Internship: Drive the next gen, testing & optimizing autonomous vehicles
Key Skills
Job Description
Job Title
Internship: Drive the next gen, testing & optimizing autonomous vehiclesJob Description
Assignment type: Internship
Start date: February 2027
Assignment duration: 6 months
Location: Veghel
Education level: Bachelor / Master
Desired study: Mechatronics, industrial automation, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, systems and control
Language: Dutch / English
Description of assignment
At Vanderlande, we develop advanced Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) for dynamic environments, ranging from automated baggage transport at airports to pallet handling in warehouses. To continuously innovate, our multidisciplinary teams are currently developing a brand-new AV solution. As the first physical prototype arrives, it requires thorough testing, performance analysis, and optimization against strict operational requirements.
In this hands-on internship, you will join our AV development team to test, analyze, and define technical improvements for this new vehicle type. Depending on your background, your focus can lean towards mechanics, electronics, or control software. You will combine physical test center activities with virtual simulations and calculations to help take our autonomous handling solutions to the next level.
Department description
You will join the AV and Robotics team within Vanderlande's Technology department in Veghel.
Our team consists of around 10 passionate specialists working on robotics and autonomous vehicles, collaborating closely with international engineering colleagues in North America and India.
Tasks/responsibilities
- Work alongside a multidisciplinary team on autonomous vehicle developments
- Conduct hands-on testing in our test center and perform virtual simulations
- Analyze technical issues and formulate concrete improvement proposals to boost AV performance
- Support the team with daily engineering tasks, performance calculations, and field observations
- Present your test findings and recommendations to the development team
Your profile
- Strong analytical skills and a passionate team player mindset
- Hands-on attitude and enthusiasm for working in a practical test center environment
- Clear affinity with robotics, autonomous vehicles, and industrial automation
- Comfortable communicating in English within an international team environment
- *Mandatory enrolment to a Dutch Education System & resident of The Netherlands
What we offer
- A monthly internship allowance (based on a 40-hour work week):
Bachelor: €500 per month
Master: €550 per month - Full commuting allowance, including public transport, depending on whether you have access to free public transport or not
- On-site health center with gym
- Active employee communities and initiatives
- Excellent company restaurant and barista coffee bar
Contact
Do you recognize yourself in this challenging profile? Are you looking for an internship in our organization? Please fill out the application form and upload your resume and cover letter. For more information, contact us by e-mail: [email protected].
Core Responsibilities
You will work within a multidisciplinary team to test, analyze, and optimize autonomous vehicle prototypes in a physical test center. Your role involves conducting virtual simulations, performing performance calculations, and proposing technical improvements to enhance vehicle operations.
Requirements
Candidates must be currently enrolled in a Dutch education system and reside in the Netherlands, pursuing a degree in mechatronics, industrial automation, or related engineering fields. A hands-on attitude, strong analytical skills, and the ability to communicate effectively in English are essential.
Benefits
- Internship allowance
- Commuting allowance
- On-site health center
- Gym
- Company restaurant
- Barista coffee bar
About Vanderlande
Industry: Automation Machinery Manufacturing
Company size: 10,001+ employees
Vanderlande is the long-term partner of choice for the world’s leading airports and distribution operators – delivering automation solutions, operational software, and lifecycle services that drive performance, reliability, and sustainable growth. Vanderlande empowers the world’s most demanding airports and distribution operations to move faster, smarter, and more sustainably. As a trusted long-term partner, Vanderlande designs, delivers, and manages end-to-end logistics automation — combining best-in-class mechanical systems with cyber-secure operational software and data-driven services that keep mission-critical infrastructure performing at its peak. Serving the world’s top 50 airports and the largest parcel and e-commerce distribution networks globally, including partnerships with industry leaders such as UPS, DHL, FedEx, and GeoPost.Vanderlande brings unmatched operational intimacy to every engagement. Customers choose Vanderlande not only for the longevity and reliability of its solutions, but for its proven commitment to project delivery: when challenges arise, Vanderlande leans in. Founded in 1949 and part of Toyota Industries Corporation, Vanderlande combines seven decades of engineering excellence with a forward-looking approach to digital innovation and sustainability — continually reducing the energy footprint of its systems and making responsible choices across its global supply chain. With nearly 10,000 employees and revenues approaching €3 billion, Vanderlande operates across Europe, the Middle East, North America, and Asia-Pacific, delivering solutions that move people, goods, and possibilities forward.