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Even voorstellen TU/e MY FUTURE EUFLEX TECHNIFICENT ASML CANON CBS FLANDERS MAKE NOBLEO PUNCH POWERTRAIN SAI 4TU SIOUX THERMO FISHER TNO TRINSEO VDL ETG VDL ETS VIRO
SPECIALE UITGAVE VAN SLASH
MAGAZINE VAN DE TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT EINDHOVEN IN SAMENWERKING MET EUFLEX / TECHNIFICENT
MO ARTI ST IN EN CLES GLIS H
the
next step
in your career
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ASML
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Introduction
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MyFuture.tue.nl
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EuFlex Technificent
CANON
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CBS
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FLANDERS MAKE
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NOBLEO
PUNCH POWERTRAIN 22
SAI 4TU
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SIOUX
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THERMO FISHER
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TNO
TRINSEO
VDL ETG
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VDL ETS
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VIRO
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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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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
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Jules Vaes – Chairman of Wervingsdagen
A promising future We are living in strange times. Only a few months ago, we could go almost anywhere without worrying about restrictions. A little while after that, we found ourselves in yet another lockdown. Fortunately, this lockdown has recently ended, and let’s hope it was our last. We at Wervingsdagen are excited about what’s coming because this year’s Career Expo will be offline again! The future certainly looks promising! The past two years have been hard for everyone. Sadly, Wervingsdagen bears the title of the first major event that has been cancelled in the Netherlands because of the spreading coronavirus. This has been a hard blow for everyone involved. We have all been forced to reshape and rethink the life we were so accustomed to. Everyone had to crawl behind a monitor and work at home. Just like most of our education, the Wervingsdagen events of last academic year also had to take place online. These hardships make it tough to look further; to dream about what your future might hold. Jules Vaes (in the middle).
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Do not lose sight of your destiny, though! As an upcoming engineer, you certainly have a bright future ahead of you, but it requires some preparation. Preparation can come in all shapes and sizes. You could visit over 170 intriguing companies and approximately 50 start-ups and student teams at the Career Expo. Stop by a stand and learn more about that one company you have been thinking about for years or stumble upon a brand-new one that might be even more interesting. The various Wervingsdagen events can assist you in developing your personal and professional skills, expanding your network, and even in finding your dream job. These events are not the only way to prepare yourself for your career. For instance, a reason I have started a board year at Wervingsdagen is to learn more about working in a professional environment. However, the coronavirus has forced me to develop myself in some unexpected ways. For example, you cannot control the imposed corona regulations, but you can control how you deal with them. The key here is to stay positive and look for the best solutions. If you stick to these lessons, good things will follow. This has definitely been the case for us at Wervingsdagen. For this reason, we are proud to say that the Career Expo of 2022 on the 15th and 16th of March will be offline again! We cannot wait to meet you there.
Jules Vaes Chairman
About Wervingsdagen Wervingsdagen is a foundation founded by the study associations of the TU/e to provide students with career orientation and professional development. We do this by organizing three major events every year. Our first event, the Skill Sessions, is a workweek full of trainings and workshops that help you develop yourself on a personal and professional level. The next edition of the Skill Sessions will take place from the 12th until the 16th of December 2022. On the 15th and 16th of March, we organize the Career Expo, the largest technical career fair in the Netherlands. This year, we host over 170 companies and approximately 50 start-ups and student teams! We are excited to welcome you this year to an offline Career Expo! Our last event of this academic year is the Interviewing Days. From the 9th until the 12th of May, you have the opportunity to meet with recruiters face-to-face and have in-depth conversations with them. Bond with companies over lunch or dinner or get some hands-on experience by working on a company case. Find out more about this event at the Career Expo! For questions, feel free to mail me! chairman@wervingsdagen.nl
MYFUTURE.TUE.NL
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Get a head start towards
a future-proof career The path leading from your studies towards your future career is diverse and full of life- changing decisions. It is vital to know how to achieve your goals and aspirations, luckily we are there to help. To make career and skills development more accessible and visible for students, all career organizations and associations at the TU/e are brought together under one umbrella: The MyFuture collective.
You can find everything related to career and skills development right there, on the MyFuture platform. The website provides an overview of all career-related activities that could help you to work towards a bright future. Your study association is also part of MyFuture, but also Career Academy & SkillsLab, Integrand, UniPartners and many more, so there is plenty to choose from! Wervingsdagen Each year Wervingsdagen organizes the largest technical career events in the Netherlands. Develop yourself both personally and professionally during the Skill Sessions. There is surely something for everyone with a wide variety of workshops given by professional trainers! Discover over 170 companies eager to get in touch with you at the Career Expo. The connections made during this event are very useful for the Interviewing Days, the final event organized by Wervingsdagen. Find your dream job by having one-on-one interviews with companies. Every year a group of motivated students organizes these events for you, and we are looking forward to welcoming you to our next events!
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Protagoras Protagoras is the study association of Biomedical Engineering at the TU Eindhoven. Among others, we also organize career activities for our students for we believe it is very important for students to prepare themselves for the future while still studying. By showcasing multiple different companies, our students are able to form a clear picture of all the possibilities. In our experience, students who participate in career-related activities have a better idea of what they want to pursue after graduation. At Biomedical Engineering for example, there are a lot of specializations to choose from. Career activities can give students insight into which field appeals to them the most, so going to these activities also helps students to make choices during their bachelor and master phases. Besides the knowledge of a student about his/her career opportunities, it is also important to develop soft skills like how to approach a company. Therefore we also organize multiple training opportunities, like Photoshop, LaTeX, and acquisition training. Every chance you get to learn will help you on the path to your dream job and we hope to help our members with this journey! Are you ready for the next step in your career and skills development? Visit myfuture.tue.nl for an overview of all career activities the TU/e has to offer. It is smart to already start working on your career, even if you are not actively searching for a job or internship yet. Just getting your name out there and getting into contact with interesting companies can already give you a head start towards your future!
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EUFLEX TECHNIFICENT
Find your dream job during your study EuFlex Technificent is a full subsidiary of TU/e. We match TU/e students with the (technical) industry. Our goal is to help students with relevant work experience that matches their studies. Based on a defined candidate profile, we look for clients/partners where your knowledge and talent will be put to the best use. If we find a match, we will be happy to assist you through the whole process.
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Menno is a master’s student in mechanical engineering and has been working at SmartQare for 2 years Smartqare is a startup developing a wearable device for elderly care. It replaces the stationary alternatives found in hospitals, allowing the elderly to take it home wirelessly. Right now, Menno’s role is preparing tests for the device, but he has switched roles several times to learn what he likes best. Because it is a small company, he sees his individual contribution reflected in the end result. Menno is not the only
working student in the company, he has several students as colleagues, but also colleagues with a lot of experience. He likes the atmosphere very much and often hangs out with his colleagues after work. What he likes most about this side job? The things you learn will be useful when you finish your studies. For the whole interview, visit EuFlex.nl/student
What kind of student jobs does EuFlex Technificent offer?
Scan to see all our vacancies!
EuFlex.nl/student
EuFlex Technificent offers a great range of different student jobs at companies near by. This goes from a junior construction consultant/developer position to a vacancy for a cloud/infrastructure engineer. But EuFlex Technificent is also your place to go if you want to be a student assistant at a TU/e course or gain industry experience in the role of a young data science professional. And even if you just want to work short-term (e.g. helping at MomenTum) we have vacancies for you! Check them out at EuFlex.nl/Student.
Just graduated? EuFlex Technificent also offers full time positions at technically renowned companies. Are you (almost) finished with your studies and looking for your first job? We will help you find the right starter job! Feel free to visit us, or give us a call!
EuFlex.nl/student
technificent@tue.nl
+31 (0)40 247 8080
@EuFlexTechnificent
ASML
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Be part of progress, at ASML At ASML, they believe that semiconductor technology is a force for good. It improves how we live, work and play, and it helps to solve some of society’s toughest challenges. The drive for innovation is shared by ASML’s employees; they are given responsibility and the freedom to do whatever they believe can make a difference. Demi Romkens
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SML produces some of the most advanced machines in the world as well as the software needed to operate them. The company is continually pushing the boundaries. Its team of specialists includes mechanical engineers, electronics engineers, computer scientists, mathematicians and physicists. Every day, they face the challenge of making the impossible possible. Demi Romkens (26) started working at ASML in 2021 after graduating from TU Eindhoven with a master’s in applied physics, with a specialization in nanoscience & technology. She applied for a vacancy at ASML while she was still in the final phase of her master’s and she immediately felt a strong click with the company: “To be honest I didn’t know much about ASML, apart from at a general level, but I soon sensed that I would be able to put the knowledge I’d gained during my master’s into
practice here. I didn’t have that same feeling at other companies. Although ASML is a really big company, you work in small teams. I really like the fact that the people in my team are relatively young, plus it’s inspiring to see other young people having achieved so much after just two years here. That give me the confidence to think that I could do the same.” Just like a startup “A colleague once said to me, ‘ASML is still a startup in a corporate jacket,’ and I think that sums up how we work. The development of a new design (for a new machine, new software, etc.) is divided up among various small teams. You work in sprints of approximately two weeks so that you keep taking small steps in the design process and receive timely feedback. Eventually the work of the various teams is combined and tested, and you get to see the initial results.”
