C++ Software Engineer – SIMS (Radar Core Processing)

Location: Hengelo, Netherlands

About Us:

Thales Nederland is a top provider of high-tech jobs, active in the Aerospace, Defense, and Security sectors. We design extremely modern radar systems and optical sensors that form part of complete, integrated defense systems. Within the Engineering cluster, our software engineering department is responsible for the software that makes these radar systems tick.

These complex systems are used worldwide to protect lives in critical situations.

The Team: SIMS (Radar Core Processing)

Testing a cutting-edge naval radar system does not always mean spinning up a massive physical antenna or flying real fighter jets through the air. The SIMS team within the Radar Core Processing (RCP) department builds the sophisticated sensor equipment simulators and Video Injection Units (VIU), powered by our in-house developed SESx framework, that make isolated, high-fidelity radar testing possible.

Our software enables internal teams to test specific components of the radar chain by injecting synthetic data that mimics previous hardware or software stages. For example, we can bypass the heavy physical hardware (like the radar dish and receiver) by injecting simulated radar 'video' (raw non-visual RF/digital data streams) directly into the Signal Processing stage. Further down the chain, we inject synthetic plots and tracks, allowing downstream teams to validate how their systems react to complex, high-stakes scenarios that are nearly impossible to stage in real life, such as massive drone swarms or supersonic threats.

The Role:

We are looking for a strong C++ Software Engineer who enjoys working at the crossroads of complex system architecture, real-world simulation, and cross-team collaboration.

Because our simulators must mimic real radar components and feed exact data structures into live products, our software has to integrate tightly with the systems built by other RCP teams. You will spend your time not only writing clean, high-performance C++ code within the SESx framework, but also actively collaborating with engineers across the department to align interfaces, data formats, and injection points. Additionally, while our team has dedicated physics and math specialists who design the underlying environmental and target models, you will work closely alongside them to implement these models in code, meaning a solid grasp of physics and mathematics will help you hit the ground running.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, and maintain sensor equipment simulators and Video Injection Units (VIU) in modern C++ using our proprietary SESx framework.
• Build software components capable of injecting synthetic data at various stages of the radar chain, ranging from raw hardware-level radar 'video' up to processed plots and tracks.
• Collaborate closely with stakeholders and engineers from other radar product teams to align architectural interfaces and ensure tight, accurate integration with target radar systems.
• Partner with domain and physics specialists within the team to translate real-world mathematical and physical models (such as target kinematics, radar cross-sections, and environmental clutter) into reliable, performant C++ code.
• Develop complex test scenario capabilities (e.g., multi-target fighter jet maneuvers, coordinated drone swarms) to push the boundaries of our radar verification capabilities. Participate in the full Agile software lifecycle, ensuring simulator releases stay synchronized with evolving radar product roadmaps.

About You:

We are looking for an engineer who combines strong C++ craftsmanship with the communication skills needed to connect different teams and disciplines. You should have:

• A completed Bachelor’s or Master’s degree (HBO/WO) in Computer Science, Technical Informatics, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related technical discipline.
• Strong, proven experience (5+ years) in modern C/C++ software engineering within a Linux environment.
• Strong stakeholder and interpersonal skills; you enjoy reaching out to other teams to align technical implementations and solve integration challenges together.
• A solid foundational understanding of—and affinity for—physics and mathematics, allowing you to effectively collaborate with modeling specialists and understand real-world simulation concepts.
• Experience with object-oriented design, modular software architectures, and real-time or high-throughput data streams.
• Familiarity with modern software development tooling, such as Git, CI/CD pipelines, and Agile/Scrum methodologies.

What We Offer:

• An interesting job in a high-tech environment at our Hengelo campus.
• An open and flexible working environment where work-life balance is considered very important.
• 40 leave days per year.
• Travel expenses and a flexible benefits à la carte package.
• Options to personalize your benefits, including the purchase/sale of leave hours, internet costs, a bicycle plan, company fitness, trade union contributions, or relocation costs.
• Dedicated opportunities for continuous skill development, including active participation in our internal monthly "Learning Moments" professional development initiatives.
• A lot of room for your personal development and own initiatives.

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