Electronics&Hardware Engineer - Intern / Student Job - Defence, Eindhoven

About Touchwaves At Touchwaves, we are building the next generation of human–machine interfaces. We are a TNO spin-off working closely with defence partners to develop technology for environments where failure is not an option. Most wearables today are incremental: slightly better batteries, marginally improved sensors, more apps layered on top. We are not interested in incremental. Touchwaves is developing next‑generation wearable systems that operate where performance, reliability, and human limits collide. Our embodied haptics technology connects human physiology with intelligent systems, enabling pilots and operators to maintain situational awareness and perform at their best under extreme cognitive and physical stress. Our platforms integrate sensing, embedded intelligence, and haptic actuation directly into garments and equipment used by military and security professionals. By combining science, engineering, and design, we enhance human performance indefence, aviation, and dual‑use applications.

Your Role We are looking for a hands‑on Electronics&Hardware Engineering student to join us part‑time and contribute directly to the development of our wearable prototypes. You will help build, test, and iterate on hardware that our customers — including drone operators, pilots and special forces — interact with in the real world. This is not a desk job. You will solder, debug, prototype, and present. If your mindset is do → fail → learn → iterate → do better, you will feel right at home here.

Location Eindhoven, Netherlands

Type Internship / Student Job

What You Will Build Prototyping&Hardware Development

Design and build functional wearable prototypes for customer demonstrations and field trials

Iterate rapidly from concept to working prototype, prioritising speed and learnability over perfection

Support demo preparation for drone operator use cases and other defence applications

Assist in the integration of hardware into wearable garments and body‑worn platforms

PCB&Schematic Design

Contribute to schematic capture and PCB layout for custom wearable electronics

Support hardware bring‑up of new PCB designs and troubleshoot issues at the board level

Assist in selecting and evaluating components for power, size, and performance constraints

Use bench equipment (oscilloscopes, logic analysers, multimeters) to validate hardware designs

Embedded Firmware (C/C++)

Write and test embedded firmware in C/C++ for microcontroller‑based wearable systems

Integrate peripheral drivers (I2C, SPI, UART) for sensors and actuation modules

Debug hardware–software interactions at the register and signal level

Support integration of real‑time logic for haptic feedback and communication protocols

Sensor Integration

Integrate and validate sensors, IMUs, environmental sensors, and motion sensing modules

Support calibration and data quality validation pipelines for body‑worn sensing systems

Work with both commercial off‑the‑shelf and custom sensor solutions

Analyse sensor output data to identify and resolve signal quality issues

Required Experience&Skills Must‑Have

Currently enrolled in Electrical Engineering, Embedded Systems, Mechatronics, or a related technical programme

Hands‑on experience with microcontrollers (Arduino, STM32, Nordic nRF, ESP32, or similar)

Working knowledge of C or C++ for embedded systems

Familiarity with standard communication interfaces (I2C, SPI, UART)

Comfortable working with bench tools

Eager to learn in a fast‑paced, early‑stage deep‑tech environment

Nice‑to‑Have

Experience with PCB design tools (KiCad, Altium, or Eagle)

Exposure to RTOS concepts (FreeRTOS, Zephyr) or bare‑metal real‑time programming

Python scripting for data analysis, testing, or rapid prototyping

Interest or experience in wearables, IoT, or body‑worn systems

Affinity with defence, aviation, robotics, or high‑reliability systems

Basic 3D printing or mechanical prototyping experience

Who You Are

You build things to learn— not just to finish assignments

You are comfortable with ambiguity and enjoy finding your way through a poorly defined problem

You care about quality but know when to ship a working prototype over a perfect one

You want to see your work used by real people in real conditions— not sit in a lab indefinitely

You are motivated by technology that has genuine impact in high‑stakes environments

What We Offer

A hands‑on role building prototypes that are demonstrated to real customers in defence and drone operations

Direct mentorship from experienced engineers in embedded systems, wearables, and haptics

Flexible part‑time hours that fit around your study schedule

Access to a well‑equipped hardware lab

Collaboration with world‑class experts in wearables, human performance, and applied engineering

Competitive student compensation based on your level and contribution

A culture that rewards ambition, curiosity, and ownership— even as a student

Potential to grow into a larger role as you progress through your studies

Why Join Now The architecture is still forming. The standards are not yet written.

Join now, and you won’t just optimize systems — you’ll define how next‑generation wearables are built, integrated, and trusted in the most demanding environments.

How to Apply Send us your CV and a short note on why this role excites you to

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