“At ASML, I’m learning on the job. There’s such a huge amount of knowledge and expertise here that you’re constantly learning – such as about the calibration of the projection box, which is a real-life application of abstract mathematics.” Employee well-being In Demi’s opinion, does ASML live up to its reputation for treating its employees well? “Firstly, there is an atmosphere of respect and mutual trust here, and you’re given the freedom and responsibility to do a good job. Employees are free to experiment in order to find out for themselves what works best for them. Before I arrived I thought I’d feel a little like an intern for my first year, but it was actually very different from an internship right from the start. You still need to learn a lot, of course, but you imme diately feel that people take you seriously. They ask for your opinion or for help with a
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Technical Graduate Programme problem and give you positive feedback on your suggestions. You’re immediately involved in complex issues. To be honest, you’re thrown in at the deep end – but there’s always someone around to help you. And as I mentioned, your contribution is always appreciated and valued.” “Secondly, ASML is under considerable pressure in the industry, and of course the company wants to keep pushing the boundaries of physics, but it doesn’t pass that pressure on to its engineers. Instead the product owner takes care to ensure that, as a team, we do what we can within our capacity. And thirdly, there’s a culture of openness. You’re regularly reminded that you can say whatever is on your mind – whether it’s about your safety or your concerns, or if something is making you feel uncomfortable. I’m really pleased that this receives so much attention. ASML really does care about its employees.” Onboarding In fact, the focus on employee well-being is apparent right from the start of your career, according to Demi: “The onboarding process is really well organized. In your first year you attend an onboarding day once a month. You hear a lot of new information and get to meet other new arrivals. There’s also a good
Throughout her first year at ASML, Demi is participating in the company’s Technical Graduate Programme. This means that, besides having her own job, she also regularly attends various sessions aimed at helping her to get to know the company better and find her feet in her role. Demi: “The nice thing about applying for the programme is that it’s not an intensive process. As a new graduate you’re not up against ‘experienced’ candidates, and the managers who interview you understand that there’s no point in asking about your professional experience or what you can bring to the company. You often work together with various other recent graduates during the programme, and even though you’re new, you don’t feel that people treat you any differently or value you less than anyone else.”
For more information about the programme, scan the QR code:
buddy system and there are lots of training courses of both a technical and non-technical nature. Everything has been carefully designed to help you settle in as smoothly as possible. And last but not least, new graduates can qualify for faster pay rises in their early years, plus your manager will actively encourage you to take some time off now and again.” “From a technical perspective, working at
ASML is very challenging, but you learn so much that you can also see it as an extension of your studies. I like the fact that you can put your theoretical knowledge into practice in your work; it’s very rewarding. For me, ASML is a very nice place to work. It’s definitely not overwhelming, even though it can seem very big and imposing to an outsider.”
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 multi national company with over 60 locations in 16 countries and regions and annual net sales of €18.6 billion in 2021. Behind ASML’s innovations are engineers who think ahead. Our researchers, engineers and manufacturing specialists, as well as our high-tech hardware and software, all work at the edge of what’s possible. That’s why our customers include all the world’s leading chipmakers. Because ASML spends €2.5 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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Working together on multi-disciplinary high-tech projects
Jeroen Cox.
Canon Production Printing produces high-end printers for the graphic design industry. It also develops most of the components itself, which makes Canon Production Printing an extremely interesting place to work. The company offers its employees a large and varied choice of projects involving multiple disciplines.
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eroen Cox followed up his bachelor’s in biomedical technology with a master’s in mechanical engineering. “I chose that direction for my master’s because of the technological depth and also the more technical subjects. My specialization was in power & flow, which is about fluid dynamics and Energy Technology.” After completing his master’s, he joined Canon Production Printing in August 2019. He already knew the company quite well because his father had been with Canon (which was called Océ at the time) for over 30 years. As a result, Jeroen had regularly worked at Canon Production Printing parttime during school holidays as a teenager. He initially worked in the warehouse, but as a student he eventually progressed to a more relevant part-time role in the Production Engineering department. Nevertheless, he decided to do his internship at Tetra Pak
in Sweden, and to do his graduation project at TU/e itself: “I briefly considered doing a PhD, but I soon realized that I wanted to start working instead.” Attracted by large R&D department Jeroen started exploring the job market during his graduation phase and various companies approached him through LinkedIn. He attended several interviews, including at Canon Production Printing. He ultimately decided to accept a role in Venlo, where Canon Production Printing produces a wide variety of printers for the graphic design industry, such as cut-sheet, roll-to-roll and flatbed printers, for use with paper and many other types of materials. “I’ve now been working here for two years and I know for sure that I made the right choice. I thought about it very carefully at the time, though. The deciding factor for me was that the role at Canon
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Production Printing was specifically in the R&D department, and that it’s such a big department. As a result, there are lots of opportunities open to you, both in terms of your own development and the wide choice of projects. Here, I have a steady flow of opportunities to work on new and different projects or to move to a different department. And such a huge R&D department within a big company also means that things are more technically advanced, so I’m really in my element here.” Positive atmosphere However, the high-tech environment was not the only reason why Jeroen chose Canon Production Printing. “While working here part-time, I’d already noticed how friendly everyone was. There’s a very positive atmos phere and people are always willing to help you. You just have to ask! You’re expected to take the initiative; your colleagues don’t constantly check whether you need anything, but as soon as you ask they are immediately open to giving you a helping hand. And if they can’t help you themselves, they point you in the direction of someone who can. I really like that approachability here, the sense that we’re all just regular people.”
in a different role from one project to the next. You always have a say in that, based on your personal preferences and what kind of manpower is needed for the specific project. If you want to go into the more structural side of mechanical engineering or perhaps want to do something completely different, you can feel free to make it known. I’ve been at Canon Production Printing for two years now and I’m currently working on my third project, but projects can sometimes take longer. My first project was aligned with my master’s specialization which helped me to settle in.” Company culture “The company culture is based on lots of freedom. You can largely shape your own role. You have a set task – an assignment – but as a mechanical designer you decide for yourself how you want to tackle it. That’s quite a big responsibility, but I really like that. Additionally, the projects are multi-disciplinary so you work together with lots of different types of people and a mix of specialists and generalists. Everyone works on a particular function of the printer. Those dynamics are what make
Canon Production Printing such a great employer, in my opinion.” In parallel with his job, Jeroen is also a graduation assignment coordinator so he is the ideal person to explain the numerous advantages of working at Canon Production Printing to master’s students. “I can definitely strongly recommend Canon Production Printing to students from many different backgrounds: mechanical engineering, chemistry, physics, electrical engineering, software... I can’t think of many industries in which so many different disciplines come together in a single project or product. Here, you see product development from beginning to end, including your own contributions to a new product. You also see the assembly process right through to the final working product. Then there’s the huge technical complexity of the machines, which involve so many in-depth aspects of multidisciplinary technology. And last but not least, the whole of Canon Production Printing is focused on a collaborative team-based and project-based approach, which creates lots of interaction in your work.”
Own development “Your meetings with your direct manager are also very open. For example, you can say that you’d like to work on the other side of mechanical engineering in a future phase, or that you want to look beyond R&D… you can talk to your manager about anything. We rotate through the projects here, working
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 technical document systems.
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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CBS zoekt veelzijdig talent voor onderzoek en IT Het CBS is voortdurend op zoek naar nieuwe medewerkers op WO- en HBO-niveau voor onderzoek en IT. Ook gedurende de coronaperiode vindt er volop instroom van nieuw personeel plaats. Voor deze doelgroep ziet het dagelijkse werk er echter anders uit dan normaal, omdat thuiswerken centraal staat door de pandemie. Collega’s ontmoeten gebeurt voornamelijk tijdens digitale zoommeetings. Patrick van der Reijden en Maaike van Voorthuizen vertellen over hun ervaringen.
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atrick van der Reijden studeerde in januari 2020 af in de econometrie. Vlak daarna brak de coronapandemie uit. ‘Ik wilde eerst het einde van de coronaperiode afwachten, maar toen het steeds langer ging duren besloot ik op zoek te gaan naar een baan. Ik heb voor mijn master een data science onderzoek gedaan aan de Erasmus Universiteit en dat vind ik interessant. Het lag dus voor de hand om bij het CBS te kijken naar vacatures.’ Een functie waarbij het analyseren van satellietbeelden centraal staat trok zijn aandacht. ‘Helaas was die vacature al vervuld, maar via de talentpool van het CBS kon ik aan de slag bij het team demografie als statistisch onderzoeker.’ Zoommeeting Op zijn eerste werkdag bij het CBS op 1 februari 2021 werd Van der Reijden op het vrijwel uitgestorven CBS-kantoor ontvangen en wegwijs gemaakt door twee collega’s. Op zijn tweede werkdag kon hij gelijk thuis aan de slag. ‘De mogelijkheid om thuis te kunnen werken heeft het CBS goed geregeld. Twee tot drie keer per week is er gelegenheid voor een sociaal praatje via zoom met de medewerkers uit mijn team. Daardoor leer ik ze goed kennen en voel ik me bij hen thuis. Ook het algemene inwerkprogramma
Patrick van der Reijden.
