How can virtual healthcare assistants become more acceptable to patients? In this thesis, you will explore how personification can transform automated assistance from being perceived as intrusive to engaging. By leveraging an avatar design prototype, you’ll experiment with features that enhance user acceptance and improve the experience of elderly individuals living independently.

💡Areas of Interest: Virtual Assistants, Social AI, Software Engineering.

The Assignment

This master’s thesis is part of the graduation project ‘Ontzorg de zorg, zorg voor jezelf!’. This project gives the healthcare sector a digital boost through automation and data analysis, allowing caregivers to spend more time with patients while enabling patients to take control of their personal health data.

There is a growing deficit of healthcare professionals due to factors such as an aging population in the Western world. Additionally, most elderly individuals prefer to live independently for as long as possible, which reduces the efficiency of assistance. Automating some simpler home care tasks could free up time for tasks that benefit more from the human touch, thereby extending the period during which independent living remains viable.

Automating assistance, such as reminders to take medicine, can easily be perceived as annoying. Personifying the assisting system could improve patient acceptance. However, careful consideration is needed when deciding how to personify such an agent. This will be the focus of your investigation.

B2 language proficiency in Dutch is required.

Find more benefits when graduating with Info Support and the thesis assignment here. 

About Booking.com
Do you dream of a world where travel is effortless and personalised? At Booking.com, we're making that dream a reality. For over 20 years, we've been revolutionising the travel industry, starting with online hotel bookings. Today, we're building a one-stop platform that encompasses flights, taxis, rental cars, tours, and more, creating a flawless travel experience.

By booking dream flights to exotic destinations, streamlining airport transfers with convenient taxis, enabling exploration through car rentals, and providing tickets to must-see attractions, we help travelers unlock unforgettable experiences.

We're not just about booking hotels anymore; we're crafting personalised journeys that go beyond expectations. Join a team of passionate individuals who grow with challenges and embrace change, seeing every obstacle as an opportunity to innovate and improve the travel experience for everyone. Through our products, partners and people, we make it easier for everyone to experience the world.

About the programme
Launch your software engineering career with Booking.com's dynamic 12-month graduate programme. Work alongside experts transforming the company from a single-product platform to a multi-service travel leader. Collaborate with experienced engineers from day one, designing and delivering innovative travel solutions. This programme prioritizes your growth with dedicated mentorship, an onboarding bootcamp, and rotations across our engineering business units, equipping you with world-class technical expertise.

This is your chance to:

• Launch your career at a global leader in travel technology.
• Master the fundamentals of software engineering alongside industry experts.
• Gain practical experience building products used by millions.
• Innovate and impact the travel landscape for millions.
   

Shape the future of travel through Software Engineering

You'll play a pivotal role in crafting unforgettable travel experiences. By harnessing the power of data, you'll transform how travelers plan their adventures.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with a team of engineers to craft, develop, and deliver high-quality software solutions.
• Coordinate for the end-to-end delivery of your projects.
• Learn new technologies and stay ahead of the curve.
• Contribute to the evolution of our engineering standard processes.
• Write clear, concise, and comprehensive user documentation.

To succeed in this role, you'll need

• A Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related STEM-field from a Dutch University. Note that your graduation date has to be in 2024 or 2025.
• Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Understanding of object-oriented code or Javascript and React.
• A passion for travel and technology.

What we offer

• A beautiful sustainable HQ Campus in Amsterdam, that offers on-site meals, coffee, and snacks.
• Impactful training and development, including in Java and professional growth in building software applications, software system design, technical incident management and architectural mentorship.
• Free access to online learning platforms, development and mentorship programmes.
• An award winning company culture (Best Workplace for Women 2024 & In-house Recruitment Early Careers Award Finalists 2024)
• The opportunity to work on meaningful and exciting projects.
• The chance to make a real difference in the travel industry.
• Technical, behavioral and interpersonal competence advancement via on-the-job opportunities, experimental projects, hackathons, conferences and active community participation.
• 29 days’ paid holiday plus bank holidays
• Up to 10% pension matching
• Discounts & Wallet credits to spend on our products, upgrade to Booking.com
• Genius Level 3, and friends & family Booking.com discount vouchers.

