Carriere Magazine 7 - maart 2021

 MAART 2021

Even voorstellen

SPECIALE UITGAVE VAN SLASH

MAGAZINE VAN DE TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT EINDHOVEN IN SAMENWERKING MET EUFLEX / TECHNIFICENT

TU/e MY FUTURE EUFLEX TECHNIFICENT ASML CANON CPP CBS FRENCKEN EUROPE PRODRIVE PUNCH POWERTRAIN RIJKSOVERHEID SAI 4TU SIOUX THERMO FISHER TNO TRINSEO VDL VIRO

MO ARTI ST IN EN CLES GLIS H

the

next step

in your career

Ready for the next step after your master?

Apply for a PDEng and become a technological designer! > 19 Technological designer programs > Post-MSc > Learning and earning > Developing technological and professional skills > Assignment in high-tech industry > Academic PDEng degree

More information www.4tu.nl/sai

4TU. School for Technological Design STAN ACKERMANS INSTITUTE

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08

ASML

18

30

04

Introduction

06

MyFuture.tue.nl

07

EuFlex Technificent

CANON

12

CBS

14

FRENCKEN

16

PRODRIVE

PUNCH POWERTRAIN 20

RIJKSOVERHEID

24

SAI 4TU

26

SIOUX

28

THERMO FISHER

TNO

TRINSEO

34

VDL ETG

36

VIRO

38

Summaries

COLOFON

Carrière Magazine is een speciale uitgave van Slash - het magazine voor externe relaties en alumni van de Technische Universiteit Eindhoven.

Carrière Magazine verschijnt één keer per jaar. Het blad is een platform gericht op alumni en laatstejaars studenten van de TU/e, om hen en het bedrijfsleven met elkaar in contact te brengen.

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32

De centrale redactie coördineert de uitgave; de bedrijven in deze uitgave presenteren zichzelf en zijn zelf de afzender van de artikelen.

Drukwerk Drukkerij Zalsman, Zwolle

Hoofdredacteur Han Konings Redactie en coördinatie Blad in Bedrijf, Leo Koomen 06 - 55 77 24 92 leokoomen@gmail.com Vormgeving Natasha Franc, www.visid.nl

Wilt u een bedrijfspresentatie of adverteren in Carrière Magazine?

Informeer bij Blad in Bedrijf, 06 - 55 77 24 92

Translations Englishproof.nl

KEEP IN TOUCH Interesse in samenwerking met de TU/e, in studeren, werken of promoveren aan de TU/e, of het contact onderhouden als alumnus? Alstublieft, onze contactgegevens.

Samenwerking (strategisch partnership, contract research) TU/e Innovation Lab, +31 (0)40 247 48 22, Innovationlab@tue.nl Werken of promoveren Dienst Personeel en Organisatie +31 (0)40 247 20 90, jobs@tue.nl Ontwerpersopleidingen Stan Ackermans Institute +31 (0)40 247 24 52, sai@4tu.nl Studeren (bachelor, master) Education & Student Affairs, +31 (0)40 247 47 47, studeren@tue.nl

Alumni +31 (0)40 247 34 90, alumninet@tue.nl Persvoorlichting en Communicatie Communicatie Expertise Centrum +31 (0)40 247 48 45, cec@tue.nl, www.tue.nl

INTRODUCTION

04 05

Dear students and graduates, The fact that you are reading this magazine and are participating in the TU/e Career Events means that you are thinking about the start of your professional career, which is a great step in the right direction. Needless to say, your job prospects as an ‘Eindhoven engineer’ are very good.

As you know, our university has excellent ties with the local manufacturing industry and other employers in the Brainport region. Since the inception of TU/e 65 years ago, we have become the main supplier of engineers to the Brainport region. In fact, our university meets 80% of the region’s demand.

The TU/e Career Events play a key role in helping our graduates to find their way into a professional career. My compliments go to the organizers of the Career Events for their outstanding work.

Orientating yourself on the labour market and preparing to start your career is extra challenging in the current COVID-19 times, so make sure you utilize all the support you can get! That includes participating in the TU/e Career Events and reading this magazine, which highlights a large number of terrific employers that are looking for talented graduates.

We are proud of each and every one of our students and graduates; we are proud of you. Eindhoven engineers are known to be first-class problemsolvers, team players and entrepreneurs, so it is no surprise that you are in high demand. The Career Expo, the largest technical career event in the Netherlands, generally attracts around 180 employers – all hoping to recruit people like you. And job security for TU/e graduates is among the highest in the country.

I wish you the best of luck in finding the right position to start off your career.

You are following in the footsteps of some 40,000 TU/e graduates who went before you. Many of them have progressed to positions ranging from professor to minister and from industrial research fellow to CEO. I encourage you to stay in contact with us, and to take pride in your alma mater. All the best!

Robert-Jan Smits, President of the TU/e Executive Board

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 Robert-Jan Smits. Photo: Bart van Overbeeke

MYFUTURE.TUE.NL

06 07

How to work

on your career online It’s not only your courses and projects that are being done online nowadays - so too are all the skills-related and career activities. Companies are still looking for enthusiastic new employees, but most of them are holding job interviews online.

So how can you find interesting openings without visiting companies in person or attending presentations by inspiring speakers?

Online activities Although it may have been harder at the beginning of the pandemic, a lot of career activities can now be found online. In the past months, the study associations and career organizations have successfully held all kinds of ‘virtual’ lectures, workshops, cases, symposiums and networking events. It’s easy to participate in such activities from home, so you can still explore your options during lockdown. These activities can also be a big help in finding internships, graduation projects or maybe even your first job. To make things as convenient as possible for you, all these activities can be found on myfuture.tue.nl, so take a look and find out for yourself!

Tips for online participation Once you have signed up for an online activity, what do you need to consider? If you are participating in an interactive activity, it may be good to do some preparation beforehand.

Make sure that you dress appropriately, that your surroundings look presentable and that you have informed your roommates.

Depending on the activity, you could prepare by trying to find some information about the company or the topic that will be discussed.

Make an effort to ask questions during and after the activity. This will show that you are active and interested in what is being presented or discussed. Remember: it may be easy to sit quietly behind your screen, but you are there to learn and get something out of it for your own career.

Networking Online activities can make it more difficult to have an informal chat with interesting people or companies. In the absence of real-life networking events, it is even more important to be visible to others on platforms like LinkedIn, to show what you are capable of and what you are looking for. Make sure your information is up to date and write a short summary about what makes you unique. It also helps to post details of interesting projects you are currently working on and to check out what others are up to right now. You may not be able to exchange business cards in person, but this will ensure people and companies remember you.

Get started!

Head over to myfuture.tue.nl for an overview of all career activities at the TU/e. It is wise to start working on your career as early as possible, even if you are not actively searching for a job or internship yet. Just getting your name out there and finding interesting companies or topics can give you a head start towards your future!

Lex Verberne and Thomas Wamsteker, MyFuture

 Study Association Lucid went online with the design exhibition of their annual networking event ID Connect.

EUFLEX TECHNIFICENT

Are you looking for a student job related to your studies?

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“I applied for a student job at Technificent, but unfortunately it didn’t quite suit me or my educational background. But after a personal interview with Technificent, they helped me to find a more suitable student job. Within two weeks, they found an alternative that was a much better fit with me and my Data Science in Engineering degree. I’ve now been working at a company on the TU/e campus for 1.5 years!”

TU/e student of data science

EuFlex Technificent is a label of EuFlex Employment Services, a full subsidiary of Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). EuFlex is located at the heart of the campus in Luna de Plint. For over 20 years we have been matching candidates to their dreamjobs and help university staff and students with their personal development. From the start, Technificent’s main goal has been to close the gap between students and companies. “We help students to gain relevant work experience through student jobs and, in doing so, give them the chance to cover the ever-increasing costs of their studies at the same time.”

For employers it has become even more important that an entry-level employee has the right hard and soft skills, preferably combined with relevant experience. Research by Elsevier magazine and SEO Amsterdam Economics (June 2019) shows that graduates who have done relevant part-time work during their studies find a job up to 40% faster.

“I’ve known Technificent for over 5 years and thanks to their help I was quickly able to find a job at a nice company. I worked there for 2.5 years within my field of expertise! That will give me a great start as an employee on the labour market. A short while ago I was looking for something new and they found a suitable job for me again! This time it’s an 80-hour project that I can easily combine with my master’s studies. It’s a perfect fit since I don’t have time for a permanent job right now. I’m sure they will be able to help me find another job whenever I need one!

TU/e student of systems and control Are you looking for a student job related to your studies?

Register on our website: euflex.nl/technificent

In support of this, EuFlex Technificent offers TU/e students the following: On Campus Student Jobs A student job on the TU/e campus is the perfect combination with your studies. Would you like to go straight from your lecture hall to your workplace to start earning some money? Check out the vacancies on our online EuFlex Technificent platform.

Off Campus Student Jobs According to the Brainport Monitor, Eindhoven is the fastest growing economic region in the Netherlands.

Take control of your own development and put your theoretical knowledge into practice at companies in the Brainport region.

Starter Jobs EuFlex Technificent also offers full-time positions at renowned technical companies. Have you (almost) graduated and are you looking for your first job?

EuFlex Technificent helps you find the perfect entry-level position.

technificent@tue.nl +31 (0)40-2478080 TU/e campus, Luna de Plint 1.140 www.euflex.nl/technificent

ASML

08 09

Challenged to be creative every day ASML produces the most advanced machines in the world as well as the software needed to operate them. The company is continuously pushing back boundaries, supported by a team of specialists including mechanical engineers, electrical engineers and computer scientists who are working to make the impossible possible on a daily basis. And that same drive for innovation is shared by the employees who are focused on making ASML’s workflows even more efficient every day...  Femke Smulders.

S

uch as Femke Smulders. After gaining her bachelor’s in Engineering Management and master’s in Business Information Systems (which combines IT with business administration), she joined ASML as a data analyst in parts quality/parts management within the Development & Engineering department.

In May 2019, one day after finishing her degree, she participated in a two-day ASML business course. She had seen a Facebook post promoting the course and decided to sign up. “The course enables you to experience how ASML works – how hectic things can be and just how advanced the technology is – plus you get a guided tour of the campus and you can talk to current employees. After the business course, ASML said that they would be happy to employ me. There was one role that specifically mentioned my master’s in Business Information Systems so I applied for it – and I got the job!”

“There are plenty of roles for data analysts, but I don’t want to spend the whole day coding.

I prefer to work with people, prepare reports and help to further automate the workflows.

So this year I’m focusing on business intelligence and statistics which means I’m working more on the front end rather than on the hardcore data structures. I’m keen to bridge the gap between the programmers and the people who will be working with the solution.”

Challenging work “One thing we do within our department is look at the use of components in practice.

We have live insight into when and where components have been replaced.

Obtaining that kind of information used to involve hours of work, but we can now get the answers we need pretty quickly.

I developed that application myself and it offers lots of advantages for my team.”

Femke set up a new tool in the Spotfire dashboard system, even though her predecessor was convinced it couldn’t be done. Now, thanks to Femke’s stubbornness and determination, when her department is asked for analysis they can deliver it much faster rather than having to spend hours working in Excel.

“That’s pretty typical of the mindset you find throughout ASML: everything is possible until proven otherwise. And the improvements don’t always have to be related to the machines themselves, but can also relate to the workflows.”

“Over the coming year we’re keen to explore what we can do in terms of process mining.

We want to gain better insight into how long it takes to do the component analysis from start to finish. That way, we can identify any bottlenecks and perhaps speed up the process.”