Fotografie: Sjoerd van der Hucht. Tekst: Miriam van der Sangen.
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van het CBS is leerzaam. Door middel van opdrachten leer je het CBS beter kennen. Zo heb ik met een aantal nieuwe collega’s de impact onderzocht van een CBS-nieuwsbericht dat negatief in de media verschijnt.’ Bevolkingsprognose Van der Reijden houdt zich bij het team demografie onder andere bezig met aanvullend statistisch onderzoek om specifieke vragen van overheden te beantwoorden. ‘Ik bouw analysebestanden voor interne en externe partijen. Provincies en gemeenten bijvoorbeeld willen gegevens hebben die niet in de CBS database StatLine staan. Ik ga op zoek naar die data en analyseer ze. Dat is een goede manier om snel feeling met de cijfers te krijgen.’ De econometrist heeft het erg naar zijn zin in zijn baan en voelt zich gewaardeerd. ‘Ik wil me verder verdiepen in de demografische data. Daarnaast vind ik programmeren interessant. Ook houd ik mij bezig met de bevolkingsprognose. Daar komt mijn econometriestudie goed bij van pas.’ Toevoegen aan de maatschappij Maaike van Voorthuizen werkt sinds juni 2021 als applicatie developer bij de IT-afdeling van het CBS. Zij heeft een bachelor international businessadministration gedaan aan de Erasmus Universiteit. In Londen behaalde ze haar master ontwikkelingseconomie. Ze maakte veel verre reizen en had interesse in een baan op het gebied van ontwikkelingssamenwerking of economie. Maar eerst wilde ze leren programmeren. ‘Ik heb toen bij AEGON gesolliciteerd en heb daar aan een centrale database gewerkt als AWS (Amazon Web Services) Phyton developer. Dat heb ik twee jaar met veel plezier gedaan, maar ik wilde graag een baan waar ik meer kon toevoegen aan de maatschappij.’ Ze koos voor het CBS. Consumentenprijsindex Als applicatie developer front end werkt Van Voorthuizen op dit moment aan een applicatie om de consumentenprijsindex te berekenen, ook wel CPI genoemd. Dat is één van de belangrijkste cijfers van het CBS. Het geeft maandelijks weer hoe de gemiddelde prijsstijging is van de goederen en diensten die door consumenten worden gekocht. ‘Het is heel leuk werk, maar heel anders dan wat ik bij AEGON deed. Dat betekent dat ik veel moet bijleren en bijvoorbeeld andere programmeertalen onder de knie moet zien te krijgen. Bij vragen kan ik een beroep doen op mijn teamleden. Verder bestaat de mogelijkheid cursussen te volgen, maar het merendeel van de tijd moet ik zelf veel uitzoeken.’ Ook Van Voorthuizen werkt vooral vanuit thuis. Alleen de eerste werkdag was ze op kantoor.
Maaike van Voorthuizen.
Bewuste keuze De IT-specialist vertelt dat één van de redenen waarom zij graag bij het CBS wil werken de goede secundaire arbeidsvoorwaarden zijn. Denk bijvoorbeeld aan flexibele werktijden, voldoende ruimte voor persoonlijke en professionele ontwikkeling en de mogelijkheid om parttime te werken. ‘Bij het CBS heb ik een parttime baan voor 4 dagen in de week. Dat is een bewuste keuze, want ik heb een opleiding tot surfinstructeur gevolgd. Twee dagen in de week geef ik surfles. Een mooie combinatie met het IT-werk bij het CBS. Het programmeren is individualistisch en ik zit veel achter mijn computer thuis. Met surfen ben ik lekker buiten en actief bezig met mensen.’
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
FLANDERS MAKE
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Perfect match for applied science Just across the Belgian border, you’ll find one of the locations of Flanders Make, the Flemish research centre for applied research and innovation in products and processes. Close to Eindhoven, and offering a world of possibilities. After various jobs in the Netherlands, Ellen van Nunen joined Flanders Make. She explains why she loves working here.
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landers Make is the strategic research centre for the manufacturing industry in Flanders. From several establishments, Flanders Make stimulates open innovation through excellent research. It also works together with companies on customised innovations and offers a comprehensive range of infrastructure for testing and validating products and production processes. The aim is to contribute to the technological development of the vehicles, machines and factories of the future. Between university and industry Ellen van Nunen is project leader at Flanders Make in Lommel, just below Eindhoven. At the end of 2004, she received her Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics from TU/e. In 2005, she started working for Philips Electronic Design & Tools. In 2006, her
division joined the autonomisation of the semiconductors’ business unit under the name NXP. In 2007, she moved to TNO Automotive in Helmond, where she performed safety-related research into, amongst other things, human modelling and cooperative adaptive cruise control. In 2018, Ellen van Nunen started working for Flanders Make in Lommel, just below Eindhoven in Flanders “I already enjoyed performing research into autonomous vehicles at TNO and already knew Flanders Make from my time at NXP. A colleague had already told me great stories about it. As a strategic research centre, Flanders Make bridges the gap between universities and industry: that role also appealed a lot to me. At Flanders Make, we mainly focus on the digitalisation of the manufacturing industry, on the one hand by looking at how we can make production more efficient,
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and on the other by focusing on product optimisation. We work, for example, for the logistics and agricultural sector, and in my department we focus on autonomous driving with applications such as mobile robots or an autonomous tractor. We are currently working on a self-managing system for waste containers for the industry that is able to process different types of containers. This is quite a challenge because the system also has to work outdoors, where you have to deal with weather conditions and irregular surfaces, features that are very different from those of production areas.” Flanders Make is a non-profit organisation (‘vzw’). Many (production) companies are affiliated as members of Flanders Make, and they co-determine our policy. Half of the activities are set up as covenant research projects funded by government subsidies, the other half consists of assignments from companies, such as helping them to solve specific problems. Some 180 employees are working at the four locations in Lommel, Leuven, Kortrijk and Sint-Truiden, and about 450 researchers are working at the Flemish universities. Highly varied What makes working at Flanders Make so interesting for Ellen? “It is a very varied job, no day is the same. You work on many different projects and come into contact with many different industries and customers. In this way, you also get to know the different needs that exist in all these areas. And we act as a bridge between the universities – which are often working at a lower technology-readiness level – and the industry, which focuses on specific applications.
Here, we develop up to the stage of working prototypes. We demonstrate that a prototype works, after which it is further developed into a product by a manufacturer. It is exactly these steps from theory to a working demonstration version that I find most fascinating: when you drive a car that is controlled by your software and everything reacts as you had intended it, that is so gratifying!” “I started at Flanders Make as a researcher and then fairly quickly became a project leader. I am now also a ‘tech domain lead’, leading a team of my own that works on various autonomous mobility projects. I don’t program as much myself now, but it’s great to work with new colleagues who code in different languages than I do.” Values At Flanders Make, cooperation is one of the most important values, alongside efficiency and excellence beyond the state of the art. Showing appreciation for each other and good communication are important for such good cooperation. This cooperative team spirit enables you to work with your colleagues in both a customer-oriented and resultoriented way. In return, Flanders Make offers you numerous career opportunities in various areas of expertise. All of our locations also have their own specialisation, such as our Drone Port in Sint-Truiden, but drones are also used at the other locations; you can work in all specialisations from any of the four locations. Perfect match Ellen: “The open communication makes the atmosphere at Flanders Make very pleasant. You notice that everyone at meetings simply dares to say what they think. I can recommend everyone from TU Eindhoven to inquire about a job at Flanders Make. Recently, a beautiful connecting road between Eindhoven and Lommel has been built, which makes Flanders Make even more accessible.” “If you like challenges and variety, and if you want to find out which area of expertise suits you best, this is a great place. Especially for people who like demonstrations, showing that what you make actually works, Flanders Make is a perfect match.”
Flanders Make is the research centre for the manufacturing industry. Our specialised researchers work together on the latest technologies to improve machines and vehicles, optimise production systems and bring innovation into the design process of new products. This leads to, amongst other things: • autonomous vehicles and systems • smart, connected machines and production environments • innovative robot/cobot applications • high-tech research infrastructure Our offer: • A challenging job in which you can work together with experts in various domains and can use state-of-the-art infrastructure for autonomous systems, machine and vehicle dynamics, model-predictive control, data analytics and the development of software prototypes; • An open corporate culture with short communication lines; • Research within a multi-stakeholder context; • An enthusiastic, international team.
Flanders Make Oude Diestersebaan 133 Lommel, Belgium (30 min south of Eindhoven) Post your details on our job alert. https://jobs.flandersmake.be Do not hesitate to ask questions about our internships and jobs for researchers and young graduates: Liesbet.decuyper@flandersmake.be +32 16 910 614
NOBLEO TECHNOLOGY
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Exciting projects in a great atmosphere Engineering firm Nobleo Technology is specialized in software, mechatronics and mechanical solutions, with a focus on autonomous intelligent systems. Wouter Houtman first got to know Nobleo while doing his PhD in robotics and is in no doubt that he made the right choice.
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obleo Technology has been focused on talent development right from the start. Its engineers work both in-house and on customers’ premises. They create prototypes, whole mechatronics solutions from concept to prototype, and design small batch production systems. Nobleo’s customers can be divided
into two main groups: major players such as ASML, Philips, Bosch and SKF – i.e. big OEM customers who want to outsource some of their development activities – and start-ups with a good idea but who need a technology partner to help them turn it into reality.
