Graduation: From model to machine, making control software more transparent for engineers

Vanderlande Industries GmbH; Veghel; On-site; EUR 5,600 - 6,700; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Internship allowance

Commuting allowance

On-site health center

Employee communities

Restaurant & coffee bar

Job summary

Vanderlande Industries GmbH in Veghel offers a 6-month graduation assignment starting February 2026 for a motivated bachelor student. You will join the Model Based Design (MBD) team within Technology to help make control software more transparent for site engineers by exploring new tooling and workflows in an industrial setting.

Your tasks include analyzing the current MBD workflow, configuring Simatic Target for Simulink, applying proposed solutions to existing MBD OT modules, and documenting

Qualifications

• Experience with MATLAB/Simulink is required.
• Familiarity with embedded controls, PLCs, or industrial automation is beneficial.
• Motivated to learn software modeling, system analysis, and real-time validation.

Responsibilities

• Analyze and map the advantages and limitations of the current Model Based Design workflow.
• Set up and configure Simatic Target for Simulink within an existing testing environment.
• Apply and test the proposed technology on an existing MBD OT module.
• Design and execute comparative experiments to evaluate usability, debugging, and commissioning efficiency.
• Document research findings and present clear recommendations to the MBD team and stakeholders.

Skills

MATLAB/Simulink experience

Analytical mindset

Independent work

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Simatic Target for Simulink

Siemens PLC hardware

Job description

Assignment type: Graduation

Start date: February 2026

Assignment duration: 6 months

Location: Veghel

Education level: Bachelor

Desired study: Mechatronics & electrical engineering, mechanical engineering & applied physics, software engineering & embedded systems

Language: Dutch / English

Description of assignment

At Vanderlande, we serve customers worldwide by building highly flexible material handling systems out of configurable building blocks. To power these systems, our Model Based Design (MBD) workflow uses tools like MATLAB/Simulink to develop and test controllers in virtual environments before generating code for various PLC platforms (such as Siemens PLC, Allen-Bradley PLC, and C++). While automated code generation enables versatile deployment, it often makes the generated code unreadable for controls engineers on customer sites, leaving them heavily reliant on basic interface statistics during troubleshooting.

In this hands-on project, you will explore new ways to make control software transparent and accessible for site engineers. Focusing on solutions like Simatic Target for Simulink, you will investigate how engineers can deploy generated code while maintaining visual access to the original model. You will analyze current MBD workflows, test new tools on existing OT modules, and evaluate how this way of working improves debugging efficiency and commissioning on site.

Department description

You will join the Model Based Design (MBD) team within the Technology department, where we develop reusable Operational Technology (OT) modules applied across Vanderlande’s global solution portfolio. Our team bridges systems engineering, simulation, software development, and industrial automation.

Working alongside experienced control and software engineers, you will perform practical experiments combining virtual plants, MATLAB/Simulink models, and Siemens PLC hardware. Depending on project progress, you may even validate your findings on real material handling equipment.

Tasks/responsibilities

• Analyze and map the advantages and limitations of the current Model Based Design workflow

• Set up and configure Simatic Target for Simulink within an existing testing environment

• Apply and test the proposed technology on an existing MBD OT module

• Design and execute comparative experiments to evaluate usability, debugging, and commissioning efficiency

• Document your research findings and present clear recommendations to the MBD team and key stakeholders

Your profile

• Practical experience with MATLAB/Simulink is required

• Familiarity or strong interest in embedded controls, PLCs, or industrial automation

• Motivated to learn new skills in software modeling, system analysis, and real-time control validation

• Strong analytical mindset and ability to work independently on engineering challenges

• *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): €500 per month for a bachelor student

• 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