Safran Identity & Security, the Group’s security specialist

Safran Identity & Security is specialized in the development of security and identity products and solutions. The market is booming in today's increasingly connected and digital world, spurring a number of job opportunities in our fascinating professions. Frédéric Rohrbach, Forensic Integration unit manager, shares his insights.
 

Could you briefly describe your career path ?

Frédéric Rohrbach: After earning a degree in telecom engineering, I joined Safran in 2001 as a systems integrator.  I then coordinated projects concerning systems for criminal investigations, before moving to my current job as manager of the Forensic Integration team. This is a French-based team of about 60, in charge of the integration, installation and commissioning of criminal identification and public safety systems.

The security market is booming; what are your hiring plans for 2016 ?

F. R.: We plan to hire about 20 employees this year, for a variety of jobs, including systems integration engineers, both junior and senior, international project managers with at least ten years of experience, and systems and IT architects.

What type of qualities are you looking for in candidates ?

F. R.: You  have to be mobile and really have an appetite for international assignments, since that accounts for 90% of our business. You have to be comfortable working in English, and knowledge of a second foreign language, especially Spanish or Portuguese, would be an advantage. Being able to work in a network with different departments is a must in our sector.

What do you tell younger candidates, who naturally lack experience ?

F. R.: It's not a problem for us to train them once they finish school. But to successfully integrate our company, they have to show dynamism, curiosity, demanding standards and an open mind.

What do you see as Safran's major advantage in attracting and keeping new employees ?

F. R.: In addition to the natural advantages of joining a major corporation like Safran, there's the inherent interest in our jobs. We work in fascinating sectors offering a wealth of possibilities, such as biometrics, criminal investigation, identification and border control systems, radars, etc. Because of the many applications involved, employeers can continue to develop throughout their careers, in a variety of fields. In addition to international work, each employee is in direct contact with the customer, meaning they can see how these systems they helped to develop operate out in the field, which is very rare in industry.

Are there plans for career management ?

F. R.: Training is a top priority at Safran. All employees undergo at least an annual review, enabling them to take stock of recent results and plan their next career steps in the short and medium term. We also have a career committee, comprising managers who meet once a month.

Biometrics, detection, smart cards' it sounds like the series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Do you have a favorite TV show ?

F. R.: The evening news! In a series like CSI, you get the feeling that everything is easy and instantaneous; it's not very realistic. In real life, even if our systems are very powerful, crimes are never solved right away.

Viewpoint: François Thill, head of the Digital Banking Business Unit at Safran Identity & Security.
Could you briefly describe your career path to date?

After graduating from the HEC business school in 2004, I joined Dictao, a small French business specialized in software for transaction security, based on electronic signatures. In ten years, we grew from 20 to about 100 employees, and our sales jumped from 2 million euros to over 15 million. What a story! Safran acquired Dictao at the end of 2014, and today I head the Digital Banking BU in the Digital Security and Authentication division. Our team has about 140 persons worldwide, with over half based in France.

How would you describe your Digital Banking business?

We work for banks, supplying secure solutions to identify their customers on all types of devices (smartphone, tablet, PC), providing strong authentication using all digital contact points (mobile app, website, automatic kiosk in branches), and supporting their e-signatures for transactions. We support banks in meeting the current digital transformation challenge: to offer clients access to all services, anywhere and anytime, with full trust.

A booming sector

The market is logging dynamic performance both in France and abroad. We have to move fast to address demand, so we'll be working directly with major accounts. And that why we're looking for engineers, integrators, technical project managers and sales and marketing staff capable of creating centers of expertise and managing new teams in international markets. In concrete terms, we're trying to fill about 20 job openings in Paris this year.

And if you had just a minute to convince candidates to join your team?

Digital banking is fascinating. It's a technology sector posting strong growth, with excellent career prospects in international markets.