Complete projects Wouter Houtman is a mechatronics engineer at Nobleo. “It’s a special kind of company. With around 70 employees, we’re relatively small and that creates a very nice atmosphere. Nobleo started out as a consultancy firm ten years ago, but nowadays we’re mainly focused on engineering. We still do some consultancy, but it tends to be combined with complete projects that we execute internally for customers. And that combination works really well too. If you initially get to know a customer’s company as a consultant, that can be beneficial when Nobleo later executes major projects for the same customer. That’s advantageous both for us as Nobleo and for our customers.” Wouter studied mechanical engineering at TU Eindhoven before completing his PhD in robotics. He got to know various Nobleo employees through a number of robotics projects during his studies and saw how enthusiastic they were about their work. He joined Nobleo himself in August 2021. He is currently deployed in a consultancy role at a start-up, where they are working on mirror steering for laser signals.
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Autonomous, intelligent and systems “Nobleo is interesting to me and many of my colleagues, both because we tackle a lot of projects in-house and because of the types of projects that we do. Take robotics, for example. There are only a couple of companies in Eindhoven working on that. Nobleo has three specializations: autonomous, intelligent and systems. Autonomous is about autonomous devices and robotics, such as our Waste Shark and the autonomous tractor. Intelligent relates to smart devices, and systems covers classic mechatronics.” “The atmosphere at Nobleo is very informal. Thanks to our size, the lines of communication are very short. You know almost all your colleagues personally and nearly everyone has the same attitude and way of thinking. The company itself does a lot to support that too. Even if you’re temporarily deployed at a customer, it’s important that you still feel part of the company. Another great thing about Nobleo is that you can always indicate what you want, in terms of projects and also your career; you can shape your future in both respects. They continuously look at what you yourself want to achieve, both in a project and in your next step. For example, one of my robotics colleagues is now working as an assistant professor at the university one day a week alongside his role at Nobleo. So there’s room to do things like that here. You just have to ask.”
Wouter Houtman.
“Personally, I love the fact that you can continuously work on different types of projects here and put your knowledge to good use for a huge variety of equipment. Thanks to the smaller scale of the company, your work is more likely to have a big impact on the result – much more so than when lots of people all work on the same machine.” “I find the personal aspect important at work too. It’s nice if you know one another, if you
can work well together and you can depend on each other. Effective interaction is one thing that defines Nobleo, in my opinion. What everyone here has in common is that they all want to be involved in exciting projects and that they are very enthusiastic about achieving results together. There’s a strong desire to ensure that things work not just in theory, but also in practice. I think that’s at the heart of it all.”
Nobleo Technology needs graduates with a background in software, mechanics or construction. We are seeking experienced software designers, mechanical engineers, system developers and vision experts. Besides that, at Nobleo Technology we are keen to hear from talented students from any other fields. You are more than welcome to contact us if you have good organizational skills and enjoy working together in a team of enthusiastic colleagues to solve problems and deliver new projects. You’ll find that we’re a great place to work.
autonomous | intelligent | systems
We are an international team of engineers, with one shared mission… to use our technology to make the world a healthier and safer place.
PUNCH POWERTRAIN PSA E-TRANSMISSIONS
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Working on the transmissions of the future together with enthusiastic and creative colleagues within a dynamic and innovative company that’s Punch Powertrain, in a nutshell. Punch is part of a global automotive giant, “but we’re still a very young company,” explain Can Çilli and Pieter Aerts.
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an Çilli (36) is Global Function Leader Digital Factory at Punch Powertrain in Eindhoven. He completed a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in Ankara and then moved to Eindhoven to do his master’s in systems & control under the guidance of Maarten Steinbuch. He chose Eindhoven because it’s where the cutting-edge technology is being developed. When he graduated in 2009, the financial crisis made it difficult to
DESIGNING THE NEXT STEP IN AUTOMOTIVE find a job. He worked at DAF for two years followed by two years at TNO Automotive. Then in 2014 he joined Punch Powertrain, which had just opened a location in Eindhoven. “Punch Powertrain was still very small back then and on the verge of new developments. What the company lacked in experience, it made up for in terms of energy and enthusiasm. Now, eight years on, Punch in Eindhoven has achieved strong growth and has matured. We’ve launched two major products in that time and we’re now operating on a much higher level as part of Stellantis, which was created by the merger of FCA and PSA in 2021. As a result, we can also move into North and South America in the future and start collaborating with huge OEMs.” Still a youthful company “When Punch had just opened here in Eind hoven, there were infinite opportunities. We were in the very early growth phase and anything was possible – you could take the initiative and do whatever you wanted. And that’s still the case today! Because Punch Powertrain is now part of an even bigger organization, the opportunities are still limitless. That’s what I love so much about Punch.
And we’re still a very young company here in Eindhoven. In the early days, the average age was around 29 and now it’s 37 because a lot of the same people are still with us, but we haven’t lost that youthful energy. We’re an agile and communicative company that is young at heart – pretty different from the major players in the German automotive industry.” “The fact that Punch is different can pose some challenges too. For example, I’m a manager now and that youthful enthusiasm can sometimes be tricky to manage. But on the other hand, we’re flexible and we achieve results quickly. When we have a plan, we discuss it, make a decision and get on with the project.” Hybrid and electric “In Asia, we’re currently launching the DT1, a conventional transmission which was largely developed at Punch in Eindhoven. Additionally, we’ve been focused on the development of two hybrid transmissions here in Eindhoven for a number of years. These are hybrid gearboxes which include the controls and electromotor as well as the gears. Our hybrid gearboxes will be included in the next generation of mild and plug-in hybrid cars from Peugeot, Citroen, Opel and Fiat.”
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“One really important aspect of Punch is the culture. Thanks to the flat organization, the atmosphere is very friendly; there are no big egos, which a lot of people appreciate. Another good thing about Punch is that you’re very closely involved in the product development process. You don’t learn much by being a small cog in a big machine, but here at Punch you’re in the thick of it, so you learn more and that’s better for your own future. I’d recommend anyone who has recently graduated to join a company like Punch.” Lots of variety and a broad range of opportunities Pieter Aerts is System Integrator at Punch. “During the development of the gearbox, new iterations of software and hardware continuously become available. As a system integrator, I ensure that the right configurations are integrated ready for testing. Additionally, I test all new software myself first to make sure that it’s compatible with all the other components and test equipment.”
You have to understand all the components of the gearbox and the test equipment in order to conduct the tests, which creates lots of variety in your work. It involves many different aspects: electrical engineering, hydraulics, mechanics, control systems and software... That’s typical of the work in the test department, where you’re more of a generalist, but at Punch there are plenty of roles for specialists too, of course.” Young and dynamic Pieter agrees that Punch Powertrain in Eind hoven is a young, dynamic and inspiring place
After gaining a bachelor’s degree in mecha tronics and completing his master’s in systems & control at TU/e in 2015, Pieter started looking for a job with lots of variety and a broad range of opportunities. Punch turned out to be the perfect match for him. “I already knew a number of people working at Punch and the company invited me for an interview while I was still doing my master’s. I found a suitable vacancy in the test department – a very broad role.
to work: “There’s a very sociable and collegial vibe. There can be considerable work pressure sometimes, of course, but we all pull together. There are 150 employees here in Eindhoven, and around 600 to 700 people work at our head office in Sint-Truiden. Punch has so much to offer recent graduates – and not only in Eindhoven and Belgium, because we’re part of a major group. But even so, we’ve still got the dynamism of a young and enthusiastic company. Come and see for yourself!”
Pieter Aerts and Can Çilli (right).
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 is spearheading 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
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4TU.SCHOOL FOR TECHNOLOGICAL DESIGN, STAN ACKERMANS INSTITUTE
After completing your master’s, are you keen to
PDEng: putting what you learn into practice
gain some practical experience while continuing to study? You can do just that during a two-year PDEng programme at the 4TU.School for
The GEM at the Dutch Design Week 2021, Eindhoven. Photo: Bart van Overbeeke.
Technological Design, Stan Ackermans Institute (4TU.SAI). During her PDEng, Floor van Schie was involved in a spectacular project on behalf of the TU/e related to a green energy solution for festivals.
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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, Twente and Wageningen. 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. This project can be focused on process optimization or product design. A PDEng bridges the gap between academia and industry. 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 while you continue learning.
PDEng: practical research Floor van Schie studied civil engineering at the TU/e, with a specialization in architecture and a second master’s in construction. “Just before I graduated, my supervisor asked me whether I’d like to become involved in a PDEng project. The longer start-up time meant that I could take a year out first as I’d intended, and then my PDEng started in November 2018.” “Although I wasn’t initially planning to do a PDEng, I soon became enthusiastic, especially about the GEM project (see below) and the person supervising it, Faas Moonen. I’d done a previous project related to festivals with him during my master’s and that had worked very well. Plus I’d already heard lots of good things about the PDEng from a fellow student.” “In effect, a PDEng enables you to do very practical research. You spend two years working on a project and you continue to learn a lot while you work. Additionally, thanks to still being at university, you can do a lot of things that wouldn’t be possible in the outside world. You have the scope to develop something completely new here, without having to worry about market dynamics or profitability. I’ve since completed my PDEng and have been working at the TU/e as a research & education officer for the past year. I’m still involved in the GEM project, plus I also supervise current students.”
