6 months Fulltime| Rotterdam

XR Unreal Engine Developer Internship – SenseGlove × European Space Agency (ESA)

What we do

Are you already building real projects in Unreal Engine and want to work on cutting-edge XR systems in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA)

We are looking for a hands-on Unreal Engine developer intern to contribute to a joint project between SenseGlove and ESA’s Orbital Robotics Laboratory.

This is not a typical internship, you will work on real XR systems used for astronaut training.

About the Project

At SenseGlove, we develop haptic gloves and XR interaction technology built on OpenXR and Unreal Engine.

In collaboration with ESA, you will contribute to the development of an Augmented Reality training environment for microgravity operations.

This system allows astronauts to train robotic and maintenance tasks in a simulated microgravity environment using:

A frictionless floor simulating weightlessness
VR/AR headset with motion tracking
Real-world objects mapped into virtual space
Haptic gloves for interacting with floating virtual objects

Your work will directly contribute to a real training system used in ESA’s lab.

What You’ll Work On

You will design and implement a reusable XR interaction system, including:

Hand-based interaction (grabbing, releasing, manipulating)
Physics-based behavior for floating objects
Gesture-driven interactions
Tool interaction (e.g. drills, maintenance equipment)

You will also contribute to:

Integrating VICON motion capture data into Unreal Engine
Aligning real-world and virtual environments
Building a production-quality simulation, not just a prototype

Technical Scope

- OpenXR-based plugin integration
- Unreal Engine (Blueprints and/or C++)
- Hand tracking + haptic input (SenseGlove Nova 2)
- VICON tracking + sensor fusion
- VR/AR interaction design
- Real-time simulation and validation

Work Setup

Part time at ESA (Noordwijk) and part time at SenseGlove (Rotterdam)

Important Eligibility Requirement

Due to ESA access regulations, only candidates from ESA Member States, Associate Members, or Cooperating States are eligible.

See full list here: https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Corporate_news/Member_States_Cooperating_States

Applications that do not meet this requirement cannot be considered.

What You’ll Do

Build XR interaction systems in Unreal Engine
Implement realistic hand-object interactions
Integrate tracking systems (VICON, headset sensors, gloves)
Design clean, reusable, and scalable systems
Develop demo scenarios (e.g. operating a drill in microgravity)
Test and validate your work in a real lab environment
Work independently while collaborating with experienced engineers

Who We’re Looking For

We care more about what you’ve built than your degree.

You should have:

Strong hands-on experience with Unreal Engine (required)
A portfolio / GitHub / demo projects (required)
Experience with Blueprint scripting and/or C++
Experience building interactive systems (not just following tutorials)
Interest in XR, interaction design, or simulation systems
Ability to work independently and take ownership

This is NOT for you if:

You only have tutorial-based experience
You are looking for a thesis-only or research-only internship
You are not comfortable building systems in Unreal Engine daily
You cannot provide examples of real projects

Nice to Have

Experience with VR/XR development
Familiarity with VR Expansion Plugin (strong plus)
Physics-based interaction systems
Experience with motion tracking (e.g. VICON)
Interest in robotics, space systems, or human-computer interaction
Experience with OpenXR

What We Offer

Work on a real ESA project with tangible impact
A unique combination of industry + space research
Direct mentorship from experienced Unreal Engine developers
Access to advanced XR hardware and lab environments
A standout portfolio project in XR and simulation
€800 monthly compensation
Team lunches, snacks, and team events
A collaborative, international R&D environment

Application Requirements

To apply, you must include:

Links to Unreal Engine projects (GitHub, video, or builds)
A short explanation of what you built and your role

Applications without demonstrated practical experience will not be considered.

What Else Is Good To Know?

At SenseGlove you can be yourself. That includes your gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age or disability status. Diversity is important to us.
And here’s a few more things about us:

Video: These Haptic Gloves For Quest 3 Let You FEEL VR! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUHhS8D8NE8)
Introducing the SenseGlove R1: The Ultimate Tool for Robotics with Active Force Feedback (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbYJ3qbjlmY)
Forbes: How Senseglove Could Change Virtual Reality Training Forever (https://bit.ly/3tbbfss)

Contact us right away

If you are interested, please send us your resume and a letter indicating your motivation regarding the job description and your experience regarding the skill set. If you have additional questions, feel free to give us a call : 015 200 2148

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