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Creativity A creative and dynamic environment is equally important for ASML. After all, major breakthroughs are the result of working together, and that includes actively asking for and willingly receiving feedback. “ASML is at the very forefront of the industry. Each new machine is even more complex than the previous one and offers even more possibilities, and so the production process has to be adapted every time. That requires lots of people in lots of places to be very creative in order to keep pace with the advancements, which can be pretty challenging at times, but also very dynamic. Everyone is encouraged to contribute their own ideas, so if you have a well-founded suggestion for improvements, people are prepared to listen and you will probably be told ‘OK, go ahead and do it’.”

“That’s another thing I like about ASML: you’re given the freedom and responsibility to put your improvement idea into practice. If I think that something could be done better, then I’m not only allowed to give my idea a try but I’m also actively encouraged to turn it into a success. In fact, that’s expected of you.”

Shaping your own development “ASML is a great place to work. I have lots of scope to work on my own development.

My manager ensures that I continue to prepare

for my next steps in parallel to my current role.

At the end of January I went on a six-day statistics course so that I will be able to apply that knowledge in my own work too. Right now I’m mainly focused on data visualization, but I will soon also be able to analyse that data myself and support my conclusions with statistics, for example.”

For graduates: the business course Femke wholeheartedly recommends the two-day business course, which was her first encounter with ASML. “In the space of two days, you learn about ASML’s approach and roughly how everything fits together. At the same time, ASML learns a lot about you and at the end of the two days you both know whether it’s a good match. What really struck me was the fact that all the ASML employees I saw were so enthusiastic about their work.

And even now, 18 months later, everyone I work with is really enthusiastic – and so am I. In our department, it’s so rewarding to see how much money ASML can save thanks to implementing improvements that we’ve suggested... so it’s no wonder that we’re enthusiastic!” Last but not least, ASML is also a friendly and sociable company.

Femke really misses seeing her colleagues while having to work from home due to the coronavirus restrictions.

Put your study to work We welcome students from all over the world to join us for internships and graduation assignments at our global headquarters in Veldhoven, the Netherlands. Want to see what’s possible? Gain hands-on experience and support with ASML scholarships or attend a career event for students and PhD graduates. Learn more at www.asml.com/students.

ASML is a high-tech company, headquartered in the Netherlands. We manufacture the complex lithography machines that chipmakers use to produce integrated circuits, or computer chips. Over 30 years, we have grown from a small startup into a multinational company with over 60 locations in 16 countries and annual net sales of €14,0 billion in 2020.

Behind ASML’s innovations are engineers who think ahead. The people who work at our company include some of the most creative minds in physics, electrical engineering, mathematics, chemistry, mechatronics, optics, mechanical engineering, computer science and software engineering.

Because ASML spends more than €2,2 billion per year on R&D, our teams have the freedom, support and resources to experiment, test and push the boundaries of technology. They work in close-knit, multidisciplinary teams, listening to and learning from each other.

If you are passionate about technology and want to be a part of progress, visit www.asml.com/careers

CANON PRODUCTION PRINTING

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Developing new technology through teamwork

Canon Production Printing became the new name for Océ a year ago. It is a very diverse company; because it develops all the components used in production printers in-house, it offers employees a wide variety of opportunities.

J

anneke Govers studied Mechanical Engineering at TU/e and did her master’s in Polymer Technology with Computational and Experimental Mechanics (CEM). “I decided to focus on the experimental side of the master’s and did extra modules in liquids, micro and nano-mechanics and mechanical properties of materials.

My graduation project mainly entailed a lot of work in the lab using the UTM to analyse – and try to predict – material properties.”

“I’d heard the name Océ (which is how Canon Production Printing was known back then) occasionally during my studies. I also had a nice conversation with a recruiter at one of the TU’s career events and it sounded like a really good company to work for.

After graduating, I joined an agency for interim projects and the plan was that I’d work at three different companies during the first three years. But I enjoyed my first year, which was at Canon Production Printing, so much that I left the agency and joined Canon Production Printing permanently. The biggest factors in that decision were the interesting and challenging project I was working on at that time plus my friendly colleagues. Things just felt right for me at Canon Production Printing. My degree in Polymer Technology is pretty unusual, but the work isn’t compartmentalized here. Instead, you work in a multidisciplinary team and interact with all the disciplines.

That keeps things dynamic and exciting. Within Canon Production

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Printing, your success doesn’t just depend on the knowledge you have; it’s also about how you think, your innovative strength, your collaboration skills and how you tackle problems.”

even though I never really thought about it before. It’s not just learning by doing, but also a conscious step-by-step approach to learning. We receive very good support. Personally, I’ve grown a lot stronger and more confident over the past few years; for example, I now feel much happier speaking up during meetings.”

“Such a focus on employee growth contributes to the good atmosphere at work. We all play a part in that atmosphere, of course, but it’s a key priority within the company too. Even though we have people of all ages and experience levels working here, everyone is equal – everyone’s opinion matters and we reach consensus together.”

“One great initiative is our Change Makers project.

It has been set up to encourage our employees to help make the company even better by occasionally getting together in groups to think about improvements. For example: How can we maintain better contact with one another during the COVID-19 outbreak? Asking the employees themselves to contribute their ideas is one way that the company shows it takes them seriously.

Improvements don’t have to come from the top either; we make use of everyone’s intelligence here.”

The company “Canon Production Printing has a culture of openness. And as an employee, I feel heard. I’ve always had the feeling that I’m taken seriously at Canon Production Printing, even when I’d just arrived at the age of 22. Our department, R&D, has a flat hierarchy and we are all equals, which also creates a sense of security. Besides that, Canon Production Printing is an extremely innovative company in my view. We have a huge R&D department, and everyone is innovation-minded, creative and focused on teamwork. Here, it’s all about developing effective new technology and I love being part of that. Also, because we develop all the printer components ourselves, you can do lots of different things. I’ve been here for four years now and I’ve already been involved in various aspects of the product at both the front end and back end. For example, I’ve evaluated the print quality but I’ve also worked in the cleanroom developing a new printhead. Those were two completely different activities, despite being Janneke Govers located less than a hundred metres apart!”

Personal growth “Collaboration skills are extremely important when you’re working in multidisciplinary teams and the company provides relevant training courses. There are two main aims: to work together well and also to achieve a good team result. I like the fact that it receives so much attention within the company. It’s only since I’ve been here that I’ve discovered how nice it is when your employer cares about your personal development. I’ve realized that it’s an important factor for me,

Canon Production Printing Canon Production Printing develops and manufactures high-tech printing products and workflow software for the commercial printing market and is part of Canon, a global provider of imaging technologies and services. Canon Production Printing operates on three continents, with approximately 2,900 employees (as of late 2020) and has its global headquarters in Venlo, the Netherlands.

Its product offering includes continuous-feed and cut-sheet printers for high-volume printing and publishing, and large-format printers for display graphics and TDS (Technical Document Systems).

Reasons to apply There are more than enough reasons to explore the possibility of working at Canon Production Printing, according to Janneke: “There are so many opportunities here. Applying for a job can be daunting sometimes. But you don’t have to make your final decision during the first interview! What I like about working at Canon is that you can always find something that’s a 100% match with your talents and interests. You’re not stuck with your initial choice. I’ve already worked in UV, Maintenance, Cure and Material Properties, to name but a few. You don’t have to stay in your first role forever.”

Canon Production Printing Netherlands B.V. Van der Grintenstraat 10 NL - 5914 HH Venlo careers@cpp.canon careers.cpp.canon

CBS

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Werken aan de statistieken OVER DE SAMENLEVING

 Sigrid van Hoek.

Met twee grote locaties in Heerlen en Den Haag biedt het CBS werk aan zo’n 2000 medewerkers. Het CBS zoekt nieuwe collega’s uit diverse richtingen op HBO- en universitair niveau. “Het is een innovatieve organisatie, mijn directe collega’s hebben veel vakinhoudelijke kennis over methoden en een grote gedrevenheid op de inhoud en de techniek”, vertelt methodoloog Sigrid van Hoek.

S

igrid van Hoek haalde in Rotterdam haar bachelor in Econometrie (economie, logistiek). Voor haar master ging ze naar Eindhoven: Toegepaste Wiskunde (IAM), met als specialisatie Statistics, Probability & Operational Research (SPOR). Vooral kansberekening spreekt haar zeer aan.

In die tweejarige master doet ze onderzoek bij TNO naar het voorspellen van investeringen in duurzaamheid. “Die stage was goed bevallen.

Toen ik in 2018 klaar was zocht ik een werkplek die zou aansluiten bij mijn opleiding in de wiskunde, maar ook een plek met een grote maatschappelijke relevantie. Ik wilde graag zien wat er met mijn berekeningen gebeurt. Waar doe je het voor? Bij het CBS zit je dan al gauw in een heel goede richting.”

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Center for Big Data Statistics Na haar afstuderen solliciteert Sigrid op een functie bij het Center for Big Data Statistics (CBDS). Hier analyseert het CBS nieuwe databronnen, die soms een groot volume of een hoge frequentie hebben, zoals sensoren, sociale media et cetera. Inmiddels werkt Sigrid aan zowel data science projecten als algemene methodologie.

“Als methodoloog werk je aan allerlei soorten generieke methoden, zoals methoden voor het opschonen, modelleren en aggregeren van data. Een van mijn projecten gaat bijvoorbeeld om het ontwikkelen van een methode voor het opschonen van enquêtes die soms gedeeltelijk niet zijn ingevuld, onjuistheden bevatten of niet overeenkomen met een andere bron. Om accurate statistieken te maken is het opschonen van data belangrijk. Ik vind het leuk om direct de impact te zien van de methodes die ik gebruik.”

Bij het CBS werken zo’n 2000 mensen, verdeeld over twee locaties: Den Haag en Heerlen. “Er werken hier veel mensen met een grote inhoudelijke kennis. Er is genoeg ruimte om onderzoek te doen, en het CBS verzamelt en bewerkt veel data en publiceert over een groot aantal aspecten van de Nederlandse samenleving, bijvoorbeeld over de economie, gezondheidszorg en mobiliteit.

Dat maakt het voor mij maatschappelijk relevant, dat vind ik belangrijk.

Het CBS is een innovatieve organisatie, mijn directe collega’s hebben veel vakinhoudelijke kennis over methoden en een grote gedrevenheid op de inhoud en de techniek. Maar het is ook een organisatie met een grote onderlinge samenwerking. Omdat veel methoden en technieken binnen het CBS ontwikkeld worden kun je met vragen terecht bij de ontwerper zelf. Natuurlijk kan ik met Toegepaste Wiskunde ook op andere plekken gaan werken. Maar het voordeel van het CBS is dat we hier heel veel data hebben. En wat we hier aan methoden ontwikkelen kunnen we daarna gelijk gebruiken; je ziet dus direct het resultaat van je werk.”

Multidisciplinaire organisatie “Wiskunde vormt hier een belangrijke basis, maar er werken bij het CBS ook veel collega’s uit andere disciplines als natuurkunde, biologie en bijvoorbeeld computer science voor het efficiënt werken met grote datasets. Kennis van wiskunde en statistiek is nodig, en het is ook belangrijk dat je het leuk vindt om met data bezig te zijn.

Je leert veel tijdens het werken. Medewerkers bij het CBS werken nauwkeurig en privacy staat hoog in hun vaandel vanwege de gevoelige data waarmee we vaak werken. Maar ook je eigen inbreng en je eigen ideeën ten aanzien van nieuw onderzoek worden hier gestimuleerd. En samenwerken is belangrijk: binnen een team, tussen teams en samenwerken met andere organisaties.”

Eigen ontwikkeling “Je kunt hier werken aan veel verschillende sociale en economische onderwerpen en je daar verder in specialiseren, of juist vaker van onderwerp wisselen. Of je specialiseert je in een methode. Dat is het voordeel van zo’n grote organisatie, dat je veel kanten op kunt.