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GEM project “The GEM project is a green energy solution offering festivals and events an alternative to diesel-powered generators. It brings together wind power and solar power – a wind turbine at the top and coloured LSC solar panels in the structure itself – in an easy-to-assemble tower called the Green Energy Mill (GEM), combined with a battery to store the energy. Festivalgoers often don’t realize just how much electricity it takes to power a festival. With the GEM-Tower, we wanted to show people at festivals that there’s an alternative. The tower looks great, so rather than being hidden away along with the generators it can be given a prominent place at the festival. This promotes dialogue and helps to get the energy consumption message across. That was the deciding factor for many of the festivals who agreed to work with us. It’s still a small-scale solution right now, of course, but it can be expanded for use on a bigger scale.” Stepping stone Why would you recommend other students to do a PDEng after their master’s? “I think that it’s a nice stepping stone between studying and the world
of work. When I finished university I had a strong sense that I wasn’t entirely ready to start my career, but a PhD didn’t seem like the right choice for me. A PDEng is more practically oriented, but you’re still doing research. I did this project on behalf of the TU/e itself, but nine other businesses were also involved. And in many other PDEngs, you do an assignment for a company while receiving support from the TU/e.” What have been the benefits of the PDEng for you? “I gained lots of organizational experience. And needless to say, a PDEng is heavily focused on your own The GEM at the Boomtown 2021 festival in Ghent, development, especially Belgium. Photo: Kevin Meyvaert, Behangmotief in the case of such a new project in which you’re working with so many different parties. So one thing I learnt was how to find your own path and navigate all the opinions to achieve something concrete. Another important and defining aspect was that the project ran from the initial idea right through to actually building it. I realize that I’m unlikely to be involved in all of those steps again in the early part of my career. It was a very valuable experience.”
Floor van Schie.
Keen to know more about PDEng programmes? Go to www.4tu.nl/sai Reasons to apply Are you ready to embark on a Professional Doctorate in Engineering traineeship and would you like to work towards becoming a technological designer? At 4TU.SAI we are always on the lookout for talented engineers with 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, Eindhoven, Twente and Wageningen. For a complete overview of the opportunities, take a look at our website: http://www.4tu.nl/sai/vacancies
4TU.School for Technological Design, Stan Ackermans Institute www.4tu.nl/sai 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. Facts & figures 900 employees Headquartered in Eindhoven Dutch offices: Delft, Mijdrecht, Apeldoorn & 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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SERVING SCIENCE, TO MAKE THE WORLD HEALTHIER, CLEANER, AND SAFER At Thermo Fisher we build advanced electron microscopes to help our customers solve some of the world’s most complex scientific challenges. These microscopes are so powerful that you could be on the moon looking down on earth and see the lettering of the tennis ball on a tennis court. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, working to improve the strength, longevity, and efficiencies of materials, solving complex analytical challenges, improving patient diagnostics and therapies, or increasing productivity in their laboratories, we are here to support them. Concepts and first prototypes are tested and validated in our R&D labs with a key focus on applications development while working with experts across the globe (like Nobel Prize winners) to ensure our advancements will meet the current and future needs of customers.
S uper-high tech “The first thing that attracted me was the very relaxed atmosphere during my interview and in the department. But above all, I fell for what we make here. Electron microscopes are hugely impressive. It’s a superhigh-tech environment, plus the product is so versatile that it offers endless technical possibilities.”
kick when you get the customer’s system working again after a few days of hard work. The company trusts you to rise to the challenge, but also provides you good supports. That’s key to creating opportunities.”
Martijn de Vries
Martijn de Vries (27) is a project manager for digital services at Thermo Fisher. After completing his master’s in mechanical engineering at TU/e in 2018, he realized that although his degree had a scientific focus, he was keen to join an OEM and work on a tangible end-product. Thermo Fisher offered him a job as a global technical support engineer - a technical role which also involved providing support to all kinds of internal departments. “In the initial training phase I took a deep dive into the subject matter, and then once I started in my role properly, I travelled the world to solve system issues at customers. I felt a lot of pressure during my first assignment, but it gives you a tremendous
“Thermo Fisher is an excellent choice in every respect – a multinational with infinite possibilities and around 120,000 employees worldwide. There’s always a job for you. After two and a half years, I was able to move into my current role related to preventive maintenance: using system data to predict defects. That’s another broad field of responsibility. Such a step is only possible in such a big company.” “If you’re talented and you have the right knowledge, enthusiasm, and motivation, Thermo Fisher will give you responsibility. It’s a huge company, but it doesn’t feel complex. It’s friendly with a really good atmosphere.”
Room for growth
Akhil Sharma (34) is a manufacturing engineering manager. He became acquainted with transmission electron microscope technology while doing his PhD in applied physics at TU/e, and that’s how he got to know Thermo Fisher. He joined Thermo Fisher Scientific immediately after completing his PhD in 2018. “As part of the job interview process, we were taken on a tour of the facility and I was extremely impressed by the high-tech product manufacturing in a clean-room environment. The atmosphere here is open and friendly; there’s a positive vibe.
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Moreover, many different nationalities work here and Thermo Fisher fosters diversity. As an international myself, I really like that.” Akhil started working as an Akhil Shar ma operations engineer, with a focus on electron optics technology. After three years, he became a manager in operations engineering. “Thermo Fisher provides you with a lot of room for both professional and personal growth. For example, I have progressed to become a technical manager in a very short space of time.” “My impression of Thermo Fisher has only grown stronger in the three years that I have worked here. Inclusion and diversity are even more important than I first thought. For example, there are six different nationalities in my team of just 11 people. Thermo Fisher creates opportunities for everyone; you have the scope and freedom for your own development. To sum up, we have a friendly atmosphere with lots of happy, helpful colleagues and ample opportunities in a broad range of markets which include – but are not limited to – medical science and semiconductor technology applications. It’s an open culture with a flat hierarchy and a very rewarding place to work.” “My tip for current students would be to come and see for yourself during an open day when this is possible again, although you’re welcome on any day of the year. In fact, an exclusive private tour is the best way to learn more about a company.”
Amazing range of possibilities
Sacha Massop (26) works in Thermo Fisher’s R&D department as a product quality assurance engineer. In her role, she is responsible for testing the system requirements of new innovations and safeguarding the quality of the end products. After completing her master’s in medical engineering at TU/e in March 2021, she knew that she was interested in working with big high-tech machines, yet she didn’t want to lose the link with life science and medical applications. She had never heard of Thermo Fisher until a professor suggested the company to her.
“Immediately after the initial interview, I knew that I’d really like to work here if I got the chance. Being involved in the development of a 3m-tall high-end electron microscope and therefore contributing to advanced research in the medical world is the perfect combination for me in terms of both my educational background and my personal interests. When the company asked me what I wanted to achieve over the next two years, I found it hard to answer that question at first. But since then I’ve developed a better idea p o of my preferred direction and I’ve got a ss a M Sacha clear goal in mind. At Thermo Fisher the options are infinite; you’re encouraged to get the best out of yourself and you receive excellent career support, with the right training courses and lots of trust.” “Although Thermo Fisher is a big company, our site in Eindhoven isn’t at all overwhelming and the people are very down to earth. The commu nication lines are short and there’s a relaxed, informal atmosphere. Everyone around you is strongly committed to the product and their own role. People are very eager to learn and therefore also very enthusiastic. As a result, besides offering challenging work, it’s also a relaxed and enjoyable place to work.” “I can definitely recommend a job at Thermo Fisher, and I would also advise people to go into the interview with an open mind. You might think that you don’t know enough about electron microscopes or that it’s not a good fit with your degree, but it’s a tremendously high-tech product with such a wide variety of aspects, and we do our own research and development for all parts of the system. And if you’re more interested in the business use cases, direct customer service or troubleshooting in production, we run all of that from our site in Eindhoven too. So, come in for a chat and don’t forget to keep an open mind! You’ll be amazed at how many different possibilities and directions Thermo Fisher offers.”
When Thermo Fisher Scientific acquired FEI Company, the leader in high-performance electron microscopy, the business became part of Thermo Fisher’s Analytical Instruments Segment. The 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 and select Eindhoven as the location.
Contact details Simen Sturme simen.sturme@thermofisher.com Sr Talent Acquisition Business Partner
TNO
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‘The freedom is priceless’ The chance to conduct research with impact – that’s one important reason for choosing to work at TNO, according to Laura Anitori. “You’re in charge and can become what you want to become. TNO gives you room to grow in the area and role that suits you best.”
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aura Anitori (41) completed her master’s in telecommunication engineering at the University of Pisa in 2005. “I then reached a crossroads in my life; I’d been offered a job in Milan, but I’d also been invited to do a PhD at TU Twente. I knew that if I accepted the position in Milan, I’d probably end up staying there for most of my career because people don’t tend to change jobs so easily in Italy.
Laura Anitori.
