Internship| Boosting the Future of Solar with Perovskite Tandem Devices

TNO; Eindhoven; On-site; EUR 6,200 - 7,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Laptop provided

615€ allowance per month

Travel contribution

Jong TNO membership

Leave allowance

Job summary

TNO offers an internship in the area of perovskite solar cells, focusing on implementing and evaluating self-assembling monolayers to boost device performance. You’ll join an innovation team and gain hands-on experience in a fast-paced, international environment.

You will work on fabricating, testing, and optimizing tandem cells, while being mentored by leading researchers. An internship allowance is provided and travel support is available.

Qualifications

• Be enrolled at a university or HBO during your internship (mandatory eligibility).

Responsibilities

• Fabricate and characterize perovskite-based tandem solar cells.
• Design and run experiments to test and improve device performance.
• Collaborate with leading scientists and engineers in an international, high-tech environment.

Skills

Communication skills

Teamwork

Problem solving

Curiosity

Learning mindset

Education

Applied physics

Chemistry

Materials science

Electrical engineering

Job description

About this position

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are one of the most exciting innovations in solar technology. Their rapid efficiency improvements and tunable properties make them ideal candidates for tandem solar cells—next‑generation devices designed to drastically increase the power output per square meter. That means more clean energy using less space. At TNO, we’re pushing the limits of this technology. Our new project focuses on incorporating self‑assembling materials and metal oxide layers into tandem devices. The goal? To boost performance and stability—two key ingredients to bring these novel solar cells from lab to rooftop.

What will be your role?

As an intern, you’ll become an essential part of our innovation team. Your main mission: Implement and evaluate self‑assembling monolayers to improve high‑efficiency perovskite tandem solar cells. You'll gain hands‑on experience in:

• Fabricating and characterizing perovskite‑based tandem solar cells
• Designing and running experiments to test and improve device performance
• Collaborating with leading scientists and engineers in an international, high‑tech environment

This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of solar power while building a strong foundation for your own career.

What we expect from you

Are you curious, driven, and excited by cutting‑edge clean tech? Great! You might be just who we’re looking for. We expect you to:

• Be enthusiastic and eager to learn about photovoltaics and energy transition
• Enjoy experimental work and problem‑solving
• Have good communication skills and work well both independently and in a team
• Be studying (applied) physics, chemistry, materials science or electrical engineering
• Be enrolled at a university or HBO institution during your internship (a must for eligibility)

What you'll get in return

An internship at TNO means working in an environment where substance and impact are central. You will become part of a knowledge organisation where research and practice come together, and where experts collaborate on solutions to current societal and technological challenges.

Your internship is a period in which you can discover what suits you, where your strengths lie and what you would like to learn next. You are part of a professional working environment, gain insight into how things work in practice, and have the opportunity to build experience that goes beyond this internship alone. For many students, an internship is therefore also a first step in discovering whether TNO could be a potential next step after graduation.

In addition, we offer you:

• A professional and innovative internship environment in which you actively contribute to societal and technological challenges, working alongside leading experts in your field.
• Personal and dedicated supervision, with focus on your learning objectives, development and study assignment.
• Room to develop: you gain relevant work experience, develop both your subject‑specific and professional skills, and build a valuable network.
• Use of a laptop and the facilities you need to perform your work effectively.
• A monthly internship allowance of € 615 for a full‑time internship, for MSc, BSc and vocational education (MBO) students.
• Up to eight hours of leave per internship month for a full‑time internship, allowing you to balance your internship with your studies and personal life.
• A contribution towards travel expenses if you are not entitled to a student travel card.
• A free membership to Jong TNO: the network for young colleagues, where you can meet other TNO colleagues and participate in sports activities, professional and personal development activities, and social events such as the annual ski trip.

TNO as an employer

Our people are at the heart of TNO. Their curiosity, expertise and entrepreneurial mindset make it possible to deliver high‑impact research and innovations that contribute to society’s sustainable wellbeing and prosperity. That is why we invest in an inspiring and inclusive working environment where colleagues can excel, have autonomy and continue to grow.

Your talent and ambition have every opportunity to flourish at TNO. You work with experts (both within and beyond TNO), have access to advanced technology and the freedom to explore, experiment and innovate. Our strength lies in independence, reliability and collaboration. We find each other in wonder and ingenuity. We are driven to push boundaries. By working with businesses and government, and by connecting different perspectives, we strengthen our innovative capability and create responsible, meaningful results.

At TNO, we believe this is our time to help society, government and business move forward faster. Together with driven colleagues, you turn knowledge into concrete innovations or ventures that truly make a difference by combining the power of science and entrepreneurship. And in doing so, you make your mark on our time.

Important to know before applying

Before the start of the internship, an internship agreement must be signed. For students enrolled at a Dutch university or university of applied sciences, TNO uses the UNL-template, supplemented with several TNO‑specific agreements. For students from foreign educational institutions and MBO (secondary vocational education) programmes, the TNO internship agreement applies. TNO does not sign any other internship agreements.

Before the start of the internship, the educational institution will need to confirm in writing that you are enrolled at the educational institution for the duration of the internship, and that the internship forms part of your study programme. The confirmation of educational institution takes place by signing the UNL template or forms prepared by TNO.

Interns at TNO must have a registered residential address in the Netherlands at the start of the internship. Carrying out internship activities from abroad is not possible.

Are you an international student? Please note that you must have a BSN (Dutch citizen service number) before the start of your internship. Applying for a BSN can take several weeks, so make sure to start this process well in advance.