CBS is ook een sociaal bedrijf. Niet alleen in samenwerken, of de bereidheid om elkaar te helpen. Ook in het coronajaar, waarin iedereen vanuit huis moest werken, dronken we met ons team twee keer per week virtueel koffie, met gesprekken die je anders vooral bij de koffieautomaat of tijdens de lunch hebt: even kletsen over dingen die buiten het werk liggen.”

Naast haar werk zit Sigrid ook in het bestuur van Jong CBS, de organisatie van jonge medewerkers. “We organiseren formele bijeenkomsten om bij te leren en te netwerken, en informele activiteiten als borrels, spelletjes en pizza-avonden. Zo leren wij als relatieve nieuwkomers elkaar beter kennen.”

“Ik kan het CBS als werkplek zeker aanbevelen. Er werken hier veel enthousiaste onderzoekers, met een grote mate aan kennis. Je kunt hier veel leren en jezelf verder ontwikkelen. Het is leuk werk met een grote diversiteit in prachtige projecten met een hoge maatschappelijke relevantie en veel ruimte om daarin je eigen keuzes te maken.”

Henri Faasdreef 312 2492 JP Den Haag Tel: (070) 337 38 00 CBS-weg 11 6412 EX Heerlen Tel: (045) 570 60 00

Werken bij het CBS! Ben jij er klaar voor? www.werkenbijhetcbs.nl

FRENCKEN EUROPE

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TECHNICAL CHALLENGES and real manufacturing Working at Frencken Europe is a continuation of your education. There is a lot of variety in terms of projects. And Frencken is small enough to be personal, yet big enough to learn from your colleagues. “Frencken offers the variety you find in interim projects combined

F

with the technology and know-how of a large company.”

rencken Europe is a mechatronics supplier that develops high-tech modules and equipment for its customers.

The focus is on very large-scale projects as well as big, relatively high-volume projects.

Development projects are selected on the basis that the prototypes are ultimately intended for mass production.

Having started out as a machine builder, Frencken has added mechatronics, assembly, technical design and the engineering department over the years. There are two main engineering disciplines: mechanics and system engineering. Frencken can take care of both the mechanical design and the system design for its customers; it has control systems, motion control and software in-house.

The company’s manufacturing activities extend from the design phase right through to the realization and testing phase, as well as the preparations for production in the mechatronics factory. Depending on the product, the batch size can range from dozens to hundreds.

Frencken is focused on the semiconductor, analytical (mass spectrometry and electron microscopes) and medical domains. Jan van den Brink, Director Engineering, comments: “Frencken is a unique company. We consciously choose which projects we take on based on

our specializations. Although projects outside of our three focus areas would generate work for us, they would also be a distraction from our core competencies. Therefore, we stick to our specialized areas unless a project will expose us to an important new domain where we can learn a lot and hence further expand the knowledge within our company. That’s how we keep our employees and our whole organization on the ball.”

The human dimension Johann Alrutz Barcelos is a mechanical engineer/finite element method specialist at Frencken. After his bachelor’s in ME and master’s in Thermal Science in Brazil, he did a PDEng in Building Performance Simulation (BPS) in Eindhoven. “After my study I was looking for a mechanical engineering company. I heard about Frencken and it was exactly the type of

 Vlnr: Jan van den Brink, Jeroen Tegenbosch en Johann Alrutz Barcelos.

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company that I was searching for: a dynamic company, with diverse projects. I applied for a mechanical designer position in 2019, but at that time Frencken was also in need of a simulation expert. Luckily, the company decided to combine these positions into one, which worked in my favour since I had enough experience in designing and simulation.

Being a specialist allows me to work on different projects at the same time, which makes things very interesting for me.

For example, many of our projects involve experiments in the cleanroom, which is something that I’d never done before coming here.”

“What I like most about Frencken is the open, friendly environment. All my colleagues are willing to help whenever necessary.

Furthermore, I really appreciate the growth opportunities inside Frencken: there is a good career programme that monitors employee progress and the company gives you the necessary tools to help you reach your goals.”

Jan van den Brink: “We’re a medium-sized organization but we seem more like a small company in terms of the amount of attention we give our employees. The human dimension is important at Frencken. Rather than being a small link in a huge corporate chain, Johann is involved in numerous projects and learns a lot from his colleagues in other disciplines.

For example, he is a specialist in thermal simulations, but he’s learning a lot about magnetic simulations from one of his colleagues in the USA.” “You can start working at a big company or, if you don’t yet know what you want to do, you can join an agency for interim projects.

But Frencken offers the variety you find in interim work combined with the technology and know-how of a large company.”

Technical challenges and real manufacturing Jeroen Tegenbosch is a project manager at Frencken. He completed his bachelor’s in Physics at Fontys in 2002. He then spent around a decade working at Philips Research and in the Philips innovation lab, before starting as project manager in the Electrical Engineering faculty at TU Eindhoven for four years. After working at two different commercial employers, he joined Frencken in early 2020. “Here at Frencken I’ve found what I was looking for: high tech, with enough challenges of a technical nature but also a company that manufactures real products itself.”

Based on his experiences at various other employers, Jeroen explains what makes Frencken stand out: “It’s true what Johann and Jan say. Thanks to the shorter lines of communication, there’s more of a personal touch here. You feel appreciated and have the sense that your efforts really add value in the bigger scheme of things. Moreover, there are opportunities to tackle things that you’re keen to do, even if they’re not strictly part of your job.

Plus I’ve been really surprised by how helpful everyone is here.” Jan: “It’s an open office; there is a lot of knowledge sharing and cross-pollination of ideas.”

So why should a graduate from the TU think about applying to Frencken? Jan: “Most people that work here are friendly, collaborationminded and passionate about their work.

It’s fine to be a little headstrong; you need to have a good understanding of what you can and can’t do, and you shouldn’t be afraid to ask things. There is also a high degree of pride in this company, even if our name isn’t visible on the outside of the machines we produce.”

Jeroen: “Come along and see for yourself; I bet you’ll be convinced in less than an hour.”

Johann: “Frencken really is the best of both worlds.”

Frencken Europe is a supplier of high-tech equipment ranging from mechanical components and modular systems to complete products and solutions. Its customers are active in the medical sector, the analytical sector and semiconductors, especially the front end (lithography).

The company was founded by the Frencken brothers in Eindhoven in 1947.

Since the 1990s, the company has been part of the Frencken Group Ltd, which is listed on the Singapore stock exchange.

Frencken Europe is made up of Frencken Engineering (development), Frencken Mechatronics (assembly), Machinefabriek Gebrs. Frencken (machine building), Optiwa (machine building) and Frencken America.

Frencken is seeking new employees in mechanical engineering, electronics, software in combination with hardware (mechatronics) and technical physics.

Hurksestraat 16 5652 AJ Eindhoven PO Box 7082 NL - 5605 JB Eindhoven www.frenckengroup.com Contact: Danny Posno danny.posno@frenckengroup.com Tel. +31 (0) 40-250 75 07

PRODRIVE TECHNOLOGIES

16 17

THE FREEDOM

TO BE ENTERPRISING

Prodrive offers you a huge amount of freedom to shape your own career. With an enterprising approach, you can work on solutions and innovations in almost any technical area, surrounded by colleagues all with the same drive: a passion for technology.

S

imon Borger and Roy van Doormaal are both software architects at Prodrive Technologies. “A software architect structures the customer’s wants and needs into the relevant requirements which clearly describe what must be developed. The architect then communicates that to the colleagues in the team and is ultimately responsible for the quality and the technical aspects,” says Simon.

Roy (32) did his bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering in Breda and his master’s in Embedded Systems in Eindhoven. After his master’s, he spent four years working on interim projects before joining Prodrive in 2016. “In hindsight, I wish I’d joined Prodrive right away. The company has so much dynamism, diversity and depth. Needless to say, I was looking for a role in embedded systems, but I had no idea where to find one, so I did interim projects at various companies of all sizes. After four years of doing that, I knew I wanted to work at a company with a flat hierarchy where I could make a real difference and where I would have the flexibility and freedom to determine how to achieve my goals. Prodrive fits the bill perfectly, and I’m amazed at how much we do here.

Borger Simon

Roy van D oormaal

Prodrive makes products for a very wide range of customers. I’m involved in software for embedded computing systems, which is used for high-performance motion control and image processing, but we also do all kinds of things in hardware, mechanics and electronics. We invent things, we make things and then we evaluate their performance and effectiveness. I love that.”

Simon (28) did his bachelor’s in ICT and Software Engineering at Fontys in Eindhoven.

“In my third year, I did an internship here at Prodrive and the company won me over immediately: so broad and so many different facets of technology. My specialization, the Application Software department, was still small at that time, so there were lots of possibilities for me. I stayed on working part-time after my internship, and I did my graduation assignment here too – and then I was still enjoying myself so much that I started in a full-time role after graduating. I had actually planned to do a master’s, but I got so swept up in my work that I never got round to it.

First and foremost, new employees must have a passion for technology; we’re less focused on their specific qualifications. Above all, we look at your potential. You learn so much here.

Even after just doing my internship, I noticed that I knew a lot more than my fellow students...”

Today, Simon combines his role as a software architect with project management. “I really have the feeling that I can do what I want here at Prodrive. If I decide I want to set to work

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with FPGAs tomorrow, I can just go ahead and do it – it’s really not a problem. So if you have the will and the ambition, you can pretty much take things in any direction you choose.

I really value that freedom, and also the fact that I’m surrounded by smart colleagues.”

Roy: “That’s certainly true. No matter who you talk to here, everyone has a thing for technology so there’s a great atmosphere.

In fact, it feels like I’m getting paid to have fun!”

Simon: “That’s because you have so much influence over your future direction.

And Prodrive is also open to slightly more radical opinions. If someone wants to try to solve a problem using a new approach, they are praised rather than held back. You’re encouraged to think differently.”

Prodrive offers careers in numerous disciplines, including automation, automotive, mechanics, physics, healthcare, magnetics and IT. Because Prodrive manufactures the majority of its products itself, it needs a wide range of in-house

Prodrive Technologies is a privately owned company. We aim to provide more than just shareholder satisfaction. We operate under a healthy ambition to be of relevance and to contribute to meaningful innovation that tackles major challenges in society. We create technologies that are essential links in the systems which form the basis for today’s and tomorrow’s world. Our technology, for instance, improves the quality of medical imaging, which allows for diagnostics to recognize diseases earlier and more accurately. Our techniques also contribute to reducing the global dependency on fossil fuels, and to minimizing human exposure to air pollution.

Another example is the contribution of our technologies to global digitalization, which lowers barriers for people in third-world countries wishing to access the information and education that are essential for their welfare. Therefore, our shared mission is to create meaningful technologies that make the world work.

Are you as ambitious as we are?

We do everything in-house. We cover virtually every conceivable market and we use the very latest process techniques, many of which we have developed ourselves.

As a result of this innovative approach, we are among the fastest-growing technology companies in Europe. With an average age of 28, and over 70% of our employees holding bachelor’s, master’s or PhD degrees, our workforce is young and very well educated. With offices in six countries and as many as 26 different nationalities, Prodrive is a diverse and international company.

expertise. Roy: “As Simon mentioned, your qualifications are not the primary factor.

It’s much more important that new recruits have a real enthusiasm for technology and are keen to grow.” Simon: “It’s also about your personality, your level of ambition and your passion for your work. It’s about your intrinsic motivation, daring to shoulder responsibility – that’s what we find important here.

That responsibility goes hand in hand with the freedom you receive. You work in a team, so you have to be there for others too.”

