Miguel's internship at ASML
Miguel completed his internship at ASML in Veldhoven, where he worked as a PMO (Programme Management Office) intern within the EUV NXE team, a team that develops the lithography platform used for high-volume manufacturing of advanced logic and memory chips. During his six months there, he contributed to an improvement project and experienced what it is like to work at one of the Netherlands’ biggest technology companies.
Why did you choose ASML?
I first heard about ASML early on when I arrived in the Netherlands. I asked a Dutch friend what the most important company for the Dutch economy was, and he said ASML, not just for the Netherlands, but for all of Europe. That got me curious, so I started looking into the company. I’ve always had a huge interest in geopolitics and technology, and ASML felt like the place where both worlds collided. You can see how technological innovation directly shapes global dynamics. Being able to experience that from inside the PMO, sitting in the middle, connecting different teams and moving pieces, sounded amazing. Honestly, six months felt like way too little time for everything going on there.
What was your role at ASML, and what kind of project did you work on?
While I helped out with day-to-day PMO tasks in NXE, like tracking deliverables and keeping deadlines in check, I actually spent most of my time on an improvement assignment. At the start, like in any big internship, the scope was pretty open while they figured out the best way to work with us, interns. Then the team decided to challenge us with a real pain point they had been looking to optimise: handovers between NXE and EXE machine development. NXE is the established machine platform, and EXE is the newer generation, but they share parts and dependencies. As projects scale and teams grow, cross-dependencies naturally become more complex to coordinate. My main job was digging into that, talking to stakeholders on both sides, understanding where the communication friction was coming from and helping set up a clearer and simpler way for both programmes to track and align on deliverables.
Did your studies help you during your internship?
I actually have a tech background. I studied Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Saxion for two years before moving into International Business. My engineering background allowed me to understand the technical terms used, and my business background helped me focus on what actually mattered: organising the work, talking to people and keeping timelines clear.
How did you experience the Dutch work culture and life in Eindhoven?
People say Dutch culture has zero hierarchy, but that’s not really true. You can’t just walk into any meeting and demand things; you still have to read the room and be smart about who you talk to. What is true, is the trust. Nobody watches over your shoulder or checks the clock. They give you your work, trust you to get it done and leave you alone. If something isn’t working, people just tell you straight, which makes life a lot easier. Living in Eindhoven and hanging out with people from all over the world was also a huge part of the experience. It wasn’t just the work; the whole vibe outside of it made the six months really fun.
What is your best advice for students who are starting an internship soon?
- Just ask when you’re lost. Nodding along when you have no idea what’s happening only makes it worse later. People are actually really nice with interns asking questions. Sometimes it even makes them question themselves.
- Go and get coffee with people. I cannot stress this enough. You learn way more about what’s actually happening in the company over a quick coffee than from reading any slides. And it is expected!
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Fix the annoying stuff. Every team has an ugly Excel sheet or a messy tracker nobody has time to improve. Step up and clean it up! People notice quickly and it’s helpful.