Important note about eligibility

In order to be eligible for this programme you need to:

• Graduate in 2025 or have graduated in 2024 with a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related STEM-field from a Dutch University.
• Be available to start a full time position for our 12 month programme mid- September 2025.
• Be able to commute to our office in Amsterdam.

Booking.com is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We strive to move well beyond traditional equal opportunity and work to create an environment that allows everyone to thrive.

Key Skills

• Problem-solving mindset
• Collaborative approach
• Communication skills
• Coding skills

Pre-Employment Screening

If your application is successful, your personal data may be used for a pre-employment screening check by a third party as permitted by applicable law. Depending on the vacancy and applicable law, a pre-employment screening may include employment history, education and other information (such as media information) that may be necessary for determining your qualifications and suitability for the position.

Nedap has recently established a new AI team aimed at accelerating and broadening the adoption of AI within the organization. This team consists of three people and supports our four main markets in various ways.

As an AI-native Developer, you inspire and enable teams to integrate AI, automation, and conversational interfaces into their daily work. You roll out organization-wide tooling, build proof-of-concepts (PoCs), and keep colleagues sharp in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

You collaborate with internal stakeholders from all corners of the organization. Think of development teams, product owners, and business leads from our Healthcare, Livestock Management, Retail, and Security Management markets.

Summer (July - August) 2024 Internship | Software Engineer I

About Booking.com Compass

We know you’ve just started navigating your career journey. And we’re here to help. We promise it’s going to be fun and exciting! We’re a company of travel-obsessed, resourceful, dedicated people who work to make it easier for everyone to experience the world.

At Booking.com, data drives our decisions. Technology is at our core. And innovation is everywhere. But our company is more than datasets, lines of code or A/B tests. We’re the thrill of the first night in a new place. The excitement of the next morning. The friends you make. The journeys you take. The sights you see. And the food you sample. Through our products, partners and people, we can empower everyone to experience the world.

About the Internship Program

We are thrilled about this 9 weeks program within our Accommodations, Central Technology, Fintech and Trips Business Units based in Amsterdam. These departments bridge the Booking.com of today with the Booking.com of tomorrow, leading the evolution of our business from a single-product company to a multi-product offering company with an outstanding, personalized travel experience at the heart of its success.

This program will provide an excellent foundation for interns  to develop their skills and have an impact on our mission to make it easier for everyone to experience the world, building and improving great products for both travelers and for our accommodation partners.

This is an outstanding opportunity to launch your professional career and learn great software engineering principles and working practices at the world’s number one travel company.

As a Software Engineering Intern, you’ll work closely with our expert engineers and contribute to web applications from ideation, inception and validation to implementing scalable solutions in production. 

Enter the fascinating world of the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft und Raumfahrt e. V.; DLR) and help shape the future through research and innovation! We offer an exciting and inspiring working environment driven by the expertise and curiosity of our 11,000 employees from 100 nations and our unique infrastructure. Together, we develop sustainable technologies and thus contribute to finding solutions to global challenges. Would you like to join us in addressing this major future challenge? Then this is your place!

The Institute of Communications and Navigation, with sites in Oberpfaffenhofen and Neustrelitz, is dedicated to mission-oriented research in selected areas of communications and navigation. These are embedded in the DLR programmes on space, aviation, transport and security.

What to expect

The Communications Systems department has played a leading role in aviation research in the fields of communication, navigation and surveillance (CNS) for many years. Aviation is currently undergoing major changes: new radio technologies are being introduced to cope with the increasing volume of air traffic and the new unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The development of suitable cybersecurity protocols for the new communication systems is essential. Further knowledge of operations, the legal framework in aviation or the operation of drones is advantageous.

