Elisabeth Reino: "one of the great advantages of being an engineering service provider: you learn about different fields of activity that are accessible if you are able to seize the opportunities that arise"

Elisabeth Reino is a graduate of Polytech'Paris and holds a DEA and a doctorate in Physics and Chemistry of Materials. Her dissertation topic? “I was researching crystals for micro-laser applications in information storage or medical imaging,” she explains. At the end of her studies, she found a job in Grenoble at the CEA, the French Electronics and Information Technology Laboratory. She works on research into new DVD concepts, writes patents, develops prototypes, etc. In 2004, she returned to the Paris region and became a materials consultant on assignment at PSA Automobiles. “I learned a lot and I was introduced to several different fields and some extremely interesting and groundbreaking concepts in the area of materials for glazing and finishes. I did a lot of managing and coordinating. In addition, I spent three years helping repair teams find suppliers outside Europe for their spare parts.”

In 2012, Elisabeth left her position and joined Safran Engineering Services. She is helping to manage a dressing project for the Silvercrest engine, working in a front-office capacity to coordinate teams located in Toulouse and Villaroche, both on-site and off-site. “My job was to make it easier for the various parties involved to communicate with each other,” she says. In 2014, she requested to return to her first love and joined the materials department. “I also wanted to improve the balance between my professional and personal life,” she says.

It thus became part of the REACH project, which is aimed at finding and implementing new processes to replace Chrome VI. “The objective was to find standardized group-wide alternatives for fastenerscrews and mechanical attachments treated with this chemical. I also took over the management of all Safran Engineering Services (Ile-de-France) employees involved in this project."

In 2017, she became head of materials operations and managed a team that grew from 15 to 20 people. “I supported the department head by responding to calls for tenders, urgent customer needs, managing and assisting teams in their daily activities, and overseeing recruitment. In short, technical, managerial and financial support.” Being a woman in the world of engineering has never been an issue for her: “First of all, it is because the materials sector is at least 50% female. Secondly, because it was an advantage, something that made me stand out for companies when they were recruiting me."

She is currently the head of the materials department. She manages a team of 40 people working at the Saclay, Colombes, Villaroche and Lardy sites “with three major projects but also multidisciplinary engineers who are working on several issues at the same time.”

What does she like most about her job? “Being able to identify interesting activities and assignments for my colleagues. Supporting them and providing them with training while meeting the customer's needs. This is essential to maintain their motivation. I often tell them that it is one of the great advantages of being an engineering service provider: you get to broaden your experience, you learn about different fields of activity that are accessible if you are able to seize the opportunities that arise,” she says.