The job seemed fine, but I decided to visit the campus in Enschede just to be sure. It was a terrific environment, really international, very dynamic and full of young people. I had a strong sense that it would open my mind and open more doors to my future, so I decided to do a PhD.” TNO to the rescue “I would recommend a PhD to everyone who is passionate about their studies. For me, it was one of the best decisions of my life. But after two years, a restructuring programme at TU Twente resulted in the subject I was studying – radar – being discontinued. I really didn’t want to change direction but there was no opportunity to finish my PhD elsewhere. I went in search of a solution and ended up at TNO, where I could work in radar while continuing to conduct research at the same time. To be honest, I was so disappointed in TU Twente that I didn’t want anything to do with any Dutch universities for a while. But two years later, I decided I wanted to finish my PhD after all… but ideally without quitting my job. That’s when TNO came to the rescue again. The topic of my PhD was relevant for them and they had every faith in me. So I spent another two years completing my PhD with financial support from TNO in combination with one day of annual leave a week from my side.” “I’m pretty certain that I wouldn’t have been able to do that at any other organization. I’m eternally grateful for TNO’s support; they gave me an amazing opportunity to finish one of the most important things in my life.” A great place to work Laura now works at TNO as a senior scientist and programme manager. The company is also a great place to work for other people, she says. “It makes me proud to be working at the forefront of new technologies for the
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TNO: a combination of university and industry
ready for a new step. At TNO, people regularly change roles. You can join as a scientist but later decide to progress into a managerial or consultancy role, for example. You’re in charge and can become what you want to become. You get lots of freedom here, although that also depends on your personality because not everyone likes having a lot of freedom.” “There are lots of good reasons for choosing to work at TNO and those reasons can change over the course of your career. If you’ve just left university, you can carry on conducting research at TNO – and the good thing is that doing research here immediately has an impact: your research is related to a societal challenge. That’s what really appeals to me. Applied research is core to TNO. As a result of your intensive contact with the outside world, you come into contact with lots of people over time – all the stakeholders of your research project – and so you also learn about new aspects of the project, such as the intermediary role between research and customers.”
country’s navy. Together with the Dutch private sector, we’re developing innovations for the next generation of radar sensors. In one of the projects we did last year, we launched some model rockets to evaluate the performance of those new techniques.” (see image) “If you’re motivated enough, you can do literally anything here. You have your own responsibilities, of course, but you can also tackle topics that lie beyond the scope of your own role. In the longer term, you can also move into other areas of research if you feel that you’re
Laura’s career has followed a similar path; she started as a radar technology researcher and has now progressed into a role that bridges the gap between the stakeholders and the TNO department. “I discovered that an intermediary role really suits me.” Why opt for TNO? So why should other people choose to work at TNO? Laura: “The freedom is priceless. I can share my views openly in a discussion. I’m free to say that I disagree with something and people will still value my opinion. I know what I need to do in my job, and TNO trusts me to decide how, where and when I want to do it. That’s not always the case at many other companies.”
At TNO, 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 customers in industry.
TNO has 12 locations in the Netherlands plus various locations abroad. We embrace a hybrid way of working, where you divide your time between working from home or from the office, whatever best suits your needs and those of your team. TNO is seeking talented graduates in any technical subject. We currently have 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 NETHERLANDS B.V.
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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. And a great company to work for, say Massimiliano Rini and Bavo De Bock.
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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.
B road collaboration Massimiliano Rini (38) completed his master’s in nuclear and mechanical engineering, with a specialization in energy, in Italy in 2008. He pursued a career in the oil and gas industry and joined an engineering construction company in Milan, but he didn’t actually work in the city itself. Instead, he worked abroad on two-year assignments including on petrochemical industry sites in Qatar, Suriname, Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia. While working in Suriname in 2012, he met a Dutch woman who later became his wife. They set up home together in Italy, but Massimiliano’s work meant that he often spent long periods away from his wife and child. In 2018 he moved to a wind energy company in Antwerp, Belgium, which took him closer to the Netherlands but still involved a lot of travel. Then one day, he spotted a vacancy for a global project control specialist at Trinseo. He didn’t know much about Trinseo, apart from that it used to be part of Dow, but after contacting the company he quickly became very enthusiastic. “Whereas my previous roles were often stand-alone positions, my new job entails collaborating with lots of different
Massimiliano Rini.
departments. And Trinseo is a relatively small, flat organization with a very clear structure. One thing I love about the Dutch culture is that it’s really easy to work together with people in other roles. Besides that, here you’re given the freedom to shape your own role and you’re encouraged to contribute your own ideas. So now I’m not only working on my own tasks, but I can also suggest operational efficiency improvements that can help to save the whole company time or money. The culture is what I’d call a ‘meritocracy’: you’re rewarded for what you add to the company and there are lots of growth opportunities. If you do your best here, nothing will stand in your way.” And that’s not all that Massimiliano likes about Trinseo. “The whole organization is lean, so you can really show what you’re contributing here. And in terms of the mindset, everyone is open to listening to you.”
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Ultra-modern Trinseo was founded in 2010. Is that why it’s such a modern company? “Trinseo is not just modern; it’s ultra-modern! It’s also a top-notch company when it comes to sustainability, which is actually a key aspect in its acquisition policy. Besides that, Trinseo is working on recyclable polystyrene, for instance. I’ve worked in numerous countries but Trinseo really is extremely modern and open-minded – a fantastic place to work. It’s a young company but one that offers huge possibilities in many different places around the world. Every year I’m asked where I see myself in the future, because at Trinseo they’re very keen to ensure that you’re happy in your work – or as my manager puts it, ‘Your success is my success’. So if you’re looking for a job in the chemical industry, come to Trinseo; you won’t be disappointed!” Professional Bavo De Bock (30) studied applied sciences (industrial engineering), with a specialization in chemistry, in Ghent. He completed his master’s in 2013 and started to look for a job in the chemical industry, initially with one of the big international players. Even though he lived just over the border in Belgium, he hadn’t heard of Trinseo and it initially escaped
Bavo De Bock.
his notice among all the other chemical companies along the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal. Then one day, an acquaintance told him that Trinseo had a vacancy for a process automation engineer (to configure a decision control system). “I’d already attended interviews with a lot of companies in that year, 2014, but my contact with Trinseo was notably different – it was highly professional and a very pleasant experience. All the interviews are planned on the same morning, so you immediately talk to six different functions and you hear the very next day whether they will be pursuing your application. I see that as a sign of respect towards the candidates. Other companies sometimes keep you hanging on a little. Many of my colleagues have had the same experience.” “Although I didn’t know much about Trinseo before I applied here, I do now of course. The company is open to ideas; you’re not only encouraged to enter into discussions, but they also do something with your input. The salary is very good, as is usual in the chemical industry. And I’m very happy here.” No unnecessary layers of hierarchy “One thing that’s important at Trinseo is flexibility. You’re expected to look beyond the boundaries of your own job and sometimes also do other tasks, but that’s always a learning experience. Conversely, the company is also flexible towards you, such as in relation to working from home during the pandemic and when you’re planning your annual leaving. Additionally, it’s a nice size; you have direct contact with your boss and your boss’s boss. More layers of hierarchy mean less effective communication, and there aren’t any unnecessary layers here at Trinseo.” “Trinseo offers room for growth. The company strongly stimulates personal development and I’m already in my third role. Plus it’s in a fantastic location, close to beautiful cities such as Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Breda and Middelburg and with the sea, the countryside and so much open space on your doorstep.”
Trinseo is a manufacturer of semifinished plastics, latex and rubber products. It has 17 production sites and 11 research laboratories. Trinseo employs around 430 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: Natalie Dielemans +31 (0)115 – 238 000 ndielemans@trinseo.com
VDL ETG
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HIGH-TECH ENGINEERING WITH PRODUCTION IN-HOUSE
Adrianne van Roessel and David Fresen.
Made up of more than 100 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.
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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, medical, science & technology, mechanization and analytical industries. Engineering close to the factory After completing her bachelor’s in industrial automation, Adrianne van Roessel (30) did a master’s in systems & control at TU/e.
Today, she is the module owner of the robot in a wafer handler project at VDL ETG. “Officially I work at VDL ETG T&D, the company’s technology & development department. The other part of VDL ETG is the factory which manu factures what we develop within T&D.” “I didn’t really know what I wanted to do after leaving university. I was interested in developing and improving systems, but you don’t really discover what you enjoy until you start doing it for real. I spent six months working at the company where I’d done my graduation project. Then I moved to a start-up, but after three years of that I felt ready for a change.”
Career opportunities “And then I was approached by VDL, which is a company that you can’t fail to notice if you live in Eindhoven. I attended an interview here at VDL ETG, and that opened up loads of interesting possibilities for me. At VDL ETG we not only develop lots of new technologies, but we also have an on-site factory where the machines are built. In other words, you can see your designs on the machine itself rather than having to just work from paper. Besides that, VDL is a big company which offers lots of opportunities for your career. That was one of the reasons I wanted to work here. You’re often involved in bigger projects which bring
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together many different technological aspects, so you learn a huge amount. My current project involves around a hundred people, so it’s a great way to explore what kinds of tasks are available and where your own interests lie. Initially I was working fairly in-depth on various aspects of the machine, but nowadays I have a much broader role. I specifically work with the robot, but it interacts with virtually all other parts of the machine, plus I have contact with the customer and with suppliers. In that sense you have lots of options so you can find out what you’d really like to do.”
