After graduating from Toneelschool Arnhem, Hein played with various companies, such as Toneelgroep Theater, Het Publiekstheater and the Ro Theater. He was a longstanding member of Toneelgroep Amsterdam, where he also made several productions of his own. He’s also worked with Het Nationale Theater since 2016. Some of his notable theatre credits are The Nation and The Century of My Mother by Eric de Vroedt, and musical theatre-production Ad Fundum, which he created.
Van der Heijden has been nominated twice for the the Johnny Kraaykamp Musical award in the Best Leading Role category (in 2003 and 2004), for his roles in Sinatra That's Life and The Lion King.
Over the course of his career Hein has received multiple awards such as Friends of Theater prize, the Arlecchino (for his role in MightySociety4), the Louis d'Or (2012) for best male lead in both Vincent and Theo (where he played Vincent van Gogh) and Astrov in Oom Vanja).
Some notable credits on screen are De Brug, La Famiglia, Rundskop, Anne+ and Fifteen Love.