TU/e - PDEng trainee positions (TOIO) ‘Mechatronic Systems Design’

Job description

The high-tech industry is dealing with systems getting more and more complex due to further automation and challenging innovations. This trend requires new generations of engineers who are educated to handle complex technical problems and lead the technological innovation.

Eindhoven University of Technology* (TU/e) in the Netherlands plays an important role within the high-tech industry in the Netherlands and in the World. TU/e’s High Tech Systems Center (HTSC, a team of Eindhoven Artificial Intelligence Systems Institute, EAISI) aims to understand, teach and innovate system synthesis and design of complex equipment, instruments, robotic and manufacturing systems, and systems-of-systems. HTSC establishes cooperation between the TU/e and the high-tech industry.

As an initiative of the HTSC, the track of Mechatronic Systems Design was added to the competitive PDEng program Automotive Systems Design (ASD), accredited by the Dutch Ministry of Education, in 2015. Working with industry is an essential ingredient of this program. It is organized with close links to and cooperation with other successful PDEng programs such as Software Technology (ST). For the program PDEng Automotive Systems Design, the TU/e is looking for ambitious Master’s graduates for:

2-year post-Master PDEng traineeships
Track: Mechatronic Systems Design

The next round of this 2-year program starts on October 31, 2022. This track of the program focuses on systems design and architecture in a high-tech systems context. It trains graduates from mechatronics related disciplines to become the professional system designers and grow faster towards system architects.

The program is devoted to deepening, broadening and reinforcing Mechatronics related technological knowledge and competencies, as well as personal and professional skills. This program with a unique structure consists of 4 educational blocks followed by an 11-12 months individual design project in industry. In the first 4 blocks about half the time is spent on lectures, workshops and training, and the other half on projects on solving a real-life problem from one of the industrial partners with a team.

The lecturers, who mostly have an extensive experience in industry and who cover the theory on topics such as systems architecture, design, and problem solving, return as coach during the projects to help translate the theory to practice. The lectures are in part general, in and part tailored to the problem domain coming up. Team projects are selected from different domains and address various technological areas to both provide multidisciplinary exposure and enhance cross-domain thinking. In this set-up the trainee gets the opportunity to experience the different roles that make a good team.

Program graduates will be awarded a certified diploma and the degree “Professional Doctorate in Engineering” (PDEng). Their name will be entered in the PDEng register of the Royal Dutch Institute for Engineers (KIVI). The program is affiliated to the British Association of Engineering Doctorates (AEngD). As of 1 September 2022, the PDEng degree is called Engineering Doctorate (EngD), same as in the UK.

Job requirements

The PDEng program Mechatronic Systems Design is open to recent university graduates, and in particular to Master's graduates from one of the following fields: Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Applied Physics, Systems & Control or comparable.

The program is internationally oriented and taught in English. The candidate should furthermore have:

  • Affinity with technology, keen interest in and good awareness of the current technological developments; knowledge of and affinity with mechatronics; experience with Matlab/Simulink or similar; preferably knowledge of Classical Feedback Control Theory, State Space Systems, and Signal Theory (or extended knowledge of other fields that are in high demand in de high-tech sector such as machine learning, material science, tribology, cryogenics, vision, instrumentation, and energy);
  • An academic, critical attitude and a good awareness of the state of the art in engineering design for high tech systems, most notable in the area of the Master thesis project;
  • The ability to choose and apply methods, tools and techniques to solve actual, practical problems;
  • The ability to stay abreast of current developments in the field of high-tech mechatronic systems;
  • Better than average social and communicative competencies, including an excellent English proficiency in writing, speaking, reading, and understanding;
  • A clear ambition in an industrial career, and an inclination towards the design and development of innovative, complex products, transforming academic research results into practical solutions;
  • Interest in being part of an international program with various cultures including the Dutch culture (and language).
Conditions of employment

TU/e offers program participants a full-time temporary appointment for the period of 2 years. Program participants will receive a monthly salary by Eindhoven University of Technology (gross monthly pay of € 2.009,-during two years based on 2022 figures). TU/e also offers a broad package of fringe benefits, including an 8% holiday allowance, an 8.3% end-of-year allowance, and excellent sports facilities. Migrants can make use of the 30% ruling (an income tax advantage). The formal employment position at the Technical University of Eindhoven is according to the Collective Employment Agreement of the Dutch academic universities (VSNU). Trainees do not have to pay tuition fees. The program is financed by the Dutch Government and the industrial partners.

Information and application

For information about terms of employment, click here or contact HR Services, email HRServicesM&CS[at]tue.nl.

Please visit www.tue.nl/jobs to find out more about working at TU/e!

Application

All candidates that are interested in this PDEng program and fulfill the requirements must demonstrate their knowledge and capabilities in a personal interview with the selection committee. In order to be admitted into the selection procedure, you need to apply via the APPLY NOW button. Please submit the following documents:

  • A detailed motivation letter;
  • Curriculum vitae;
  • Copies of relevant B.Sc. diplomas and Grade transcripts;
  • Copies of relevant M.Sc. diplomas and Grade transcripts;
  • A copy (of a recent draft version) of your M.Sc. thesis or an abstract of your thesis;
  • Copies of scores of English proficiency tests (IELTS or TOEFL IBT, or Cambridge CAE/CPE). For IELTS the minimum score is 6.5 (CEFR level C1), with no individual scores below 6.0 and scores for speaking/writing of at least 6.5. For TOEFL IBT the minimum is 90 (CEFR level C1), with no individual scores below 21 scores for speaking/writing of at least 23. Only applicants from the Netherlands, US, UK, Ireland, Australia and New-Zealand are exempted;
  • The names and contact addresses (preferably e-mail) of (at least) two people whom we can contact for more information about you and your (thesis) work. Please, note that we usually prefer to contact people that have been involved with your (M.Sc.) thesis project.
Please note that you can upload maximally 5 documents up to 2 MB each. If you need to send more documents, please email these to asd@tue.nl with subject line: “additional documents application MSD 2022”.

To guarantee the quality of the program, the selection committee applies strict selection criteria. Candidates must be among the top of their discipline. Next to excellent grades, their motivation and personal skills will be extremely important. For more information and complete details about the application procedures, please visit our website http://www.tue.nl/msd or send an email to asd[at]tue.nl.

Deadline for application

Due to immigration procedures the application procedure will be closed as of July 1, 2022 for non-EU candidates. Candidates with EU nationality can apply until August 15, 2022. Candidates with the Dutch nationality and candidates with a Dutch residence permit, can apply until September 15, 2022. There will be several selection rounds and early application is strongly recommended, as the number of positions is limited, and positions may be filled before the deadline.

*) Eindhoven University of Technology is one of Europe's best universities. It is specialized in technical scientific research and provides highly regarded training and educational and research programs. The university offers jobs that are right in the middle of society. An international, yet informal organization. A place, where one can expect excellent working conditions. http://www.tue.nl/.