“If you’re looking for a challenging job in technology, in a high-tech role with lots of variety and prospects, then you should definitely come and talk to VDL.”
Cutting edge of technology David (30) studied at TU/e too, and completed his master’s in mechanical engineering, with a specialization in dynamics & control, in 2018. He was keen to get a job in mechatronics and had shortlisted three companies, from which he ultimately chose VDL. David: “VDL combines the theoretical design with the practical engineering and also the physical production. Because of its large size VDL offers lots of possibilities, but it’s also a flat organization with a very approachable atmosphere. And the advantage of having the factory just around the corner is that when you’re developing something, you don’t have to wait long before you can see how it turns out in practice. That gives your work as an engineer an extra dimension. Whereas many other companies don’t turn their designs into actual products themselves, at VDL we do.” David: “Another thing I like about VDL is that we’re working at the cutting edge of technology – it’s a very exciting challenge. Plus, based on my own experience over the past three and a half years, you get lots of opportunities to rapidly move up the career ladder. I started
here as a mechatronics engineer and was involved in analysing and testing specific machine components. Since then, I’ve progressed into an architect position which is more of an overarching role. As you progress, you can choose whether you want more depth or breadth in your career. Moreover, I personally love the fact that I can be involved in a product development process from start to finish here at VDL, from the design and prototype to testing and production in the factory.” Enthusiastic and helpful Adrianne: “VDL ETG is a very open organization. Because everyone here is an engineer, we’re all on an equal footing. There’s a friendly atmosphere. People are enthusiastic about their own work but are also happy to help you if necessary; we all share the same goal. And everyone finds it easy to switch because you automatically learn lots about various aspects within your project.” David: “The unique thing about VDL is that even though it’s a mature, structured and well-established company, it’s still always working to make further improvement. If you think that something can be done better, people will listen to what you have to say. The door is always open here.” Traineeships Graduates who join VDL straight from TU/e can participate in the two-year traineeship in which you rotate to a different department within VDL ETG every six months.
This gives you a good insight into the company, plus you have the chance to work at one of the businesses abroad, so it’s a great way to discover where your interests lie. Adrianne: “At the Young VDL Employees (YVE) association you meet lots of other people of the same age and can share knowledge during activities such as a ‘college tour’. VDL really makes an effort to ensure you’re happy. The company cares about the local community and about its workforce.”
Made up of more than 100 different businesses and with around 15,000 employees, VDL Groep is one of the biggest familyowned 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. VDL Groep Hoevenweg 1 NL - 5652 AW Eindhoven Tel.: +31 (0)40 - 292 50 66 www.vdlgroep.com www.werkenbijvdl.nl www.vdletg.com
Waferhandler.
To find out more about VDL Groep: Tel.: +31 (0)40 – 292 50 66 recruitment@vdl.nl
VDL ETS
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Oswin Hulsebos.
Are you looking for technical challenges in mechanical engineering, mechatronics, electronics, software or IT? If so, VDL Groep is perfect for you! Made up of more than 100 different businesses, this international family-owned company offers career prospects for engineers in almost every technological direction. One of those businesses is VDL Enabling Transport Solutions (VDL ETS). It’s a great place to work, according to Oswin Hulsebos, an energy management specialist at VDL ETS.
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DL Groep is active in five key areas: Mobility, Science, Technology & Health, Energy & Sustainability, Infratech, and Foodtech. VDL develops and manufactures a wide range of innovative industrial products and machinery, from components to end-products. VDL Enabling Transport Solutions (VDL ETS) plays an important role in the areas of Mobility and Energy & Sustainability, where it is focused on research, development, prototypes and testing of new opportunities or concepts for future transport solutions. Examples include innovative eco-friendly hardware and software solutions related to e-mobility, battery technology, charging infrastructure, energy storage, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), guidance and navigation technology. Innovative concepts for mobility solutions VDL ETS was founded in 2015 for the development of VDL’s electric buses, but the company does much more than that nowadays. With around 150 employees, this team forms the basis for the development of new vehicles by the entire VDL Groep. This enables the expertise and technologies relating to various systems (batteries, motors, etc.)
to be applied for many different types of vehicles, such as buses, trucks, vans, garbage trucks and AGVs. Electric buses and predictive maintanance Oswin Hulsebos is an energy management specialist at VDL ETS: “Initially VDL ETS mainly worked on electric buses used in public transport, such as the ones most students in Eindhoven have seen driving around. But we are now working on many more projects for other VDL businesses, and the same technology can also be used for other components, especially in the context of predictive maintenance. And we also develop things like the software for the AGVs used in the port of Rotterdam. Right now, I’m currently working on the development of our new generation of electric buses called New Generation Citea (NGC) for public transport. The project is about drawing up the functional requirements and translating them into a MATLAB model that will ultimately be implemented and tested on the vehicle itself. Additionally, through EU projects such as EVERLASTING and LONGRUN, you also come into contact with research institutes such as TU/e.” Career prospects Oswin did both his bachelor’s and his master’s in automotive at TU/e. “It’s a relatively new course of study at TU/e, comprising aspects of electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and embedded systems, among other subjects. I chose specializations in energy management and dynamics & control. I completed my master’s in 2020.” If you’ve studied automotive and you’re based in Eindhoven, VDL is a logical choice. Oswin: “I was keen to be involved in vehicles rather than components, so that means working at an OEM. I did my internship at Volvo Cars in Sweden and then I chose VDL ETS for my graduation project. The project gives both sides the chance to get to know each other better with a view to you possibly staying on after your master’s. If the internship goes well, VDL usually tries to keep the students on after graduation. In fact, five of the six colleagues in my current team did an internship at VDL.”
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“VDL ETS offers excellent career prospects for engineers with a background in systems & control, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and software. We have all kinds of people working here: high-voltage experts, control engineers, battery experts, CAD specialists, HMI specialists and so on.”
A thermocouple measurement set-up to test the climate system in the bus.
companies where I’ve done internships. Product work is broken down into small teams, but you’re also part of the bigger picture – you see what other teams are working on and other aspects that you’re not working on are explained to you so you understand how everything comes together in the final product.”
So what does VDL look for in new employees? “You need to demon strate initiative because the assignments you’re given aren’t laid out step by step, but that’s not a problem for most TU/e graduates because they’re used to working fairly independently. Besides that, you must have good communication skills; we work in multidisciplinary teams, because two – or more – heads are always better than one.” Pleasant atmosphere with lots of freedom “VDL is a family-owned company and that’s reflected in the pleasant atmosphere at work. There’s an open-door policy; it’s easy to just stop by and see someone. Here, you also have the freedom to plan your own work as you see fit. You’re encouraged to unleash your creativity and take the initiative. Your assignment is fairly generic and it’s up to you how you decide to develop it. Besides that, VDL ETS is still evolving as a company; a lot of things are still new and, in this context too, the company gives you the freedom to try out new ideas, methods and approaches. You can also receive extra training if necessary. For example, I got my bus driver’s licence to gain more insight into the actual driving experience. I then conducted research into a feedback system for drivers.” “Besides all this, VDL offers plenty of opportunities for your own development. You start in the role that you applied for, but as time goes on you might discover other roles that are an even better fit for you. In that case, you can discuss it with your manager and progress in different directions. VDL takes care of its employees in every sense.” Wholeheartedly recommended “I really love my job and I can wholeheartedly recommend VDL ETS. For me, I like the fact that you can choose how you tackle the assignments you receive. The open culture appeals to me and no two days are the same – it’s very varied. The company provides good support, including during the recent period of working from home. Besides that, the approach feels very personal here – much more so than at other
Contributing to sustainability “Moreover, I regard the product that we make as an important reason to work here. It’s a really nice-looking bus and it’s fantastic to see it driving around on the roads every day! Plus you’re contributing to a sustainable solution for transport. I’ve had a lot of contact with bus drivers and it’s very rewarding to see how passionate most of them are about their bus.” “Last but not least, another important reason for me is that VDL gives you the opportunity to shape your own career. And the open atmosphere is characteristic of working at VDL and collaborating with others on a product. The company slogan says it all: ‘Strength through cooperation’.”
Made up of more than 100 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. VDL Groep Hoevenweg 1 NL - 5652 AW Eindhoven Tel.: +31 (0)40 - 292 50 66
The new generation electric public transport bus VDL Citea during the winter test in Jokkmokk (Sweden) on the ice.
To find out more about VDL Groep, Tel +31 (0)40 – 292 50 66 recruitment@vdl.nl
www.vdlets.nl • www.vdlgroep.com • www.werkenbijvdl.nl
VIRO
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INTELLECTUELE UITDAGING IN EEN GOEDE WERKSFEER Waar kun je jouw kennis het beste in de praktijk inzetten?