So why should graduates join Prodrive?

Simon: “Because of all the opportunities open to you here. And also because of the passion for technology; it’s infectious. If you’re looking for a fun place to work, I think we have all the right ingredients.” Roy: “If you love technology and you see electronics, software or mechanics as more of a hobby than work, then you’ll always find something suitable here, regardless of your degree.”

Do you have a passion for technology? Get in touch: jobs@prodrive-technologies.com prodrive-technologies.com/careers Prodrive Technologies Science Park Eindhoven 5501 NL - 5692 EM Son Giel van den Broek HR Manager giel.van.den.broek@prodrive-technologies.com +31 (0)40 267 62 00

PUNCH POWERTRAIN PSA E-TRANSMISSIONS

18 19

REVOLUTIONIZING

THE INDUSTRY

Working in a young and innovative company surrounded by enthusiastic and creative colleagues to build the powertrains of the future... that is what Sjoerd and Ayush love most about Punch Powertrain PSA e-transmissions. Read more about their experiences here.

A

yush Jain is from India, where he did his bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology in Dhanbad. After graduating, Ayush spent three years working at India’s biggest car manufacturing company. “But then in 2015, I realized I wanted to go back to university to learn more. Through the Erasmus Mundus programme I found a great opportunity to do a master’s in Tribology, which is a very specific course about the science of wear, friction and lubrication.

That gave me the opportunity to study in the UK, Slovenia and Sweden.

After completing my master’s, in 2017, I joined the TU Eindhoven’s PDEng programme. The automotive industry was changing rapidly at that time due to the increase in automation and electrification, and the PDEng in Automotive Systems Design (ASD) would enable me to learn more about those new technologies.”

Powertrains of the future It was during his PDEng that Ayush first encountered Punch Powertrain. “When I started my PDEng, I was super excited to hear about Punch Powertrain and I knew instantly that was where I wanted to do my PDEng project. I actually did my project and my thesis here, and after that I moved into a full-time job as a mechanical engineer and tribology expert.”

So what was it that made Ayush so enthusiastic about Punch Powertrain? “I’d been involved in designing powertrains in my previous role at

Suzuki in India, but they were conventional powertrains – the old-school types. But at Punch they’re working on the powertrains of the future: the new generation. The innovative nature of the work and the fact that the company was completely revolutionizing the industry captured my interest. At Suzuki I was part of a huge team working on an existing design. In contrast, here at Punch

Powertrain I’m collaborating with a lot of young and energetic people on loads of exciting challenges. I was actually very surprised that the average age in the company is so low. I feel right at home in such a young and dynamic environment.”

Lots of freedom Sjoerd Eggenkamp studied automotive technology at the HTS in Arnhem and did his master’s in Mechanical Engineering at TU Eindhoven. He then spent a year working in the diagnostics department at DAF before moving to an engineering consultancy firm in Breda that was specialized in hydraulic pumps.

He stayed there for six years but eventually got tired of the commute from Eindhoven, so he applied for a role at Punch Powertrain in 2018. There was an immediate click.

“It’s a fantastic company. It was originally founded by a couple of graduates from TU/e as Drive Train Innovations. In fact, I did a brief internship here in the early days. The start-up was later acquired by Punch and today it has become the company’s base in Eindhoven.”

Sjoerd: “There’s a lot of freedom at Punch Powertrain; the company doesn’t have rigid processes or workflows and your own contribution is important in all the development work.

It’s a young company too. You occasionally miss having people around with decades of experience, especially when you’re trying to figure something out, but that’s also partly what makes it such fun. The pace of growth has been amazing over the past three years – in Eindhoven we’ve gone from 50 to 150 employees!”

Solidarity Sjoerd: “Not everybody that works here is young, but most people are. Many of my

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Ayush Jain

p ggenkam Sjoerd E

colleagues come from an automotive background, so that’s one thing a lot of us have in common. But we don’t talk about work all the time! Another thing that unites us is the mindset of working together towards joint success. That also means that everyone is prepared to go the extra mile if necessary and to help others. We often collaborate on finding solutions for a problem, and we also help out if a project needs an extra pair of hands. That solidarity creates a very pleasant atmosphere.”

“The company culture is friendly and informal.

Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, we arranged a virtual coffee break twice a week to ensure that the members of our team had the chance to talk about other things. And as a company, Punch Powertrain offers us lots of opportunities. There are plenty of chances to put yourself forward for tasks. For example, there’s a very realistic possibility that you can progress to the role of project manager or lead engineer after a certain amount of time.”

Challenges Ayush: “Now that I’ve been here for a while, I’ve discovered that there are a lot more challenges at Punch Powertrain. We work on a high-volume, very complex product.

If you are up for it, you’re given a lot of responsibility. I really appreciate that, because it enables me to expand my knowledge.

That’s what I like here: if you seek challenges, you’ll find plenty of them.”

“I’m now in the job that I aspired to. My colleagues are very friendly and my managers understand and support my aspirations.

The company is very international; I work with at least 15 different nationalities here in Eindhoven. That gives the company a lot of cultural diversity, plus the people here bring experience and best practices from many other automotive companies so I also learn a lot from my colleagues in that sense.”

“At Punch Powertrain we are ready for the future. The automotive industry is changing rapidly, and we’re working on a future-oriented project: the powertrain of 2023. I would encourage students from all kinds of backgrounds to apply to work at Punch Powertrain, because we do so many different things in-house: mechanics, controls, electronics, testing, development and mechanical design. So you can do whatever you’re interested in here.”

Punch Powertrain PSA e-transmissions is the second joint venture between Punch Powertrain and Groupe PSA (Europe’s second-largest car manufacturer). It is aimed at expanding their strategic partnership in the field of electrification to help tackle climate change. The new venture will spearhead the industrialization of the next generation of transmissions for hybrid electric vehicles for Group PSA and other carmakers worldwide.

Eindhoven, which is often referred to as the Netherlands’ ‘Silicon Valley’, is home to the company’s R&D location where its newest transmissions are developed and designed. The company has achieved strong growth in the recent years and more than 150 employees are currently working in various teams including mechanical engineering, controls engineering, systems engineering and testing. The teams work closely together and are made up of highly educated engineers coming from 17 different countries. The work atmosphere is characterized by mutual respect and having fun.

Punch Powertrain PSA e-transmissions Nederland B.V. Croy 46 5653 LD Eindhoven The Netherlands Tel: +31 40 293 10 82 Email: info.ppe@punchpowertrain.com

RIJKSOVERHEID

20 21

TECHNIEK VOOR EEN BETERE SAMENLEVING

De Rijksoverheid is misschien niet de eerste werkgever waar je aan denkt als je net je technische studie afrondt. Ten onrechte: de overheid biedt prachtige kansen voor technisch specialisten in alle richtingen. Dankzij een nieuwe samenwerking tussen het Rijk en het hoger onderwijs zijn er ook steeds meer interessante en maatschappelijk rele­vante stages, praktijkopdrachten en afstudeeronderzoeken voor hbo en universiteit te vinden.

Lees over de praktijkopdrachten van Sjoerd en Diederik via het I-Partnerschap, en over de loopbaan van Anna bij het Rijksvastgoedbedrijf.

Duurzaam werken bij het Rijksvastgoedbedrijf

A

nna Golubovska wist het al heel lang: ze wilde architectuur studeren.

Maar in haar thuisland Letland zijn daar - na haar studie industrieel ontwerp maar zeer weinig plekken voor. In andere landen zou ze meer kans maken: Schotland, Denemarken en Nederland. Ze komt uiteindelijk terecht in Delft, in 2010.

Anna leert voor haar studie de Nederlandse taal, maar ook doet ze een tentamen in architectuurtaal, want het vakgebied is gebaseerd op veel Nederlandse vaktermen en de studie wordt in het Nederlands gegeven. Drie jaar bachelor, anderhalf jaar stages en drie jaar een master met veel extra vakken. Medio 2017 is ze klaar. “Begin 2018 ben ik begonnen bij een architectenbureau.

In een ruim jaar heb ik daar echt heel veel geleerd aan praktische zaken en technische aspecten, waar je op de universiteit vooral veel leert over conceptuele dingen. Voor mij echt een goede extra leerschool voor allerlei technische dingen, over bakstenen, isolatie, fundering. Ook op de bouwplaatsen stak ik

veel op. Daarna ben ik in september 2019 overgestapt naar het Rijksvastgoedbedrijf (RVB).”

De overheid past beter dan een bedrijf Bij het RVB werken zo’n 2.000 mensen, op zes kantoorlocaties verspreid over het land. Bij het RVB in Den Haag is Anna nu Architect, op de afdeling Masterplannen & Transformaties.

“Ik had mijn stages gelopen bij architecten­ bureaus in de particuliere sector en had hier ook kunnen blijven na het behalen van mijn master. Maar ik zocht meer complexiteit in mijn projecten en ook meer maatschappelijke betrokkenheid in mijn werk. Het werken bij een bureau ging voor mij ook vaak over kleine dingen als een aanbouw, een dakkapel en de vergunningen die daarbij horen. Maar na een tijdje weet je wel wat er gaat komen. Ik wilde graag voor de overheid werken, waarbij het RVB een logische keuze was gezien mijn opleiding en interesse. Het RVB werkt vanuit een bepaalde visie: hoe ga je om met de gebouwen die ons gezamenlijk eigendom zijn, hoe richten we de omgeving in?

De uitgangspunten zijn ambitieus: energie­ neutraal bouwen, duurzaamheid voorop, circulariteit. Bij de overheid zijn dat niet zomaar alleen mooie woorden; hier is het vastgesteld beleid.

Bij de kleine bureaus in de markt gaat het om kleine projecten waar aannemers een grote rol in spelen en waar vaak wordt gekozen voor de goedkoopste oplossing. De kwaliteit van de ontwerpen lijdt daaronder. Terwijl bij de overheid projecten gewoon op duurzaamheid worden getoetst. Dat is een heel andere discussie. En dat is wat ik wil: met andere jonge mensen werken aan een duurzame toekomst voor Nederland.”

“Die waarden van de Nederlandse overheid zijn voor mij belangrijk. Ik eet geen vlees, heb geen auto, reis met openbaar vervoer en veel met de fiets. Om dan te werken met een bedrijf dat steeds maar hamert op de goedkoopste oplossing in plaats van de meest duurzame, dat zat mij niet lekker.

Een groen dak werkt geweldig goed, maar zodra het over geld gaat, wordt zo’n voorstel

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bij een bedrijf al snel van tafel gehaald. Terwijl hier bij de overheid onze hele afdeling over duurzaamheid gaat en ieder project wordt, naast de reguliere kosten, ook hierop getoetst. Duurzaamheid is een van de pilaren waarop ons beleid is gebouwd, net als het creëren van maatschappelijk toegevoegde waarde.”

De overheid als werkgever “Ik zie wel verschillen met de bedrijven die ik ken vanuit werk en stages. Los van je dagelijkse werkzaamheden is het hier beslist anders. Bijvoorbeeld het werkproces of je persoonlijke situatie: iedere twee weken heb ik een bilateraal overleg met mijn leidinggevende waarin we over alles kunnen praten: over mijn werk en over mijn privésituatie. De overheid wil zorgen dat het goed met je gaat, dat je je prettig voelt in wat je doet. Ook als het privé misschien niet zo goed gaat met je, wordt gekeken wat ze daaraan kunnen bijdragen om je te helpen.

Ook in je persoonlijke carrière: er wordt actief gekeken hoe jij je de komende jaren gaat ontwikkelen. Er is veel aandacht voor de mens.