The "Aeronautical Communications" group in the Communications Systems department develops digital radio systems for civil aviation and urban air traffic. These new aeronautical radio procedures must also be secure against external attacks. In order to guarantee the necessary security, you develop in scientific projects cybersecurity procedures for new radio links such as LDACS and DroneCAST.

Your tasks

After familiarisation with new aeronautical communication concepts and the associated aeronautical radio technologies, you:

• Identify the weak points of current and future aeronautical radio procedures.

• Design suitable cybersecurity architectures and develop suitable, cybersecure
  communication protocols for aviation and implement them in computer simulations.

• Carry out computer-aided simulations to demonstrate the effectiveness and evaluate
  the performance of developed procedures.

•  Modify and optimise the developed procedures.

•  Work in projects to support measurement campaigns and contribute to the acquisition of national and international projects.

• Publish research results in journals and at international conferences and write
  publications and project reports on the latest scientific research results.

• Work on internal projects, third-party funded projects and standardisation.

Your profile

• Completed scientific university degree (Master / Diploma Uni) in engineering (e.g.
  computer science, IT security / cybersecurity, electrical engineering or communications engineering etc.) or other degree programmes relevant to the job with a very good degree.
• Expertise in the areas of cybersecurity and/or cryptography.
• Experience with wireless networks and their cyber security.
• Good programming skills and experience with version control environments and
  configuration management.
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team-oriented, cooperative manner.
• Good command of English.

Remuneration is up to the German TVöD 13 depending on qualifications and assigned tasks.

We offer

DLR stands for diversity, appreciation and equality for all people. We promote independent work and the individual development of our employees both personally and professionally. To this end, we offer numerous training and development opportunities. Equal opportunities are of particular importance to us, which is why we want to increase the proportion of women in science and management in particular. Applicants with severe disabilities will be given preference if they are qualified.

We look forward to getting to know you!

Please apply to this position using our website:

https://jobs.dlr.de/default/job/Cybersecurity-Engineer-%28fmx%29-Drones-and-Aeronautical-Communications/2465-en_GB

If you have any questions about this position (Vacancy-ID 2465), please contact:

Dr. Stephan Sand

Department Head Communications Systems
Tel.: +49 8153 28 1464
stephan.sand@dlr.de

or

ir. Lennart Jansen

Scientific Researcher Cybersecure Communications Systems
Tel.: +49 8153 28 4021
leonardus.jansen@dlr.de

Vacancy-ID: 2465
Place of work: Oberpfaffenhofen
Starting date: As soon as possible
Career level: Graduates; Experienced professionals
Type of employment: Full-time; Part-time
Duration of contract: 3 Years
Remuneration: Remuneration is in accordance with the Collective Agreement for the Public
Sector - Federal Government (TVöD-Bund)

Come graduate in an IT environment that is always innovating and improving. In this internship at the Belastingdienst, you will conduct a graduation research project at the intersection of tax and IT. We will design the research together with you so that it meets your needs. Sometimes you will work from the office in Apeldoorn and sometimes from home. Wherever you are: your experienced colleagues are always ready to help. Learn more and help make the Belastingdienst more accessible to everyone.

Are you enthusiastic about programming? Already working on your own projects at home or enjoying trying out new technologies? Then we have a spot for you! We're looking for motivated interns with a passion for technology for our locations.

Why do an internship with us in Heerenveen, Hoogeveen, or Amsterdam?

