Software engineering: outstanding profiles to meet customer needs

Please could you introduce yourself?

K.E.J. "My name is Kaoutar El Jamali, I'm 34 years old. After a scientific baccalaureate, I graduated with an engineering degree from the National School of Applied Sciences in Electronics and Industrial Computing in Oujda, Morocco. I joined Safran Engineering Services in 2011, as a research engineer in the test and verification team for embedded software for the aeronautics sector."

J.P. "My name is Joackim Pin. I trained as an engineer at ISAE-ENSMA in Poitiers, France. I've been working at Safran Engineering Services since 2008, where I first joined the Stress Analysis department, before joining the software development team in Toulouse a few years later."

I.Z. "My name is Irina Zander, I'm 32 years old. My background is quite international. I was born in Kazakhstan; I studied computer science in Russia, before moving to Germany in 2012 to study for my Master's degree. I have a PhD in computer engineering and over five years' experience in software development. In March 2020, I joined Safran Engineering Services as a software engineer."

S.S. "My name is Sudheendra Shanbhag and in 2003, I obtained a Bachelor's degree in computer engineering. In June 2005, I joined Safran Engineering Services as a software engineer. I have been involved in various critical system software developments to meet DO-178B safety standards. I have also been part of SOI#1 to SOI#4 certification audits with my clients in the framework of DO-178B."

On which project(s) are you working, for which client(s)?

K.E.J. "At Safran Engineering Morocco, we work most of the time on internal Safran projects. More specifically, I work on embedded software for the aeronautics sector: these software are directly integrated into the aircraft. They induce precise behaviors on board, acting on parameters such as fuel management or electrical distribution."

J.P. "In Toulouse, we work for Safran but also for external customers – that is for instance the major manufacturers in the aerospace sector. As for me, I have developed an expertise focused on application software. Recently, I have been involved in the development of critical embedded software: for the past three months, I have been participating in the EGNOS project, the European system responsible for improving satellite geolocation performance."

I.Z. "In Berlin, I work for German automotive companies, original equipment manufacturers and tier-1 suppliers to major manufacturers. I also assist teams on aerospace projects. My team works on critical embedded systems and software, at all stages of the V-model development cycle, in compliance with ASPICE and ISO26262 standards."

S.S. “At Safran Engineering Services in India, we work on projects for Safran Ventilation Systems, Safran Electronics & Defense... Also for major aircraft manufacturers. I mainly work on embedded software development activities for the avionics of aircraft engines and landing gear systems."

What do you find most exciting in these software professions?

K.E.J. "I carry out testing and verification to ensure that the software behavior complies with the expected scenario and meets the customer's requirements and needs. This is complementary to the expertise of the teams developing the software and it is in this decisive phase that the reliability of the software and its operationality are observed. Currently, I am very proud to lead a team of about ten people working on a fuel management software for the Boeing 777X. After three years, the project is nearing completion."

J.P. "I like what is involved in project management: responding to calls for tender, identifying actions... But not just that. Last year, I also developed a prototype web application for a regional aircraft manufacturer. The objective was to determine whether a plane could take off again after a hard landing. I worked with machine-learning algorithms in collaboration with our Data Sciences center in Toulouse. It was a good example of synergy between the data analysis aspect, which uses these algorithms to enhance the value of the data available internally or from the customer, and the software development aspect, which makes the results accessible to all potential users."

I.Z. "I am currently involved in two separate automotive projects, at different stages in their development cycle. The first is the definition of the software architecture of an ECU ("electronic control unit" on-board a vehicle) for use in automated driving applications. Autonomous vehicles are an innovative and consequently very interesting subject. The second project consists in assisting in the testing of another ECU application dedicated to a car's central locking system."

S.S. "I like to wear several hats: sometimes I train young engineers, at other times I'm a manager. I have worked on projects alongside several French, German and American teams. I have specialized in writing of software requirements specifications and software design description documents, as well as software coding in C programming language. To this day, I still remember working on an exciting project: the landing gear for the Sukhoi Superjet 100. This allowed me to develop a thorough knowledge of the tools and processes, I have used throughout my career, as well as strong skills in team management and customer relationship management."

In addition to their passion for their jobs and the specific projects these four experts work on, another thing they have in common is their relationship with teams. While Joackim and Irina highlight the mutual support and stimulating group dynamics that they enjoy, Kaoutar and Sudheendra cite the pride and pleasure they feel in working at SES alongside "responsible and committed" individuals. "Our employees excel in their specialties". Learning, growing, reinventing themselves: they take on the challenge of increasingly complex projects and demonstrate their ability to innovate on a daily basis.