Internship | Monitoring breathing in pilots

Make your mark on our time. Become an intern at TNO!

About this position

Military pilots operate in extreme and rapidly changing environments. Factors such as high altitude, rapid maneuvers, and complex task execution can significantly affect breathing patterns. Disruptions in breathing, for example due to hypoxia (i.e. reduced oxygen levels caused by lower air pressure at altitude), hyperventilation, or improper oxygen regulation, can pose serious risks to both performance and safety during missions.

To mitigate these risks, it is essential to understand how pilots’ breathing behaves under a wide range of operational conditions. TNO therefore investigates how respiratory physiology can be measured, understood, and interpreted in realistic environments. This research contributes to the early detection of risks, the improvement of training, and the optimization of human performance in physically and cognitively demanding settings.

What will be your role?

Within ongoing research, we offer a graduation project focused on monitoring breathing in military pilots. During this assignment, you will investigate how breathing can be measured and interpreted reliably, how it relates to physiological and performance metrics, and to what extent this information can be fed back (in real time) to the pilot.

You will make use of unique facilities from the Royal Netherlands Air Force and TNO, including:

• The hypobaric chamber for controlled exposure to altitude and oxygen variations
• The so-called Reduced Oxygen Breathing Device (ROBD) (and its successor, the HVRD), which allows precise manipulation of inhaled air composition
• Various sensors to simultaneously measure breathing, heart rate, physical exertion, oxygen saturation, and task performance

What we expect from you

• You are an enthusiastic MSc (WO) student in your final phase of study
• You are enrolled in a relevant program, such as Biomedical Engineering, Technical Medicine, or a similar field
• The duration of the graduation project is nine months (flexible depending on program requirements)
• You are proficient in Python and/or MATLAB
• Experience with physiological sensors and data analysis is a plus

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 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.