Research Hardware Engineer

Introduction

Are you a bridge builder between technology and science? Do you believe that the future of innovation lies in sharing knowledge rather than protecting it? As a Research Hardware Engineer for the OSHNED project (Open-source Hardware Infrastructure for The Netherlands), you will play a key role in transforming Dutch science into an open ecosystem.

As a Research Hardware Engineer at TU/e, you will not be building the database itself—we leave that to the software experts at the eScience Center. Your mission is to activate this national infrastructure. You are the link that ensures that designs from our education and research do not end up on a dusty shelf, but are given a second life as an open-source standard. You work at the intersection of technology, education, and community management.

You inform, encourage, and help teachers to actively apply open hardware in education and research, you form an active connection with the Smart Campus & Living Labs program, and you are the driving force behind the “Open Hardware Corner” in Innovation Space.

You are the driving force that motivates teachers, researchers, and students and enables them to develop and document high-quality, reproducible hardware themselves in accordance with international standards.

Job Description

What will you be doing?

• Supporting Students and Researchers to make their projects open source and FAIR. This includes helping with documentation, choosing the right platform to share, and determine the right license for the project. You can do this e.g. through open-office hours for students.
• Promoting and filling the National Database: You identify and curate hardware designs within TU/e (including from graduation projects) and assist creators in uploading to the national repository (RSD). You perform quality checks to ensure that documentation complies with OSHNED standards.
• Teach students about open source hardware through lectures, giving workshops, and tutorials. Familiarize students with open source projects and get them excited to join the community and to make open science the standard. This has to go hand-in-hand with the teachers (see next item).
• Educate, inform, and support researchers and teachers to actually implement the use of Open Hardware. This should lead to more designs in the OHSNED database and you will develop a number of success stories that can be shared for promotion and further inspiration. You actively promote open hardware and promote usecases on the university website, generate a newsletter and use social media.
• Train-the-Trainer: You will relieve lecturers and the Technical Resources cluster by developing ready-made ‘Open Hardware Modules’ for (Challenge-Based Learning) courses. You advise teachers on licenses and documentation standards (such as DIN SPEC 3105) so that they can independently guide their students.
• Link to existing Open Source initiatives: You will help students and researchers incorporate existing open source initiatives within their projects. This includes helping them find the correct information, helping them understand the limitations of the license, and supporting them in making contributions to the project.
• Promote Replication of Open hardware: You stimulate the re-use of open hardware designs and help students and teachers in TU/e innovation Space to replicate existing open hardware, using available machinery, tools and materials; come up with ideas on how to improve replication, e.g. through 3D-printing workshops or by using new types of additive manufacturing technologies.
• Living Lab Synergy: You will form a duo with the Living Lab Community Manager (Christina). While she focuses on the community and recruitment, you will provide technical support and ensure the hardware used within the Smart Campus & Living Labs is properly maintained.
• Living Archive & Prototyping: You will create a physical and digital “Wall of Fame” of innovation projects realized in TU/e innovation Space or elsewhere within TU/e. You will link local project results to the national open hardware database, creating a reusable archive for future students (teams).
• Events & Budget Management: You will organize an annual Open Hardware Hackathon (€5,000 budget) and training sessions for the TU/e community. In addition, you will manage the annual materials budget (€4,500) for the further development of open-source prototyping facilities (3D printing, electronics).

Job Requirements

Who are you?

• The “Facilitator”: You derive satisfaction from making processes scalable. You would rather build a toolkit that 100 students can use than repair a single device for them.
• The Presenter: You give presentations on Open Hardware and encourage people to use it.
• Technical Generalist: You are familiar with prototyping (CAD, 3D printing, CNC, Arduino/ESP32) and understand what it takes to make a prototype and design reproducible for others.



• Open Science Ambassador: You are intrinsically motivated to share knowledge and preferably have experience with open-source licenses (e.g., CERN OHL).



• Networker: You can switch between students in the workshop, teachers in the lecture hall, and national partners in the OSHNED network.




Furthermore, you should have the ability to work independently, have enthusiasm for learning new skills, willingness to help and ability to approach people.
Nice to have: digital design skills; camera, film or social media skills, experience in mentoring/teaching

If you are concerned that you don’t meet all the requirements sufficiently, but the job does excite you, then be sure to respond, we would love to look at your profile.