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Een ingenieursbureau is hiervoor een prachtige werkplek. Zoals VIRO, gewaardeerd partner voor veel vooraanstaande bedrijven in de techniek. VIRO biedt vele diverse projecten en goede mogelijkheden om jezelf als engineer verder te ontwikkelen.
a mijn studie wilde ik terechtkomen op een plek waar je concreet toewerkt naar iets tastbaars, waar je later kunt zien waaraan je hebt gewerkt, niet in een functie voor fundamenteel onderzoek. Toegepast onderzoek dus, waarbij je het resultaat ziet. En graag een baan met uitdaging, waarbij je de vrijheid hebt om problemen uit te zoeken en niet enkel als tekenaar/constructeur wordt ingezet. Binnen VIRO werken we bijvoorbeeld aan verbeterde versies van machines, waarin we zoeken naar een lichtere of snellere uitvoering. En om dat te bereiken, daar komen dan je eigen ideeën van pas.” Thijs Cals (26) doet zijn bachelor Werktuigbouwkunde aan Hogeschool Zuyd in Heerlen, en zijn master aan de TU in Eindhoven, met polymer technology als specialisatie. “Na mijn master was het zoeken naar bedrijven lastig, omdat we in de tweede coronagolf zaten, wat veel bedrijven wat terughoudend maakte in de aanname van nieuwe medewerkers. Terwijl je normaal als technicus overal terecht kunt en inmiddels is die situatie wel weer normaal.” Tijdens zijn bachelor maakt Thijs al kennis met VIRO tijdens een bedrijvenpresentatie. Voor zijn stage bij VIRO doet hij onderzoek naar het bouwen van 3D-modellen vanuit foto’s en hoe dat toepasbaar zou kunnen zijn bij opdrachten. Tussen zijn bachelor en master werkt hij zo’n vijf maanden bij VIRO. “Na mijn master kon ik direct weer beginnen bij VIRO. Toch heb ik eerst eens bij andere bedrijven gekeken, om te zien wat ik daar zou kunnen vinden, maar daar kwam uit dat het mij bij VIRO toch wel erg goed beviel. Voor mij is belangrijk dat je wel intellectueel uitgedaagd wordt, maar dat ook de werksfeer erg goed is. Op veel andere plekken kwam ik of het een of het ander tegen. Wat ik bij VIRO heel mooi vind is de combinatie van die twee dingen.” Diversiteit in projecten en klanten “VIRO is een ingenieursbureau dat deels aan eigen projecten werkt, maar vooral opdrachten uitvoert voor derden. Dat betekent dat je gedurende een paar weken of maanden of langer werkt aan een project. Op mijn afdeling, Machinebouw, duurt een project eerder een jaar of twee jaar. Het voordeel van het werk hier is dat je met steeds andere bedrijven in aanraking komt, en binnen
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VIRO met steeds andere medewerkers samenwerkt. Jouw collega’s werken allemaal weer net op een andere manier, waardoor jij ervaring opdoet met verschillende typen mensen en werkwijzen. Die afwisseling maakt het leuk en die diversiteit maakt dat je ook een goed netwerk opbouwt waarop je kunt terugvallen bij moeilijke vragen.” “Dat betekent ook dat enige soft skills voor een ingenieur belangrijk zijn, zodat je ook makkelijk met al die situaties kan omgaan. VIRO levert je daarvoor de ondersteuning, in de vorm van cursussen voor die skills. Goeie cursussen met actieve training met behulp van acteurs, waarin je bijvoorbeeld in overleg moet over een verandering in budget of deadlines. Met verschillende personages en verschillende soorten reacties. Daar heb ik veel aan gehad.” Carrière “VIRO biedt mij op termijn veel verschillende mogelijkheden binnen mijn carrière. Dit eerste jaar ben ik vooral aan het werk en bezig om een betere constructeur te worden. Daar ligt nu de focus op in mijn werk en mijn ontwikkeling met cursussen. Op termijn ga je je dan meer ontwikkelen in een eigen specialisme als ingenieur of als manager of generalist. Dat is voor mij nu nog niet aan de orde, al denk ik dat ik me graag verder wil specialiseren. VIRO heeft voor dat traject een goede begeleiding, met regelmatig een vinger aan de pols of je nog op je eigen goede weg zit, in de vorm van een persoonlijk ontwikkelingsplan. In die zin wordt er goed voor je gezorgd. Ik ben bijvoorbeeld erg tevreden met het project waar ik momenteel aan werk, maar als ik dat niet ben dan zijn er ook mogelijkheden om daarin bij te sturen. Ik kan altijd bij mijn leidinggevende naar binnen lopen.” Fijne sfeer De goede werksfeer was voor Thijs een reden om voor VIRO te kiezen. Waar is die goede sfeer voor hem? “Er is een vrij platte structuur in het bedrijf, niet zo’n hiërarchie. Dat maakt het samenwerken prettig. Je kunt ook bij een collega terecht als die niet direct bij jouw project is betrokken. Heb ik bijvoorbeeld een vraag over een lastige FEM-berekening, dan maakt mijn collega gewoon een paar uur vrij om me daarbij op weg te helpen. Daarnaast is de sfeer ook erg gemoedelijk; we zijn hier allemaal leuke mensen en we hebben het ook regelmatig over andere dingen dan alleen het werk.” “Vind je het belangrijk om te werken in een bedrijf waar je echt wat kunt toevoegen, dan is dat een belangrijke motivatie om bij VIRO het gesprek aan te gaan. Zoek je én de uitdaging én een fijne sfeer, dan zit je hier goed.”
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 850 medewerkers 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, elektro techniek, automobieltechnologie, bouwkunde, mechatronica, software en werktuigbouwkunde. VIRO Newtonweg 3 6101 WX Echt pszuid@viro-group.com +31 475 850 900 careers.viro-group.com
VIRO vestiging Echt. Thijs Cals.
SUMMARIES
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CBS seeks versatile high potentials for research and IT
Statistics Netherlands (CBS) is continuously on the lookout for talented recent graduates to work in research and IT. Despite the ongoing pandemic, plenty of new employees have joined the organization over the past two years. Due to the work-from-home policy, however, the day-to-day work for these new recruits looks slightly different than normal. Patrick van der Reijden completed his master’s in econometrics in January 2020. “As part of my master’s I conducted data science research at Erasmus University, so it was only logical for me to look at vacancies within CBS. An interesting vacancy involving analysis of satellite imagery had already been filled, unfortunately, but thanks to the CBS talent pool I was able to join the Demographics team as a statistical researcher.” “The general introduction programme at CBS is very useful. You do various assignments that help you to get to know CBS better. For example, I worked with a number of other new colleagues to investigate the impact of a CBS news release that received negative media coverage.” The econometrist is very happy in his new role and feels that his contribution is valued. “Looking ahead, I’m keen to go even deeper into the demographic data and I’m also interested in computer programming. After a while, I hope to be able to become more involved in the population forecasts that are also produced within my team. My econometrics background will come in very useful for that.”
Patrick van der Reijden.
Maaike van Voorthuizen has been with CBS since June 2021, as an application developer in the IT department. She did a bachelor’s degree in international business administration at Erasmus University followed by a master’s in development economics in London. “After that I spent two years working at an insurance company, but I was keen to find a job in which I could have more of a societal impact.” She chose to join CBS. Van Voorthuizen is currently working on an application to calculate the consumer price index (CPI), which is published every month and reflects developments in the prices of goods and services which consumers buy. “It’s a really interesting and enjoyable role but I still have a lot to learn, including different programming languages for example. If I have any questions, I can always ask my team members for help. Besides that we have the opportunity to go on training courses, but the majority of the time I just figure things out for myself. Another advantage of CBS is that it offers good secondary employment benefits, including flexible hours, plenty of scope for personal and professional development and the possibility to work part-time.”
Maaike van Voorthuizen.
www.werkenbijhetcbs.nl
Articles not included in these summaries are entirely in English.
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Intellectual challenges in a good atmosphere
If you are looking for the best place to put your knowledge into practice, an engineering firm – such as VIRO, which is a respected partner to many leading technology companies – can be the ideal solution. VIRO offers a diverse range of projects and excellent opportunities to work on your own further development as an engineer. “After graduating, I wanted to find an employer where I could work towards something tangible – where I could see lasting evidence of my contribution later, rather than working in fundamental research. So I was looking for applied research that would produce visible results. I also wanted to find challenging work, where I would have the freedom to investigate problems rather than just being deployed as a draughtsman/designer.” Thijs Cals (26) has got a master’s from TU/e with a specialization in polymer technology. He actually first learned about VIRO during a company presen tation while he was doing his bachelor’s degree. He then did an internship at VIRO, during which he conducted research into creating 3D models from photographs and potential uses for this in projects. After completing his bachelor’s, he worked at VIRO for around five months before starting his master’s. “I knew that I could rejoin VIRO immediately after my master’s too, but I first took a look at various other companies to see what other options there were. That helped me to realize that I was actually very happy at VIRO. For me, it’s important to be intellectually challenged but also to have a really good atmosphere at work. In many other places, I found either one or the other. I really like the fact that VIRO combines the two.” VIRO is a multidisciplinary engineering firm specialized in project management and engineering. Our clients enlist our help with challenging industrial engineering projects. We have over 800 employees across our offices in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. They work worldwide on projects in markets including aerospace, amusement attractions, automotive, defence, energy, food, industrial & non-residential construction, mechanical engineering, offshore, processing industry and semiconductor industry. At VIRO we’re interested in hearing from engineers in process technology, industrial design, electrotechnics, automotive technology, civil engineers, mechatronics, software and mechanical engineering. careers.viro-group.com
Thijs Cals.
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