Als ik een probleem heb, heb ik ook nooit het gevoel dat ik iemand daarmee lastigval, omdat er gewoon tijd is gereserveerd om over zulke dingen te praten. Dat zou ik in een bedrijf minder snel doen.”

 Anna Golubovska.

“De overheid is misschien niet de eerste werkgever waar je aan denkt. Voor mij leek een stage bij een bedrijf de meest logische stap, terwijl dat ook bij de overheid had gekund. Alleen hoor je daar tijdens je opleiding veel minder over, eigenlijk helemaal niet.

Maar ik kan de overheid beslist aanbevelen aan studenten van de technische universiteiten. Het vooroordeel dat de overheid saai is of ouderwets klopt helemaal niet, het is juist een werkgever met heel veel mogelijkheden.”

Hoeveel impact wil jij als IT’er?

De Rijksoverheid is een van de grootste IT-werkgevers van Nederland. IT’ers werken bij ons aan veel interessante projecten waarbij verschillende technologieën en innovaties worden toegepast. Zo werken zij samen aan een digitale samenleving voor 17 miljoen Nederlanders. Met bijvoorbeeld informatiesystemen voor inlichtingendiensten, geavanceerde databronnen voor verkeersinformatie of software voor onbemande onderzeeboten voor Defensie.

Wil jij je blijven ontwikkelen en echt impact maken? We zijn op zoek naar de allerbeste IT’ers, zodat onze dienstverlening optimaal is, gebruiksvriendelijk en veilig voor de burger. Daar profiteert heel Nederland van.

Wat wij starters bieden? Onze arbeidsvoorwaarden zijn uitstekend en je krijgt bij ons volop mogelijkheden om je breed te ontwikkelen in een werkomgeving waar je dagelijks werkt aan complexe vraagstukken. Met de nieuwste technieken en tools op het gebied van development, security, architectuur en andere IT-expertises. Daarnaast heeft de Rijksoverheid een ICT-traineeship.

Meld je aan op onze website Werkenvoornederland.nl voor updates over het Rijks I-Traineeship, vacatures, ontwikkelingen en verhalen van IT-specialisten die bij de Rijksoverheid werken. En geef je op voor onze Tech events @Rijksoverheid #online. Tijdens deze events vertellen experts van twee rijksorganisaties over voorbeelden in de praktijk. Daarnaast pitchen andere rijksorganisaties welke vacatures er open staan en waarom het zo leuk is om bij hen te werken. Ook kun je vragen stellen of in contact komen met een van onze recruiters.

Lees verder

RIJKSOVERHEID

22 23

I-Partnerschap:

Stages en onderzoek bij SVB en

O

ok tijdens je studie kun je al bijdragen aan een sterk digitaal Nederland en goede digitale dienstverlening. Afgelopen jaar is het I-Partnerschap Rijk-Hoger Onderwijs opgericht. Deze structurele samenwerking stimuleert gezamenlijk onderwijs en onderzoek via stages, groepsopdrachten, lectoraten, promotieonderzoeken en innovatielabs. Zo werkt Diederik samen met zijn werkgroep bij de Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB) mee aan het toegankelijker maken van DigiD voor ouderen en onderzoekt Sjoerd voor Rijkswaterstaat hoe ze pieken in beheervragen beter kunnen voorspellen.

Sjoerd Schepers is vierdejaars student informatica aan Avans in Breda. Zijn minor in Data Engineering volgt hij aan de Hogeschool Rotterdam. Binnen deze minor werkt hij mee aan een project voor Rijkswaterstaat. “Met een groep studenten van allerlei disciplines onderzoeken wij hoe Rijkswaterstaat pieken in service-aanvragen beter zou kunnen voorspellen. Door deze drukte beter te zien aankomen kunnen deze aanvragen beter en sneller afgehandeld worden. In principe kunnen zo dus ook storingen sneller opgelost worden met als resultaat bijvoorbeeld minder files.

Een deel van het project doen we gezamenlijk, maar elk van ons werkt ook individueel aan een specifiek deel. Zo kunnen we vanuit verschillende invalshoeken dit project bekijken.

Rijkswaterstaat werkt voor service-aanvragen met een chatbot. Wanneer medewerkers iets nodig hebben, kunnen ze via deze chatbot een verzoek indienen. Het kan gaan om kantoormateriaal als een beeldscherm, maar ook om een melding van een brug die kapot is of verkeersborden die moeten worden vervangen. Alle verzoeken komen terecht in het programma TopDesk en worden daar toegewezen aan een medewerker.

Op sommige momenten is het erg druk met

binnenkomende verzoeken. Wij onderzoeken nu hoe deze drukke perioden beter inzichtelijk gemaakt kunnen worden, op basis van data van Rijkswaterstaat.”

Voor Sjoerd betekent deze minor in het coronajaar 2020 een half jaar thuiswerken.

Twee dagen per week krijgt hij les, twee dagen werkt hij aan het groepsproject en de laatste dag aan zijn individuele onderzoek.

“Met Scrum werken we aan onze gezamenlijke planning. Ik werk vanuit informatica, en daarnaast werken een bedrijfskundige en een CMD’er (Communicatie en Multimedia Design) elk aan een eigen aspect van het project.”

Het I-Partnerschap is een samenwerking tussen de Rijksoverheid en het hoger onderwijs op ICT-gebied. Sjoerd en zijn collega’s hebben dan ook niet zelf naar deze groepsopdracht gezocht, maar deze is aangedragen door de Hogeschool Rotterdam.

Ondanks dat Sjoerd op afstand werkt, heeft hij een behoorlijk goed beeld van het werken voor of bij de Rijksoverheid. “Ik merk dat ze erg openstaan voor suggesties. Ik heb ook een stage gelopen binnen een techbedrijf, en daar staat al veel meer vast hoe het moet gaan. Als je daar dan als student of net afgestudeerde binnenkomt, dan mag je wel een mening hebben, maar eigenlijk is alles al bepaald. Terwijl wij bij Rijkswaterstaat gewoon aan de slag konden gaan op onze manier.

Je kunt dan veel eerder je stempel drukken op hoe het gaat. Daarnaast valt het me op dat de overheid weliswaar op sommige plekken nog met oude technologieën werkt, maar ook sterk bezig is met snel innoveren. Ze zoeken daarin echt de grenzen van de techniek op, en dat zijn vaak heel interessante projecten, met de toffere technologie. Ze zijn niet op zoek naar directe winstgevendheid, maar meer naar profijt op de langere termijn.”

“Ik heb er zelf geen stage gedaan, maar

 Sjoerd Schepers.

wel gehoord dat de overheid een bovengemiddeld hoge stagevergoeding biedt.

Dat is voor veel studenten een sterk argument hoor. Daarnaast vind ik de Rijksoverheid een heel transparante organisatie. Je kunt je oriënteren op stagemarkten, waar je kunt zien wat je krijgt. En de stages zijn altijd goed geregeld, de overheid is daarin betrouwbaar.

Afspraak is afspraak, ook met betrekking tot de inhoud van je stage.”

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Rijkswaterstaat Human Centered Design Diederik Abbing studeert ICT & Media Design aan Fontys Hogeschool in Tilburg. Voor zijn minor heeft hij gekozen voor Fontys in Eindhoven, waar hij Digital Experience Design doet. Binnen die minor werkt hij aan een project voor de Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB). In een groep van zes studenten onderzoekt hij hoe binnen het systeem van DigiD het digitaal machtigen gemakkelijker kan worden gemaakt.

Met name oudere bezoekers van de SVB vinden dit heel ingewikkeld. De studentengroep gaat een proof of concept ontwikkelen voor een prototype waarmee dit makkelijker kan.

“Wij werken samen met Novum. De vraag aan ons luidde: hoe kan een gebruiker met DigiD eenvoudiger een digitale machtiging geven aan een persoon die hij vertrouwt of aan een organisatie, bijvoorbeeld een verzekeringsorganisatie. We hebben een groep samengesteld en eerst de doelgroep verkend.

Met die inzichten zijn we gaan brainstormen.

Uiteindelijk hebben we een concept ontwikkeld, waaruit we een prototype hebben opgezet.

We zitten inmiddels in een testfase. Daarna zal er nog wel een vervolgonderzoek moeten komen, om ook een applicatie voor de ontvanger van de machtiging te ontwikkelen.”

“Een carrière bij de Rijksoverheid zou dus voor de hand liggen. Toch kom ik niet zo vaak vacatures tegen in mijn richting.

Dat kan ook zijn doordat de overheid zo ontzettend groot is. ICT is ook een breed vakgebied, dan is niet altijd direct zichtbaar waar je allemaal terechtkunt. Ik kan in webdevelopment gaan werken of in marketing, maar waar ik me graag op wil focussen is het Human Centered Design-proces.

Ik weet zeker dat de overheid daar veel in doet, misschien op de achtergrond, maar ik zie vacatures of onderzoekplaatsen in HCD niet zo vaak voorbijkomen.”

Diederik is een creatieve ICT-nerd, zegt hij zelf.

“Ik kan innovatief en probleemoplossend denken in de designwereld. Bijvoorbeeld een applicatie ontwikkelen, maar ook een probleem in een applicatie oplossen. Ik vind dat je moet bekijken wat de klant wil en dan kijken hoe je een probleem kan oplossen. Ik vind een opdracht interessant als er een link met de maatschappij in zit, omdat je dan werkt aan het helpen van mensen. Als een oplossing dan ook goed werkt vind ik het leuk om daarna het verschil te zien: zien wat jij hebt bijgedragen.”

“Tijdens dit project krijg ik de indruk dat de Rijksoverheid sterk bezig is met het maken van een inhaalslag. Er zijn veel initiatieven om moderne technieken in te zetten om goede, gebruiksvriendelijke producten te ontwikkelen.

Ze sluiten aan bij de grote bedrijven en zijn geïnteresseerd in de vele mogelijkheden.

Die ruimte voor de nieuwste ontwikkelingen op technisch vlak en de link met de maatschappij, die maken het voor mij wel erg interessant om straks in deze richting verder te gaan. Ik moet alleen de goede plek nog vinden.”

De Rijksoverheid is regelmatig op zoek naar nieuwe collega’s, ook voor andere vakgebieden. Op de website www.werkenvoornederland.nl staan actuele vacatures en de mogelijkheid om een jobalert aan te maken.

Op zoek naar een stage of praktijkopdracht bij het Rijk?

Mail naar rijksistage@rijksoverheid.nl En wil je op de hoogte blijven van ontwikkelen, events of carrièremogelijkheden binnen het IT-vakgebied; meld je dan aan voor updates door deze QR-code te scannen.  Diederik Abbing.

4TU.SCHOOL FOR TECHNOLOGICAL DESIGN, STAN ACKERMANS INSTITUTE

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PDEng: putting what you learn into practice After completing your master’s, are you keen to gain some practical experience while continuing to study?

You can do just that during a two-year PDEng programme at the 4TU.School for Technological Design, Stan Ackermans Institute (4TU.SAI). After completing a double master’s in Architecture and Human Technology Interaction, Anne Grave decided to do a PDEng in order to put her knowledge into practice on a major project.

T

he 4TU.School for Technological Design, Stan Ackermans Institute offers around 20 educational programmes related to technological design at the technical universities in Delft, Eindhoven and Twente.

Each programme leads to a Professional Doctorate in Engineering (PDEng) qualification.

Whereas the more familiar PhD entails spending four years doing research, a two-year PDEng is focused on the direct application of knowledge in practice. During the programme, trainees not only study various subjects but also receive payment for their work on a real-life design project. That project can be focused on process optimization or product design.

Anne Grave did two master’s degrees simultaneously – one in Architecture and the other in Human Technology Interaction (HTI).

