Tasks:

• Develop and improve the orchestration of our autonomous vehicle software stack
• Implement mission logic for disciplines such as Acceleration, Skidpad, Autocross and Trackdrive
• Design and maintain state machines, startup procedures and mission transitions
• Build interfaces between Perception, Path Planning and Vehicle Control
• Improve watchdog concepts, diagnostics paths and fail-safe behavior
• Support software integration and testing on the real vehicle
• Contribute to robust and maintainable ROS 2 based system architecture
• Document architecture decisions, software workflows and test results

Profile:

• Ongoing or completed studies in Computer Science, Robotics, Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering or a related field
• Good programming skills in Python and/or C++
• Interest in ROS 2, autonomous systems and distributed software architectures
• Structured way of thinking and motivation to work on complex technical systems
• First experience with robotics, automotive software or embedded systems is a plus
• Interest in practical development and testing on a real race car

What awaits you:

You will work at the core of our driverless software stack and take responsibility for the mission-level behavior of the vehicle. This role focuses on the question of how all relevant subsystems interact in a reliable and competition-ready way. You will help us define how the car starts, transitions between states, reacts to faults and executes autonomous missions under real Formula Student conditions.

Your work will directly affect whether our vehicle can operate robustly and safely on track. You will collaborate closely with the Perception, Planning and Control teams and gain hands-on experience with ROS 2, state-machine design, diagnostics, watchdogs and software integration on an actual autonomous race car. Beyond coding, you will be involved in real debugging sessions, vehicle tests and architecture discussions. This makes the role especially valuable for students looking for a practical thesis topic, working student position, internship or junior entry into robotics, automotive software or autonomous systems.

Time expenditure: At least 10 hours per Week

What We Expect in Addition:

Beyond technical competence, we place great value on personal commitment and the ability to work effectively within a team. Formula Student is a performance-driven development project that only succeeds through reliability and personal responsibility.

We expect:

• Reliability and adherence to agreements
• Independent and structured working style
• Clear and respectful communication within the team
• Willingness to actively participate in meetings and test days
• Thorough documentation of one’s own work
• Long-term commitment throughout the entire season

We are not looking for passive participants, but for team members who take ownership and actively contribute to the performance of our vehicle.

Application Requirements

To apply for a position within the team, please send an email containing the following information:

Personal Information

Please include the following basic information in your email:

• Full name
• Study program
• Current semester
• University

Motivation Letter, MAX 1000 characters (Optional)

Please attach a short motivation letter explaining:

• Why you want to join the Formula Student team
• Why the specific position interests you
• What motivates you to contribute to the development of the race car
• Any relevant background, experience, or skills you would like to highlight

This does not need to be a formal job application. However, we expect a structured and thoughtful explanation of your motivation and interests.

Availability

Please clearly state:

• How many hours per week you are realistically able to contribute to the project

Optional (but helpful)

You may also include:

• Previous technical or project experience
• Programming, CAD, or other relevant skills
• Personal projects or extracurricular activities

Applications should be sent to the email address listed in the respective job description.