Discover the profile of a Cyber Security Researcher at Airbus

Ever wondered what it's like to be a Cyber Security Researcher at Airbus? 

Antonin shares with us his professional journey, his experience within Airbus and what he enjoys the most in his job. 

Discover his testimonial below!

Meet Antonin

Antonin is a cybersecurity researcher in the Cognitive Security and Artificial Intelligence team. His field of research is the fight against the manipulation of information and he contributes to the development of tools that use artificial intelligence to identify and analyse information manipulation.

What is your professional journey? 

My professional career is rich and varied. I studied nuclear physics, followed by journalism school. I was a journalist for nearly 30 years for various media, from the first news websites on new technologies in the early 2000s to television within the France Television group in recent years. 

I felt like I had done everything and I needed something new for the second part of my career. Alongside my work as a journalist, I completed the first year of a Master’s Degree in IT development at the University of Besançon.

In 2021, I decided to take the plunge into a career change. I quit my job and enrolled at the University of Rennes. I did my final-year internship at Airbus and I’ve stayed here ever since.

What do you enjoy the most about your job?

I love to rack my brain and learn new things on a daily basis! I work on a subject that’s close to my heart which is information and on fast-changing technologies. Almost every week, new progress and new tools emerge in the AI field. My work is therefore very exciting and demanding. We always need to keep abreast of the latest developments and educate ourselves to stay relevant.

Within Airbus, I appreciate my colleagues above all else: their competencies, their modesty, their solidarity in times of doubt (not everything works at the first try...) and their humour. I’m grateful to Airbus for giving me a chance: hiring a 50-year-old junior may seem frightening.

To a greater extent, I like the engineering approach of Airbus, the quest for excellence and professionalism at every level.

Any advice for somebody who would like to join Airbus?

I have a very specific background so my advice will be targeted at people who are changing careers and would like to join Airbus. Doing an internship within Airbus is the best way to prove your motivation and skills. Whatever your professional background is, make the most of the experience you’ve acquired. It’s the diversity of profiles and knowledge that strengthens society. 

Not following the norm is not a flaw; quite the opposite, in fact.