“In traditional architecture, the architect is usually in charge and it revolves around aesthetics and physical buildings, but I often find there’s a lack of focus on the user. That’s why I chose to do a minor in HTI, to learn how people experience and interact with spaces.

It was such an interesting combination that I subsequently decided to do a second master’s in it. For my thesis, I set up a project to research how patients’ rooms can be designed so as to minimize patient stress.”

 Anne Grave.

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Anne finished both her master’s degrees in 2017. “I felt as if I had come to a crossroads at that point; I either had to choose architecture, designing buildings from behind a desk which would mean missing out on the scientific side, or stay in science which would mean letting go of the design aspects. While I was struggling to decide, one of my lecturers nominated me for this PDEng position. I was asked whether I was interested in this research opportunity within Engineering to explore how to develop accommodation for people with dementia – so two years of both research and design.”

“Due to my unusual double master’s programme, I had spent my whole final year of my studies working alone. That’s pretty uncommon within architecture because you tend to work on your own assignments within a group of around 15 people. I knew that if I decided to do a PhD, it would mean working alone for another four years. That was one advantage of the PDEng: here, I could conduct research in collaboration with other partners, businesses, universities of applied sciences and healthcare institutions, and it only takes two years. But what appealed to me above all was the topic, plus the chance to combine research with design.”

Anne spent two years working on the research project and in parallel she did various courses related to professional development and entrepreneurship. “For me, the PDEng was also a way of further broadening my knowledge, because I felt I didn’t have a strong enough foundation to enter the world of work and try to combine both research and design straight after my master’s. I’ve now gained two years’ experience of working in a team with various companies, the universities of applied sciences in Arnhem/Nijmegen and Amsterdam (HAN and HvA), and various healthcare institutions.

We worked on a prototype for a smart home that supports the day/night rhythm of dementia sufferers using projections, light and sound signals to accompany everyday activities such as getting up in the morning, eating meals and going to bed.”

this topic – improving the quality of life for people with dementia.”

Anne completed her PDEng in December 2019. In 2020 she got a job in the TU/e’s Smart Architectural Technologies department as a researcher on various projects. “I’ve now decided to do a PhD after all, and hope to be finished by early 2025. I started my doctoral research in January 2021. That’s a slightly unusual step after a PDEng, but it’s a great opportunity for me to continue working on

“For a lot of graduates, a PDEng can be a valuable stepping stone to their future career.

It gives you the opportunity to gain experience, meet new people in your field and exchange knowledge, which expands your professional network. It’s a great way to strengthen your position in your chosen field, plus to apply your scientific knowledge in practice even if you haven’t finished learning yet.”

“I’m really pleased to have been able to do a PDEng, not least because I had the chance to work in a large, multidisciplinary team. I learned a lot, not only about real-life processes – both within healthcare institutions and businesses – but also about the use of ICT and AI within our project. So it just goes to show that even if, like me, you’ve done two master’s degrees, you still don’t really know much about how things are actually done in practice. The PDEng bridges the gap between high-level education and reallife applications. That’s a good learning goal for yourself, but it also benefits the institutions you collaborate with; in reality, businesses and organizations often don’t have time to conduct research and implement new methods.”

Keen to know more about PDEng programmes?

Watch the video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYmNqRpPRsM&feature=youtu.be (or: tinyurl.com/yyv5gvoo) How to apply Are you ready to embark on a Professional Doctorate in Engineering (PDEng) traineeship and would you like to work towards becoming a technological designer? At 4TU.SAI we are always on the lookout for talented engineers who have a master of science degree in a technical subject and who are keen to further develop their design skills. We currently have various openings in Delft, Twente and Eindhoven. For a complete overview of the opportunities, take a look at our website: www.4tu.nl/sai/vacancies

4TU.School for Technological Design, Stan Ackermans Institute www.4tu.nl/sai +31 (0)40 247 24 52 sai@4tu.nl

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WORK HARD PLAY HARD We bring high-tech to life Sioux Technologies offers you challenging, dynamic and varied work. As a talent in software, mechatronics, mechanics, mathematics or electronics, you will contribute to the development and construction of complex high-tech products, often on the verge of what is technologically possible.

At Sioux, you will work on a project for a big multinational in the region or for a promising start-up tackling the next breakthrough technology.

Teams The best results are achieved by teams that work together optimally. That is why you work with smart and motivated colleagues, who are committed to finding exceptional solutions together. In some projects you will be able to focus on your specialism, in others you can be involved in all phases of the development process.

Personal development At Sioux you get every opportunity to grow.

We work with a generous personal development budget which allows you to keep your technological knowledge up to date and also work on your personal skills.

SIOUX TECHNOLOGIES

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Sioux culture In our company we find it important to have fun together, which is why we organize lots of activities for our employees: from social gatherings (including partners and kids) to Friday afternoon drinks and innovation pizza sessions with your colleagues. In addition, you can visit our Sioux Labs event space every day to meet with colleagues, to organize events, to enjoy a workout together and for a delicious healthy lunch. Currently, we offer take-away lunches and organize many inspirational events, quizzes and social gatherings online to stay connected with each other.

Facts & figures 750 engineers Headquartered in Eindhoven Dutch offices: Delft, Mijdrecht, Nuenen & Eindhoven International offices: Belgium, Germany, China & Vietnam Competence centres: software, mechatronics, mathware, electronics and assembly Markets: semicon, analytical, medical & automotive Join us!

Do you want to know more about the projects we have to offer or our vacancies? jobs.sioux.eu

THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC

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HIGH-TECH DEVELOPMENTS FOR A BETTER WORLD Thermo Fisher Scientific makes innovative electron microscopes: high-tech products

that make a big contribution to a better world. Thermo Fisher also has a positive company culture and many of its employees have been working there happily for years.

‘Employee well-being is really important’

Juliette Bocquentin has a master’s in Engineering Biology. After studying in France and New Zealand, she did her master’s thesis in Eindhoven at Thermo Fisher’s NanoPort - a centre of excellence where the company runs customer training and demonstrations.

She was hired to work in Eindhoven on the very same day that she finished her master’s.

Today, she works in the factory support group, mentoring the people who test the company’s microscopes.

“I was familiar with Thermo Fisher from doing my thesis, and also from all the instruments we used during my biology degree. And while I was an intern at the Pasteur Institute in Paris they ordered a Thermo Fisher electron microscope, which was a very exciting and eye-opening experience.”

‘Proud to be supporting coronavirus work’

Stefan Cavens completed his master’s in Applied Physics in Eindhoven in 2017.

The next logical step was to look for a job within a technical company, but he didn’t want a purely technical role. “One of my search criteria was interaction with people, communicating. I was familiar with Thermo Fisher as the manufacturer of the table-top electron microscopes that I’d used as a student.

During the Career Expo at TU Eindhoven, I chatted with a recruiter from Thermo Fisher.

place to learn as much as I could. After all, we’re building them here, creating them; this is where it all starts.”

Juliette Bo cquentin

“If you want to work in electron microscopy, there are other options such as universities but I decided that the factory was the best

“I feel very at home at Thermo Fisher. It has a very open culture and employee well-being is really important. You don’t know much when you start, of course, but everyone is always helpful and makes time for you – even people from different departments, which is very good for your career. We also have Employee Resource Groups aimed at ensuring a pleasant work environment and helping employees with their career development.

There are many different nationalities working here nowadays and a much higher proportion of females.

I am a young woman from abroad, but I feel really welcome and settled here, and I certainly have the same chances as everyone else!”

He told me about a role as an engineer in the Global Technical Support department.

It involved talking to R&D about future technical implementations, how to ensure they work smoothly in the field, talking to customers, and everything in between. It was very varied: technical, yet with social interaction and communication... not at all what I had expected to find in the industry.”

“Thermo Fisher has a very friendly atmosphere; it feels like a small company. In normal years there are lots of social activities, but they are

Stefan Ca vens

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‘Societal relevance and a friendly atmosphere’

After completing her master’s in Applied Physics in Twente, Els Kok did her PhD in Electrical Engineering at the TU in Eindhoven.

In 2008 she started her career and was keen to be involved in developing real-life products.

“While I was still doing my PhD, I attended a careers fair in Amsterdam and spoke to someone from FEI (as Thermo Fisher Eindhoven was known back then).

It’s never too soon to start exploring the job market, in my opinion.” Following that conversation, she visited the company to look around for an hour – and she ended up staying for more than two. She joined the company immediately after finishing her PhD. “I’m now R&D manager, but over the past 13 years I’ve had many different roles within Thermo Fisher. What initially attracted me to the company was the informal atmosphere.

The man who spent two hours showing me around was an R&D manager. If I’d known that beforehand, I don’t think I’d even have dared to call him, but that’s how easy-going people are here. Everyone I saw during the guided tour was really relaxed and friendly, and a lot of them had been working here for a fairly long time. For me, that was proof of a good atmosphere.”

“Thermo Fisher is a technology-driven organization. There’s a lot of scope to interact

currently held online due to COVID-19. Plus, there’s lots of collaboration and everyone is very flexible. In the three years that I’ve been working here, I’ve noticed just how many possibilities there are. Your manager makes sure that you have enough opportunities and also time to work on your own development, like following a communication course or a technical course. In turn, that has a positive effect on the company itself.

Nowadays, I’m manager of the Global Technical Support department.”

Els Kok

with customers, including on a technical level.

I believe it’s important that people can evolve and progress beyond departmental borders.

What you learn in one department can add value for yourself and the company as a whole in your next role. That not only helps to keep the work interesting and the people motivated, but it also benefits the company itself.

Another thing I really like here is that we’re working on products that are highly relevant – for the medical world (e.g. for research into Zika virus and coronavirus), for the semiconductor industry and for materials science (e.g. the production of better batteries and clean energy). That societal relevance is very important to me; I find it motivating.”

“What’s great about working at Thermo Fisher is the friendly open, and relaxed atmosphere and the fact that our products really matter.

Thermo Fisher equipment is involved in more than 50% of worldwide COVID-19 testing, so we’re contributing to that important work.

And if you see a 3D reconstruction of a coronavirus structure, there’s a high probability that it’s been captured through one of our microscopes. That fills me with pride.”

When Thermo Fisher Scientific acquired FEI, the leader in high-performance electron microscopy, the business became part of Thermo Fisher’s Analytical Instruments Segment.

Our site in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, is where high-end transmission electron microscopes are developed and manufactured.

The company is proud to have facilitated the advancements of the 2017 Nobel Prize-winning chemistry scientists within cryo-electron microscopy. Thermo Fisher Scientific offers challenging and highly rewarding career opportunities.

It has core technical openings in R&D, manufacturing, operations and engineering. Besides that, the company also has opportunities in its Business Units, Sales & Service, Supply Chain and Logistics, Product Marketing and its own Applications Demo Lab. For a complete overview of current vacancies, please go to jobs.thermofisher.com Contact details Simen Sturme simen.sturme@thermofisher.com Sr Talent Acquisition Business Partner

TNO

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‘We can accelerate the development of green asphalt if we work together’ Chemical engineer Sayeda Nowrozon Nahar is passionate about asphalt – sustainable asphalt, to be precise. Wouldn’t it be great if the Netherlands’ roads could soon be paved with bio-asphalt?

“T

ogether with my road engineering colleagues within the Structural Reliability Expertise Group of Buildings, Infrastructure and Maritime, I investigate the properties and performance of materials and structures of asphalt roads. I have done in-depth research into the chemo-mechanical properties of modified bitumen as a binder in asphalt. And there are a variety of asphalt compositions, each with their own functional properties, such as sound absorption, extra durability or weather resistance.”

 Sayeda Nowrozon Nahar.

