on innovative development and adaptation of technological components.
    • Owner of trout hatchery from 2010 to 2022
  • Teacher at HTISA Gent (Belgium) – secondary technical school since 9/2019
    • Electricity, Industrial techniques and IT in 5th, 6th and 7th grade: basic motor circuits, sensors, pneumatics, plc, …
    • Development of in-school software.
  • Operations & Project manager at Aqua4C (Belgium) from 10/2014 to 9/2019
    Development and Project management of Aqua4C, the first sustainable fish farm in Europe (200T/y Omegabaars).
    • Strong focus on development of new systems for watertreatment, feeding, heat recovery and purging systems.
    • Coupling of industrial greenhouse-farm.
    • Management of all technical aspects in the farm.
  • Technical-Commercial responsible at machine & prototype-developer SMO in Eeklo (Belgium) from 05/2009 to 9/2014
    • Projectmanagement: Full coordination and follow-up of projects in machine construction (budgeting, offers, customer communication, design and directing 3D & automation designers & construction, financial and technical project management)
    • Responsible Automation department (electrical and PLC controls),
    • Prototype development, including specialisation in scientific machines for Biology & Phenotyping
    • Planning and organisation of technical service.
    • Building customer relationships, commercial customer contact, customer prospecting, market research, marketing.
  • Project Manager at DD Engineering in Ieper (Belgium) from 12/’07 to 04/’09.
    • Full coordination and follow-up of mechanical & Automation engineering projects: budget, planning, task distribution, etc.,
    • Creative cooperation in development and technical elaboration of prototypes,
    • Planning and organisation of technical interventions on existing installations,
    • Consultancy: process improvement in customer production lines,
    • Customer relationships,
    • Safety and CE analysis and certification.
  •  Service Manager at AF Belgium in Merelbeke (Belgium) from 10/’06 tot 11/’07. Industrial compressors.
    • Head of Service After Sales,
    • Project management compressed air systems,
    • Planning and organisation of technical interventions on compressors and compressed air plants,
    • Responsible over team of 8 technicians,
    • Follow-up of contracts, stock management, purchasing, etc.
  • Office Manager & Customer Relationship Manager Europe at TMS-Comtelco te Gent (Belgium) from 01/’04 to 09/’06 and
    Technical Supervisor from 09/’01 to 12/’03.
    • Legal representative Belgian headquarters,
    • Local management of the Belgian subsidiary of Telephone Management Systems Ltd,
    • Responsible for customer loyalty, sales and customer relations in Europe,
    • Project-based monitoring of technical & commercial projects, .
    • Management of technical department (IT): organisation and planning of support desk and installations,
    • Management SLA’s and Technical projecting, Technical Sales support,
    • IT responsible.
  • Technical support engineer at Dicom Benelux in Mechelen (Belgium) from 01/’99 to 07/’01. (take-over Sercu Microdata) Document processing & storage solutions.
    • Installation and maintenance of microfilm equipment, scanners, juke-boxes, etc. at customers’ premises,
    • Technical planning, coordination and contract follow-up (SLA),
    • Presales of microfilm equipment,
    • System and network administrator, development of software systems for internal use and software support to customers.
  • Technical support engineer and Creative manager at Sercu Microdata in Ardooie (Belgium) from 12/’92 to 01/’99.
    • Installation and maintenance on all microfilm equipment at customers’ premises,
    • Problem solver for technical and organisational problems: development of production processes and equipment adaptation in local service department and for customers.

Competences

  • Very strongly self-taught & eager to learn
  • Creative and very broad area of interest,
  • People-oriented leadership & coaching.
  • Strong problem solver,
  • Customer focus,
  • Broad knowledge of electromechanical techniques & components
  • IT: PLC (Siemens, Phoenics Contact, …), C#, SQL, Web dev., , Graphical design (Autodesk Autocad & Inventor, Corel, …)

Not-really-to-know 

  • Active musician:
    • Singer-songwriter (Kalentijn.be)
    • drummer in bluesband Solid-Jive
  • Green gardener
  • Techie and DIY’er
  • Father of 3 young adults

References:

  • On request