Master student / Internship in Information Technology or Physics (f/m/d) - adaptive optics software
About the role
The DLR Institute of Communications and Navigation is dedicated to mission-oriented research in selected areas of communications and navigation. Its work ranges from the theoretical foundations to the demonstration of new procedures and systems in a real environment and is embedded in DLR's Space, Aeronautics, Transport, Security and Digitalization programmes.
What to expect
Optical free space communications are an exciting technology under intense development to provide secure high bandwidth communications to all areas of the world. In order to provide reliable light reception at the Optical Ground Station, Adaptive Optics is used to sense wave-front aberrations in the light and correct it in real-time. This requires high optical precision, high performance control systems and accurate calibration procedures.
Your tasks
In this role, you will be responsible for enhancing the usability and deployment of our adaptive optics software by bridging the gap between the real-time C++ backend and the users. Your duties will include:
- designing a modern graphical user interface for system control.
- developing Python wrapper classes to enable rapid prototyping and parameter tuning.
- streamline the software's deployment in a Linux environment by creating automated installers for hardware drivers and library dependencies.
- building robust scripts to automate the startup sequence of the entire system, and control and monitor the system variables.
Familiarity with some of the following is desirable
- C++
- Git
- Cmake
- Linux Environment
- Python
- Docker containers
We look forward to getting to know you!
If you have any questions about this position (Vacancy-ID 5535 ) please contact:
Douglas Laidlaw
Tel.: +49 (0)8153 28 4522
Copied from the listing German Aerospace Center (DLR) published, verified 31 Oct 2026.
About German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Germany's aerospace research centre and space agency, hiring engineers, scientists and students at its space institutes.
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