Graduation: Operational Digital Twin Automation

Job Title

Graduation: Operational Digital Twin Automation

Job Description

Assignment type : Graduation

Start date : February 2027

Assignment duration : 6 months

Location : Veghel

Education level : Master

Desired study : Mathematics, Computer Science, data science, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering

Language : Dutch / English

Description of assignment

At Vanderlande, our Digital Twin Suite department creates advanced virtual representations of complex material handling systems across their entire life cycle. During live operation, these Digital Twins help our customers and site engineers optimize performance through real-time visualization, simulation, and predictive analytics.

However, real-world airport baggage handling systems continuously evolve—through software deployments, control reconfigurations, equipment upgrades, and physical expansions. To remain an accurate reflection, the Digital Twin must continuously adapt. Manually detecting discrepancies, upgrading models, and validating predictions is time-intensive and unscalable for a global fleet of Digital Twins.

In this Master graduation research, you will tackle a cutting-edge question: How can a Digital Twin of a Baggage Handling System be continuously and automatically monitored, updated, and validated throughout its full operational lifetime? You will conduct literature research, analyze site and simulation data, and build a functional proof of concept to automate the synchronization between physical assets and their digital shadows.

Department description

You will join the Digital Twin Suite department at our headquarters in Veghel, collaborating closely with colleagues in Pune (India).

Our department develops a scalable digital twin platform for both the Airports and Distribution domains, centered around core capabilities in high-fidelity simulation and emulation. You will operate at the intersection of our module development and cloud platform teams, working alongside domain experts in simulation modeling, data engineering, and cloud systems.

Tasks/responsibilities

Conduct literature research on continuous model validation, automated model synchronization, and digital twin lifecycle management

Perform data analysis combining real-time operational site data with simulation logs

Design and build a working proof-of-concept for automated monitoring, updating, and validating of operational Digital Twins

Validate your prototype against real-world Baggage Handling System datasets and scenarios

Write a high-quality Master graduation thesis and present your findings and recommendations to the engineering organization

Your profile

Strong analytical and research capabilities with a passion for simulation technologies and data-driven systems

Affinity with multi-disciplinary engineering, including Java simulation frameworks, cloud architectures (Azure), and data processing engines (Databricks)

Excellent problem-solving skills, self-driven research attitude, and strong communication skills in English

*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):€550 per month for a master 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

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: internship@vanderlande.com.