Lignin “Bitumen experts sometimes say: ‘Once you’ve delved into this, it never lets you go’.

But because road building is becoming more sustainable, it is inevitable that fossil fuel-based binding agents in asphalt, such as bitumen, will make way for more sustainable alternatives, such as lignin. Lignin comes from trees and plants, and is abundant. Therefore, this raw material for binding has the potential to replace bitumen. We currently know lignin mainly as a waste material from paper production and biorefineries. Giving the

material a new function in the production of asphalt is an environmental gain. We are working on an asphalt binder based on lignin which has more functional properties than traditional bitumen. Wouldn’t it be great if the Netherlands’ roads could soon be paved with bio-asphalt?”

A different dynamic “Before I came to TNO, I worked as a researcher in the R&D department at a producer of specialty products of bitumen such as polymer-modified bitumen and bitumen emulsions. The research I did there was more driven by the market, the client and the application, often with tight deadlines.

There is a different dynamic here at TNO; innovation is the focus and we can give research more time to mature, be more critical and explore more options. That makes test moments very exciting: what we have thought out carefully at nanometre level should function and be applicable on a large kilometrage scale.”

“Other knowledge institutes involved in the application of lignin monitor our research closely, and vice versa. Together with partners in the asphalt production chain, we have joined forces in CHAPLIN (Collaboration in aspHalt Applications with LIgniN): a consortium that wants to contribute to the greening of road construction. Together you can achieve more than on your own, I am convinced of that.

Working together, inside and outside TNO, will certainly accelerate the development of ‘green’ asphalt.”

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Inspiring challenges “I feel very at home at TNO. A clear vision of how we can make the world a little better with our innovations and the drive to constantly innovate is a mindset that I share with the people around me. Every day I am inspired and challenged to grow and enrich my potential, and I want to be a similar source of inspiration for the people around me. The fact that I can set out my own path at TNO to grow in this influencer role further strengthens my conviction that TNO believes in me.”

TNO: a combination of university and industry At TNO, we are looking for employees with the right balance: we want everyone to be able to be themselves and to make their own unique contribution to the team. We look at a person’s own strengths, plus we consider entrepreneurship and a proactive approach to be important.

The combination of university and industry creates a unique position for TNO: above all focused on practical applications, but also founded on science. We have strong ties with universities and also with many industry customers.

TNO has 26 locations in the Netherlands plus various locations abroad. TNO is seeking talented graduates in any technical subject.

There is currently a particular need for graduates specialized in computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, mathematics, econometrics, artificial intelligence and human interaction. Besides a wide scope of disciplines, TNO also offers extensive opportunities for progression, including the chance to broaden your development in other areas of expertise.

www.tno.nl/career @tno_talent TNOresearch company/tno talents.of.tno

TRINSEO

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Trinseo has plenty of challenges for engineers over the coming decades

Engineering the future For chemical engineers and other technical specialists, Trinseo offers a very varied work environment and excellent career opportunities. Trinseo produces semi-finished plastics, latex and rubber products and is active in 27 countries. It is an ever-growing, future-focused multinational.

T

rinseo originated when four divisions of Dow Chemical were divested.

The company has been growing steadily since 2010 in terms of both the size of its workforce and its market value. Trinseo develops countless new high-quality end products and semi-finished products in line with customers’ ever-increasing demands.

As a chemical company, Trinseo is seeking various engineers.

‘Using your knowledge to optimize the process’ Rob Slangen (47) completed his Chemical Technology studies in Eindhoven in 1996.

He was keen to apply his knowledge in practice so he looked for a job in manufacturing. He started out at Stork in Amsterdam and then moved to Dow Chemical in Terneuzen in 2000, where he subsequently became involved in major projects to set up new factories and improve existing ones in the USA, China and Belgium.

“The projects often entailed new processes which is great as a process technologist, because your knowledge helps you to further optimize everything you tackle – better product quality, less waste, lower costs.

It’s extremely satisfying to see a factory performing better all the time thanks to your input.”

improving processes, but I have a different level of influence now. Rather than working on factory processes, I’m more focused on coordinating and allocating investment budgets.”

‘No two days are the same’ “What I like about Trinseo is that we make plastics and materials that are used in everyday products: in cars or household appliances, and the adhesive under your carpet... We’re continuously developing new products and devising new solutions for new applications,” says Jordy Boeijkens (28).

Jordy graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Breda in 2014 and then joined Trinseo in the analytical laboratory for the Technical Services & Development department.

He became increasingly interested in moving out of the lab and into the factory itself, to In 2013, a former colleague asked Rob to join work in a team developing products and Trinseo’s Technology Center, which works on processes. That required him to gain more further process improvements for factories all qualifications, but that’s no problem at Trinseo. over the world. Trinseo had officially separated Alongside his job, he studied for a master’s from Dow just a couple of years earlier so Rob in Chemical Engineering at KU Leuven in the noticed little change in terms of his colleagues. evenings. It was hard work, but KU Leuven But there was one difference: “Trinseo is a young has a campus in Ghent, which is not far from Terneuzen. Besides that, the university offers and relatively small company in comparison.

As a result, there is more flexibility and the lines excellent support for remote learning, plus Trinseo itself gives employees lots of flexibility of communication are shorter so you tend in order to enable them to combine work and to have more say in decisions. That creates study. a different dynamic. My work still entails

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ens

Jordy Boeijk

Rob Sla

ngen

During the course at KU Leuven, his manager at Trinseo kept a close eye on how Jordy hoped to progress within the company. Trinseo has five factories in total, and Jordy visited each one of them for an interview and to get a clear picture of the opportunities. The HR department helped him during his fact-finding mission as well as with his CV and internal job applications.

“Everyone here is willing to help you if necessary. You just have to ask,” says Jordy.

Rob Slangen: “Trinseo is a dynamic and flexible company with short lines of communication and a culture of openness. The chemical industry is characterized by large-scale, big-budget projects. We work in small teams in which everyone can make an important contribution and you’re quickly given lots of responsibility. We’re dealing with hazardous materials and high investments. A small team means that you immediately see the effect of your own work. Besides that, the pace of innovation is high. At Trinseo, we’re currently working hard on sustainability. The energy transition is an important topic right now and it’s posing some tough challenges here, as is the recycling of engineering plastics and the depolymerization of polystyrene: how can we turn the plastic from yoghurt pots back into monomers so that they can be re-used to make new polystyrene? So there are lots of important challenges for new engineers to work on over the next 10 to 20 years. Trinseo offers some great opportunities for good team players who can also work autonomously.

It’s a small yet flexible company with plenty of prospects.”

Jordy Boeijkens: “For me too, Trinseo is an open, friendly and approachable company.

It’s transparent and clearly structured.

The five factories offer more than enough opportunities for your own learning and development, plus Trinseo has facilities in Belgium, Germany, the USA and Asia.

I also like the New Employee Network where all the young engineers can exchange ideas and learn from one another. I love the challenge of being a production engineer in a team working on new applications. No two days are the same. Our factory – the compounding plant – is new; it only opened in 2019.

In fact, I was there for the teething problems, and even that was a really valuable learning experience!”

Trinseo is a manufacturer of semifinished plastics, latex and rubber products. It has 17 production sites and 11 research laboratories.

Trinseo employs around 450 people at its site in Terneuzen. In June 2010, Dow Chemical divested four divisions worldwide which then continued as an independent company called Styron. The company went public in June 2014 and changed its name to Trinseo in February 2015.

Trinseo Netherlands B.V. Innovatieweg 14 4542 NH Hoek (Terneuzen) For details of all the opportunities, contact our Recruitment department: Trinseo HR +31 (0)115 - 23 82 31 jobapplication@trinseo.com

VDL ETG

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TAKE A HANDS-ON FOR APPROACH YOURSELF

AND FOR THE FUTURE

Made up of 107 different companies, VDL Groep offers career opportunities in almost every technological direction. Engineers can carve out their own path, not only within each individual VDL company but also by moving between the various companies in the group.

O

can have a huge effect in high-volume or high-value projects – and we have a lot of those here at VDL. It’s very inspiring to be able to contribute to that.”

ne company within VDL Groep is VDL ETG. It is focused on fundamental research, design, production, assembly and testing for customers’ mechatronics systems. VDL ETG is an international organization with facilities in the Netherlands, Switzerland, China, Singapore and the USA. VDL ETG’s customers are based in the semiconductor, solar, medical, science & technology, mechanization and analytical industries.

It’s a great way to get to know VDL better and also to figure out what kind of work you enjoy doing most.”

“VDL employees tend to be very hands-on with a strong technical background. Besides being skilled at calculations and suchlike, they have so much experience that they are also really good at predicting how something will work in practice. Everyone combines their extensive real-life experience with strong technical insight; I’ve noticed it so many times.

And they are all really helpful.”

“What really appealed to me was the chance to work abroad so early on in my career. VDL not only has companies all over the world, but also has programmes that place trainees on international projects. In fact, working abroad is a compulsory part of the traineeship.”

“For me, it’s important that my work is challenging; the outcome shouldn’t be predictable.

Besides that, there must be a good atmosphere and teamwork – people should be willing to help one another and the communication should run smoothly... and I definitely find all of those ingredients here! I’m really interested in the production process and above all how it can be optimized. Production optimization

“I can definitely recommend VDL to undergraduates and graduates from universities of technology. It offers a huge variety of projects – ranging from collaborative partnerships with small engineering companies aimed at developing a system within the space of four months, to long-running ten-year projects.

You can always find projects that match your areas of interest. It’s certainly diverse.”

Very broad traineeship

Miranda Looman studied in Delft, where she did a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design and a master’s in Mechanical Engineering, namely in Precision and Microsystems Engineering (PME) which is now known as High-Tech Engineering. Today, she works at VDL ETG as a management trainee.

“The traineeship is very broad and you largely shape it yourself. I indicated that I have a strong affinity with manufacturing and development, so I started out in the Technology & Development department. In the near future I’ll be moving across to the Parts department, where I will be supporting the introduction of robotic welding in the factory. That shows how diverse it can be here. You can decide which next step you want to take based on the choice of projects that are available.

Mirand

a Loom

an

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 Tim and Miranda with The BEAST – a research project in collaboration with TU/e. The BEAST measures various types of seals to check for contamination suppression: the seal’s ability to keep out particles and molecular contamination under various pressure regimes.

Working on the future

Tim Meeles did his master’s in Industrial and Applied Mathematics in Eindhoven, in combination with Econometrics in Tilburg (Quantitative Finance & Actuarial Science).

He did his graduation assignment in the research department of TNO in The Hague.

“But I didn’t see a future for myself in research.

My supervisor at TNO advised me to try and get a job at a high-tech company in Eindhoven after completing my studies. Otherwise I might miss the window of opportunity, because the technological developments move so fast that you can’t get on board later. I signed up to join VDL ETG before I’d even graduated.”

“I’m doing a management traineeship at VDL. I was particularly attracted by how much freedom you’re given: you really can carve out your own path during the two-year programme, and I was really keen to go abroad. I spent nine months of last year working for VDL in Switzerland. The opportunity to gain international experience at such a young age really appealed to me. Actually, working

abroad is a compulsory part of the traineeship.

My time in Switzerland enabled me to learn a lot and also grow as a person, so it was really beneficial.”

“VDL is very results-oriented. Everyone adds value here. At the same time, if you want something you can make it happen. You have

Tim M

eeles

Made up of 107 different businesses and with around 15,000 employees, VDL Groep is one of the biggest family-owned companies in the Netherlands. Thanks to the large degree of freedom and autonomy you receive at VDL, you benefit from the chance to increase both the breadth and depth of your development within the VDL companies at home and abroad.

