Internship | Investigating the Best Practice of Research OSS

About this position

The absence of clear guidance on best practices of research projects in the open source world can create a knowledge gap that hinders researchers and research institutes from making well-informed choices. Bridging this knowledge gap is essential to empower researchers with the insights needed to navigate the dynamic landscape of open-source research, fostering project success, sustainability, and broader community impact. In line with this objective, this project aims to provide valuable and actionable insights to research institute TNO-ESI. TNO-ESI has proposed methodologies that assist high-tech industry leaders, including companies like Philips and ASML, in addressing the growing complexity of their systems. These methodologies are realized and enhanced through the development of various software tools by TNO-ESI researchers, demonstrating their effectiveness and usefulness. With the goal of providing effective methodologies with sustainable software, TNO-ESI has a great interest in understanding the best practices of research software in the open-source world.

What will be your role?

The candidate will investigate several research questions: What are the challenges faced by open-source research projects and what are the current practices that address them? What are the factors, inner workings and practices that influence the success or failure of open-source research projects? This research will provide actionable insights about best practices of open source research software based on empirical evidence collected by combining qualitative and quantitative methods. The applied methods may involve (but are not limited to) conducting in-depth interviews with open-source developers and mining software repositories. The candidate will work with several ESI researchers who have a great interest in community building around research software. Moreover, active communication with open source practitioners is expected.

What we expect from you

• You are a Master student who is looking for a graduation project.
• You have excellent communication skills to work with multiple stakeholders and conduct interviews with practitioners.
• You have experience with quantitative and qualitative analysis.
• You have an education background in Software Engineering or Computer Science related subjects.

What you'll get in return

You want an internship opportunity on the precursor of your career; an internship gives you an opportunity to take a good look at your prospective future employer. TNO goes a step further. It’s not just looking that interests us; you and your knowledge are essential to our innovation. That’s why we attach a great deal of value to your personal and professional development. You will, of course, be properly supervised during your work placement and be given the scope for you to get the best out of yourself. Furthermore, we provide:

• A highly professional, innovative internship environment, within a team of top experts.
• A suitable internship allowance (615 euro for wo-, hbo- and mbo-students, for a full-time internship).
• Possibility of eight hours of free leave per internship month (for a full-time internship).
• A free membership of Jong TNO, where you can meet other TNO professionals and join several activities, such as sports activities, (work-related) courses or the yearly ski-trip.
• Use of a laptop.
• An allowance for travel expenses in case you don’t receive an OV-card.

TNO as an employer

At TNO, we innovate for a healthier, safer and more sustainable life. And for a strong economy. Since 1932, we have been making knowledge and technology available for the common good. We find each other in wonder and ingenuity. We are driven to push boundaries. There is all the space and support for your talent and ambition. You work with people who will challenge you: who inspire you and want to learn from you. Our state-of-the-art facilities are there to realize your vision. What you do at TNO matters: impact makes the difference. Because with every innovation you contribute to tomorrow’s world.

At TNO we encourage an inclusive work environment, where you can be yourself. Whatever your story and whatever unique qualities you bring to the table. It is by combining our unique strengths and perspectives that we are able to develop innovations that make a real difference in society.

The selection process

After the first CV selection, the application process will be conducted by the concerning department. TNO will provide a suitable internship agreement. For this internship vacancy, it is required that the AIVD issues a security clearance (VGB) after conducting a security screening. Take into account that this process may take about 8 weeks. If you have been abroad for more than 6 consecutive months, or if you do not have the Dutch nationality, it may take longer.

Important to be aware of before applying:

• Before the start of the internship, the internship agreement from TNO needs to be signed. For students at a college or university based in the Netherlands, TNO uses the UNL-template (supplemented with a number of specific agreements from TNO). For students of foreign and MBO educational institutions, 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 during the internship, and;
  • The internship takes place as part of the programme of the study.
• The confirmation of educational institution takes place by signing the UNL template or forms prepared by TNO.
• Interns at TNO must be in possession of a Dutch residential address at the start of the internship. Performance of internship activities from abroad is not possible.