ABOUT THIS POSITION

Do you want to use your software skills to contribute to the safety of military personnel and the testing of weapon systems that truly matter? At TNO, you’ll work on advanced models and simulations that directly impact the effectiveness and protection within the defense domain. You’ll develop software based on real data from ballistic tests, translating complex physics into smart solutions that support and advance our armed forces. Make a difference where it truly counts — and help build the defense capabilities of today and tomorrow.

WHAT WE EXPECT FROM YOU

We’re looking for a colleague with an open and proactive attitude, who is curious and wants to contribute to generating simulation results that are highly relevant to end users. First and foremost, you’re a specialist in software design and development. You can translate user needs and requirements into concrete software specifications and innovative solutions. Alongside experience, you bring enthusiasm, creativity, strong communication skills, and a hands-on, pragmatic view of software development. Together with your team, you’ll help grow and refine these systems further.
You are socially and communicatively skilled. Since we work in teams on our development projects, it’s important that you take initiative, share your professional opinions, and ask questions when needed. You’re not afraid to take responsibility for results and your own growth. You also work in a structured way: you create frameworks for others, maintain clear documentation, and write understandable code. This ensures our software is maintainable and scalable.

You also bring:

• A completed university of applied sciences (HBO) or academic (WO) degree in a relevant technical field such as Software Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline.
• Experience with software system design.
• Experience with programming (e.g., C#, Python, MATLAB), geometric modeling (e.g., SolidWorks), reporting, and version control systems (e.g., GitLab, PDM).
• Proficiency in both Dutch and English (spoken and written) at a minimum B1 level.
• An affinity with the defense and security domain.

As a software developer in vulnerability and lethality analysis, you’ll join a team focused on modeling the vulnerability and lethality of defense systems — a crucial aspect for determining weapon system effectiveness. TNO has developed a specialized computational tool for this purpose: TARVAC (TARget Vulnerability Assessment Code), used to conduct vulnerability and lethality studies. Input for TARVAC is derived in part from experimental research carried out at our unique “Ballistic Research Laboratory”, where live fire and explosive testing are conducted.
Together with clients and partners from the Ministry of Defence and the defense industry, you will contribute to the development and verification of TARVAC so it can be used to advise on vulnerability and lethality issues. Your focus will be on software development. Working closely with scientists and other software engineers, you’ll develop state-of-the-art software to model physical problems, analyze experimental data, and run simulations for evaluating the effectiveness of and protection against weapon systems.
Within project teams, you’ll be the driving force behind implementing models in the software — from idea to testing, documentation, and deployment. You’ll take into account the requirements, needs, and feedback from colleagues, clients, and partners. Additionally, you’ll advise colleagues on best coding practices, implementation of specific TARVAC modules, and automation of certain batch calculations.
In this role, you’ll be part of the Platform Protection & Advanced Materials (PPAM) department, which is part of TNO Defense, Safety & Security (DSS). The department has around 40 colleagues working on research into the effects of munitions on military vehicles, personnel, and infrastructure. We contribute to the development, usage advice, and evaluation of systems deployed by the Dutch armed forces. Both theoretical and experimental research is conducted within the department.