If you have a passion for technology, are looking for a friendly atmosphere and love a no-nonsense approach, find out more about VDL.

lots of opportunities here as long as you show initiative. VDL puts a high value on internal progression of its employees, and it values its people too. For example, while I was working in Switzerland there was an important family event back at home and the company paid for my flight so that I could fly back for the weekend. VDL is a family-owned company, so obviously family is important.”

“VDL ETG is simply fantastic because it makes such unique products. We work together with all the high-tech companies in and around Eindhoven. We produce so many critical components that we really make a meaningful contribution to everyday life for lots of people...

In Almelo, for example, we’re involved medical devices that can target cancerous cells with much more precision, and we’re also working with ASML to develop a new machine that will be used in the production of the very latest smartphones. It’s really exciting! But the bottom line is that I love it here most because of all the opportunities that are available.”

VDL Groep Hoevenweg 1 5652 AW Eindhoven Tel.: +31 (0)40 - 292 50 66 www.vdlgroep.com www.werkenbijvdl.nl To find out more about VDL Groep, contact Ellen Op Heij: Tel.: +31 (0)40 – 292 50 66 recruitment@vdl.nl

VIRO

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 Jan Truijen.

PROJECTEN IN ALLE TECHNISCHE RICHTINGEN Waar kun je jouw kennis het beste in de praktijk gaan inzetten? Voor afgestudeerden die nog zoeken naar het antwoord is een ingenieursbureau een prachtige oplossing.

Zoals VIRO, gewaardeerd partner voor veel vooraanstaande bedrijven in de techniek.

VIRO biedt vele diverse projecten en mooie mogelijkheden om jezelf als engineer verder te ontwikkelen.

J

an Truijen (25) is junior engineer II op de afdeling Engineering Analysis bij VIRO in Echt. “Wij zijn de berekeningsafdeling binnen VIRO, we werken intern ook voor de andere afdelingen.”

Jan studeerde Werktuigbouwkunde in Eindhoven, met specialisatie Mechanics of Materials. In oktober 2019 voltooit hij zijn master. “Tijdens mijn afstuderen heb ik veel gecodeerd. Ik was naast programmeren vooral geïnteresseerd in 3D-printing en ‘femmen’, het berekenen van sterkten (via de finite element method). Gedurende mijn studie heb ik al bedrijfslunches bezocht om de markt te leren kennen, en ook vrienden en docenten leverden veel informatie over verschillende bedrijven. In mijn selectie heb ik vooral gekeken welke bedrijven allemaal met bijzondere, unieke, uitdagende projecten bezig zijn, zoals in het TV- programma Extreme Engineering; en daarnaast wilde ik graag werken in het gebied tussen Eindhoven en Sittard.”

MAART 2021  CARRIÈRE MAGAZINE VAN DE

Megastructures “Ik hoorde voor het eerst over VIRO bij een bedrijfslunch; ik wist alleen dat het een ingenieursbureau is.

Op een vacaturewebsite zag ik dat een FEM-analist werd gevraagd, de richting waarin ik wilde werken.

De eerste contacten liepen via het hoofdkantoor in Hengelo. Daarna kreeg ik hier in Echt pas een goede indruk van VIRO, tijdens een gesprek met het afdelingshoofd Engineering Analysis. Hij kon mij vertellen hoe het hier werkt, welke projecten er allemaal lopen en wat de mogelijkheden zijn. Wat me daarbij vooral opviel was de ontspannen manier van werken en de manier waarop je heel zelfstandig aan de slag kunt. Zelf hou ik erg van coole, gave, grote en uitdagende engineering projecten, zoals achtbanen, dijken, de palmeiland-projecten in Dubai, de megastructures... Natuurlijk zijn dat showcases die eruit springen, maar in de presentatie van VIRO kwamen verschillende voorbeelden voorbij, en die maakten indruk.”

Vertrouwen in medewerkers “Wat voor mij direct goed voelde was de klik die ik had met de afdeling en het vertrouwen dat in medewerkers wordt gesteld met betrekking tot je eigen planning en dagindeling. Je krijgt meteen verantwoordelijkheid over je eigen werk. Bovendien biedt VIRO de mogelijkheid om je eigen onderzoeksvoorstellen in te dienen. Natuurlijk moet dat aansluiten bij de vraag van klanten, maar de ruimte voor je eigen verbreding is er zeker en ook dat sprak me erg aan.”

“VIRO is een hechte club, waarin ik het goed naar mijn zin heb. Wij werken vooral aan het modelleren en engineeren van projecten van andere bedrijven.

We hebben bijvoorbeeld geen eigen productie. Wél werken we hier aan uitdagende projecten voor zowel kleine bedrijven die geen eigen FEManalisten in dienst hebben als voor grote bedrijven die werkzaamheden uitbesteden. Het is die afwisseling in projecten die het werken hier zo leuk maakt.”

Team met VIRO-collega’s VIRO werkt voor klanten in verschillende disciplines: Machinebouw, Industriële Projecten, Projectmanagement, Engineering Analysis, Routing... Soms loopt een project twee maanden, soms duurt het vier jaar. Als engineer bij VIRO kun je zelf kiezen op welke projecten je wilt worden ingezet.

De locatie van de werkzaamheden wordt in overleg met klant en medewerker vastgesteld; bij de klant in huis, bij VIRO op kantoor of afwisselend naar behoefte.

Jan Truijen: “VIRO is een ingenieursbureau. Dat is echt iets anders dan een detacherings- of uitzendbureau, waarbij je wordt uitgezonden. Sommige van mijn collega’s werken ook wel op de locatie van de klant om zo’n bedrijf te helpen bij opdrachten waarvoor ze de capaciteit of kennis niet zelf in huis hebben. Ik maak mijn berekeningen voor projecten voor klanten, maar ik werk in een team van zo’n vijftien VIRO-collega’s.”

Vind je bij VIRO ook voldoende mogelijkheden om jezelf te blijven ontwikkelen?

“Ja, juist doordat je de mogelijkheid hebt om je eigen ideeën in te brengen en je eigen richting te bepalen. Binnen VIRO kun je ook binnen de vestiging op andere afdelingen gaan werken, als je dat zou willen, maar ook binnen de afdeling kun je jezelf ontwikkelen. Veel van mijn collega’s zijn na enkele jaren al snel doorgegroeid.”

Welk soort mensen zoekt VIRO? “Het is altijd goed als je een beetje kritisch bent, en een eigen mening hebt. Mensen die niet bang zijn om een eigen standpunt in te nemen. Kritisch op je eigen werk, maar ook je mening durven geven over het werk van anderen, en niet bang zijn om kritiek te krijgen. Je werkt aan een eigen project, maar je werkt ook in een team. Omgekeerd geeft VIRO je de gelegenheid om je eigen weg te volgen, je eigen tijd in te delen en te werken aan je eigen ontwikkeling. Die vrijheid en het vertrouwen, dat vind ik erg fijn!”

VIRO is een multidisciplinair ingenieursbureau, gespecialiseerd in projectmanagement en engineering. Onze klanten doen een beroep op onze hulp bij uitdagende industriële engineeringprojecten.

Onze kantoren in Nederland, België en Duitsland hebben meer dan 750 mensen in dienst die wereldwijd werken aan projecten in de aerospace, attractiebouw, automotive, defensie, energie, food, industrie & utiliteitsbouw, machinebouw, evenals in de maritieme sector, procesindustrie en semiconductor-industrie.

Bij VIRO zijn we geïnteresseerd in ingenieurs in procestechnologie, industrieel ontwerp, elektrotechniek, automobieltechnologie, bouwkunde, mechatronica en werktuigbouwkunde.

VIRO vestiging Echt Newtonweg 3 6101 WX Echt pszuid@viro-group.com +31 475 850 900 careers.viro-group.com

 VIRO vestiging Echt.

SUMMARIES

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Working on statistics about society Statistics Netherlands (CBS) employs around 2,000 people across its two locations: in Heerlen and The Hague. CBS is seeking graduates from various disciplines. “It’s an innovative organization.

My immediate colleagues have a lot of knowledge about research and analysis methods and are very focused on both the results and the technology,” explains Sigrid van Hoek, a methodologist at CBS. Sigrid van Hoek did her bachelor’s in Econometrics (economics, logistics) in Rotterdam. She then went to Eindhoven to do her master’s in Industrial and Applied Mathematics, with a specialization in Statistics, Probability & Operational Research (SPOR). She is particularly interested in probability.

“We have a lot of very knowledgeable people working here. There are sufficient possibilities to do research.

CBS gathers and analyses huge volumes of data and produces publications on numerous aspects of Dutch society, such as the economy, healthcare and mobility. That gives my work societal relevance, which is important to me.”

“I can definitely recommend working at CBS. There are so many enthusiastic researchers here, with a lot of expertise. You can learn a lot and also grow and evolve. The work is interesting and there’s a wide range of terrific projects for you to choose from, with a high degree of societal relevance.” www.werkenbijhetcbs.nl

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Projects in all facets of technology Where is the best place to put your knowledge into practice?

For graduates who are still looking for the answer to that question, an engineering firm – such as VIRO, a respected partner to many leading technology companies – is the ideal solution.

Jan Truijen (25) is a Junior Engineer II in the Engineering Analysis department at VIRO in Echt. “VIRO is a very close-knit company where I feel right at home. We’re mainly focused on modelling and engineering projects for other companies. Although we don’t manufacture anything ourselves, we do work on challenging projects – both for smaller companies who don’t have their own analysts and for large clients that outsource activities to us. The wide variety of projects is one of the great things about working here.”

VIRO is a multidisciplinary engineering firm specialized in project management and engineering. Our clients enlist our help with challenging industrial engineering projects. We employ over 750 people across our offices in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, and they work on international projects in markets including aerospace, amusement attractions, automotive, defence, energy, food, industrial & non-residential construction, mechanical engineering, offshore, the processing industry and the semiconductor industry.

At VIRO we’re interested in hearing from engineers in process technology, industrial design, electrotechnics, automotive technology, civil engineering, mechatronics and mechanical engineering. careers.viro-group.com

Articles not included in these summaries are entirely in English.

MAART 2021  CARRIÈRE MAGAZINE VAN DE

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Dutch government

Technology to improve society The Dutch government offers excellent career opportunities for specialists in all areas of technology. Thanks to a new partnership between the government and higher education institutions, it also provides an ever-growing number of interesting and socially relevant internships, practical assignments and graduation assignments for students in higher education.

Working on sustainable real estate Anna Golubovska studied Architecture in Delft. “I joined an architectural firm in early 2018. Whereas you mainly learn conceptual things at university, in just over a year there I learned a huge amount about the practical and technical aspects. Then in September 2019 I moved to the government’s Real Estate Agency (Rijksvastgoedbedrijf/RVB).”

“RVB’s work is shaped by a clear vision: how can we manage the buildings that are public property and how can we design the surroundings?

The organization has ambitious goals: energy-neutral construction, sustainability first and circularity. Here within the government, they are not just hollow promises – everything is laid down in policies. And that’s what I want – to work alongside other young people on a sustainable future for the Netherlands.”

Digital partnership You can start contributing to a strong digital future and effective digital services for the Netherlands while you are still a student thanks to the I-Partnerschap initiative: a collaborative partnership between the government and higher education that was set up last year.

This structural partnership stimulates joint education and research through internships, group assignments, professorships, doctoral research and innovation labs. For example, Diederik Abbing is part of a working group at the Social Insurance Bank (Sociale Verzekeringsbank/SVB) involved in making the DigiD digital identity system more accessible for older people, and Sjoerd Schepers is conducting research for Rijkswaterstaat into how to improve the predictability of demand peaks for ecological management. www.werkenvoornederland.nl

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