• You will work at a location with a lot of technical expertise, many experienced developers, and 15+ years of experience in supervising internships
• You get the opportunity to collaborate with experienced developers on solutions that matter
• You can delve into topics such as software development, algorithms, data analysis and technical modeling
• There is plenty of room for personal initiative and technical creativity
• Possibility of progression to a permanent position
   

Examples of completed assignments

HiX PromptHub – Central AI Prompting & Management:
For this assignment, a central Prompting module was developed in HiX, making Large Language Models available in a secure, manageable way for application in medical workflows. Prompts can be centrally maintained, and it is possible to enrich them with data from the patient file. The prompts can be easily invoked by other HiX functions via a standardized API, making them easy to deploy in various places within HiX. Once the prompts are deployed, all prompt invocations and generated results are automatically logged so that we can display usage statistics and user ratings for each prompt version. Finally, an additional pre-processing layer was added to format prompts and to manage the anonymization of confidential data.

Smart work distributor for radiologists:
Radiologists process dozens of imaging exams daily, but the workload varies significantly by exam type. An intern interviewed radiologists and developed an engine that automatically distributes the workload fairly, based on complexity and available information. The solution is fully modular, with a test-driven approach and the use of the flow factory design pattern. This tool helps radiologists work more efficiently and fairly, with a direct impact on their daily practice.

Room scheduling with Ant Colony Optimization:
For this assignment, a proof of concept was developed in which a mathematical optimization model based on Ant Colony Optimization was applied to automatically generate room assignments within rehabilitation clinics. The solution takes into account the availability of therapists, required facilities, and capacity constraints, replacing error-prone manual scheduling. By leveraging historical data and decision-making techniques, a more efficient and reliable scheduling process was achieved, which can be integrated into the existing HiX environment.

Techniques used

• C#
• Blazor
• Git
• SQL
• Maui

We are looking for
Computer Science / Applied Mathematics / Data Science Students

We offer

• A generous compensation with the prospect of a permanent position
• An extensive introduction to the most diverse methods and development tools within healthcare IT and our programming and data environment

Do you want to take on this challenge?
Send your motivation and/or ideas to werken@chipsoft.nl.

Do you have a better or more fun graduation idea? Feel free to contact us!

Do you have a competitive and innovative mindset? Do you want to be part of a young energetic team and work in a dynamic environment? Do you have excellent analytical skills and a superb arithmetical instinct? Do you thrive under pressure? Then a role as Intraday Energy Trader at Northpool might be suited for you!

Efficient planning for demand-driven public transport in rural areas remains a complex challenge. This thesis focuses on designing a route-planning algorithm that integrates NeTEx flex and NeTEx timetable standards. You will develop a proof of concept that meets operational demands and strict business rules, aiming to create practical and scalable solutions for sustainable public transport systems.

💡Areas of Interest: Public transport, flexible routing algorithms, software development, architecture, data exchange protocols.

This graduation assignment is part of the Sustainable Public Integrated Transport Solution (SPITS) graduation project. With this project, we are committed to providing travelers with the ideal travel experience solution, making public transport much more accessible, and significantly more sustainable.

This thesis concerns an issue relevant to the Dutch public transport sector. In sparsely populated areas, demand-driven transport is increasingly replacing fixed bus lines. This approach enables operators to offer public transport in a more cost-effective and sustainable way. However, creating an efficient transport schedule for such systems remains a challenge.

Currently, established standards exist for flexible transport (NeTEx flex) and regular timetables (NeTEx timetable). Yet, integrating these standards into a cohesive system for planning and advising on demand-driven transport solutions is still an unresolved problem. Existing methods fail to meet both operational requirements and specific business rules within these standards. Suggested routes are inefficient: they often support only shared transport or demand-driven options at either the beginning or end of a journey and they struggle to seamlessly combine the needs of multiple travelers.

The Assignment

Design and develop a route-planning algorithm that leverages the NeTEx flex and NeTEx timetable standards to generate transport advice for demand-driven public transport. The solution must comply with predefined business rules and demonstrate its feasibility through a proof of concept (PoC). Your research will focus on aligning these standards in a practical, scalable, and efficient way, with the ultimate goal of improving sustainable and flexible transport operations.

B2 language proficiency in Dutch is required.

Find more benefits when graduating with Info Support and the thesis assignment here.