Conditions of Employment

An exciting position within an international yet personal university. You are right in the middle of the students, on a green campus within walking distance of the central station. Besides beautiful architecture, you will find varied workplaces and excellent sports facilities. We also offer you:

• A unique position as Research Hardware Engineer in TU/e innovation Space for 0.53 fte for 4 years.
• A monthly salary of minimum € 4,728 to maximum € 6,433 for full-time employment, depending on your knowledge and experience (scale 11 Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities).
• In addition to vacation pay, a structural end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.
• A favorable arrangement for more holidays or a sabbatical.
• A selection model for additional fringe benefits.
• Working hours in consultation for an optimal work-life balance.
• Scope for your talent with advancement prospects and excellent development opportunities such as mentoring, workshops and coaching.
• Partially paid parental leave and reimbursement for commuting expenses, working from home and the internet.
• A generous employer contribution to the favorable ABP pension plan.
• Unlimited access to the modern on‑campus TU/e Student Sports Center at an exceptionally affordable rate.

Here you can discover even more information about our conditions of employment. Build on your career at TU/e!

About us

We are a leading international university where scientific curiosity meets a hands-on mindset. We work in an open and collaborative way with high-tech industries to tackle complex societal challenges. Our responsible and respectful approach ensures impact — today and in the future. TU/e is home to over 13,000 students and more than 7,000 staff, forming a diverse and vibrant academic community.

Our university is located in Brainport Eindhoven — a world‑leading tech region with more than 7,000 high‑tech companies and strong R&D activity. Known for breakthroughs in AI, photonics, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing, Brainport is a place where technology serves people and society. Learn more about the Brainport region here.

The Industrial Engineering & Innovation Sciences (IE&IS) department combines disciplinary knowledge from the humanities, social sciences and technical sciences to solve the complex problems of industries and society. We collaboratively focus on and create responsible and effective innovations for the research themes: Humans and Technology, Supply Chain Management, Sustainability and Circularity, and Value of Data-Driven Intelligence.

The role is part of an ambitious project funded by Open Science NL that aims to integrate successful open-hardware initiatives in the Netherlands into a robust infrastructure (OSHNED) through national coordination. This involves maintaining a centralized digital repository, providing training, and identifying existing open-source hardware. The project will have three phases: setup, implementation and expansion, and long-term sustainability and refinement. On top of making hardware more accessible for education, exploration and reproducing scientific results, OSHNED can free up money annually for scientific research. The national consortium consists currently of TU/e, TUDelft, UU, WUR, Radboud UMC, eScience Center.


About TU/e innovation Space – where education meets prototyping

TU/e innovation Space is Eindhoven University of Technology’s vibrant center of expertise for Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) and student entrepreneurship. We are an open, interdisciplinary community where students, researchers, and industry partners collaborate to solve complex, real-world societal challenges.

Information

Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to have more information about the position, please contact the hiring manager Isabelle Reymen, General manager TU/e innovation Space, i.m.m.j.reymen@tue.nl.

Visit our website for more information about the application process. You can also contact Isabelle Reymen, Professor Design of Innovation Ecosystems and General Manager TU/e innovation Space, I.M.M.J.Reymen.@tue.nl.

Are you inspired and would like to know more about working at TU/e? Please visit our career page.

Application

If you are interested, please use the ‘apply’ button to send us your CV and letter of application with your motivation and a description of your qualifications. Ensure that you submit all the requested application documents. We give priority to complete applications.

Screening of candidates begins as soon as applications are received and continues until the position is filled. Where applicable, internal candidates will be given priority over external candidates where they are equally suitable.

We look forward to receiving your application!

Please note 

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post. 
• A pre-employment screening (e.g. knowledge security check) can be part of the selection procedure. For more information on the knowledge security check, please consult the National Knowledge Security Guidelines.
• Important for non-EU applicants: Please be aware that for this position, specific residence permit requirements apply. If you are a non-EU national, you may not be eligible to legally work in this role under current Dutch immigration regulations. We strongly advise you to contact our Staff Immigration Team (staffimmigration@tue.nl) before applying to check your eligibility and to receive further guidance.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.