What is a Security Engineer?

A Security Engineer at Akkodis safeguards complex, high-availability systems at the intersection of IT and OT. You will help protect critical infrastructure in offshore energy, industrial automation, and smart industry environments—where uptime, safety, and regulatory compliance are non-negotiable. Your work ensures that control systems, field devices, and enterprise integrations remain resilient against evolving threats without disrupting operations.

In practical terms, you will influence how large-scale OT network architectures are designed, tested, and operated. Expect to work with industrial protocols (Modbus, Profibus, Profinet, OPC UA), enforce network segmentation aligned with the Purdue model, and implement controls such as IDS, firewalls, and access management. You will drive RVA workshops, verify suppliers via self-assessments, lead FAT activities for switches/routers/firewalls, and align implementations to IEC 62443, NIST CSF, and client-specific frameworks like Equinor TR1658.

This role is critical and energizing because it blends hands-on engineering with risk leadership. You will collaborate across disciplines—project managers, network engineers, automation specialists, and client teams—to deliver secure-by-design solutions. The result: safer operations, demonstrably compliant systems, and trusted delivery on some of Norway’s most ambitious industrial projects.

Getting Ready for Your Interviews

Your preparation should balance technical depth in OT security, practical network engineering, and risk/compliance fluency. Prioritize fundamentals (Purdue segmentation, IEC 62443 zones/conduits, ICS threat modeling), then rehearse how you’ve applied them in high-stakes, real-world environments. Be ready to walk through designs, defend trade-offs, and communicate clearly with technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Role-related Knowledge (Technical/Domain Skills) – Interviewers assess your command of ICS/SCADA fundamentals, industrial protocols, and secure OT network design. Demonstrate how you’ve applied IEC 62443, NIST CSF, and client-specific standards in production. Show evidence of hands-on work with switches, firewalls, IDS, Windows/Linux hardening, and FAT execution.

• Problem-Solving Ability (How You Approach Challenges) – Expect scenario-based prompts where requirements conflict (safety vs. security vs. uptime). Interviewers look for structured reasoning: define constraints, evaluate options, quantify risk, and converge on a defensible solution. Use threat modeling, RVA outputs, and risk scoring to justify decisions.

• Leadership (Influence and Mobilization) – You will facilitate RVA workshops, align vendors on self-assessment templates, and guide cross-functional teams under time pressure. Highlight how you lead by structure—clear agendas, decision logs, stakeholder mapping—and how you resolve ambiguity while maintaining compliance and delivery velocity.

• Culture Fit (Teamwork and Consulting Mindset) – Akkodis values a consultative, delivery-focused approach. Demonstrate client empathy, transparent communication, and a bias for pragmatic solutions that respect operational safety. Show how you build trust, coach peers, and represent security as an enabler, not a blocker.

This view provides current compensation ranges for Security Engineer roles comparable to Akkodis’ OT/ICS focus. Use it to benchmark expectations by seniority and location, and to prepare a data-driven salary discussion. Remember that total compensation may vary based on certifications (e.g., EX/FSE), offshore eligibility, and project demands.

Interview Process Overview

Akkodis interviews for Security Engineers are designed to evaluate how you perform in realistic industrial security contexts. You will encounter a blend of discussions, design conversations, and case-based exercises that mirror day-to-day work—balancing security rigor, operational constraints, and client standards. The process emphasizes clarity of thought, practical engineering judgment, and your ability to collaborate across disciplines.

Expect a focused but thorough pace. Conversations progress from high-level domain fluency into deep technical dives, and then toward risk/compliance reasoning and stakeholder leadership. The philosophy is simple: can you design secure OT systems that are buildable, testable, and supportable—while meeting regulatory and client specifications?

You will notice a consulting orientation throughout: interviewers listen for how you uncover requirements, handle ambiguity, and communicate trade-offs. Strong candidates show consistent structure: define the problem, identify constraints, propose options, then justify with standards and risk posture.

This timeline illustrates the typical stages you will move through—from initial conversations to technical deep dives and client-facing assessments. Use it to plan your preparation across domains (architecture, standards, operations) and to pace your study schedule. Keep notes after each step; iteration and targeted refinement make a visible difference in later rounds.

Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas

OT Network Security & Architecture

This area validates your ability to design, harden, and validate industrial network topologies. Expect to apply the Purdue model, align with Network/Cyber Security Specifications, and justify segmentation, zoning, and control placement against operational realities.

Be ready to go over:

• Purdue Model & Segmentation: Zoning levels, conduits, DMZ patterns, traffic flows across L2–L5.
• Secure Network Design: VLANs, ACLs, firewall policies, jump servers, remote access.
• Detection & Monitoring: IDS/IPS for OT, span/tap strategies, log collection at scale.
• Advanced concepts (less common): Micro-segmentation in legacy OT, deterministic networking, time-sensitive networking (TSN), zero-trust in ICS.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Design a segmented OT network for a brownfield site integrating a new vendor skid; defend IDS tap placements."
• "Propose a remote maintenance solution that meets uptime and security requirements without violating Purdue boundaries."
• "Walk through firewall rule baselining and verification ahead of FAT."

Industrial Protocols & ICS Fundamentals

Interviewers assess your fluency with OT protocols, device behavior, and the constraints of control systems. Show how protocol knowledge informs threat modeling and compensating controls when modern security capabilities are limited.

Be ready to go over:

• Protocols: Modbus, Profibus/Profinet, IEC 61850, OPC UA—security modes, typical traffic.
• Asset & Function: PLCs, RTUs, HMIs, historians, safety systems; failure modes and mitigations.
• Legacy Constraints: Patch cadence, vendor certs, performance impacts of security tooling.
• Advanced concepts (less common): GOOSE messaging security, secure OPC UA deployments, protocol-aware anomaly detection.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "How would you secure a Modbus TCP environment lacking native encryption?"
• "Explain how OPC UA security works and where it can break in mixed-vendor setups."
• "Prioritize patching vs. compensating controls for a safety PLC with strict vendor constraints."

Security Controls, Operations & Testing

Here, the focus is on implementation confidence and operational resilience. You should navigate FAT/SAT validation, configuration assurance, and continuous monitoring with clarity and rigor.

Be ready to go over:

• Controls: Firewalls, IDS, jump hosts, access controls, allow-listing, backup/restore.
• Testing: FAT procedures, configuration verification, rollback planning.
• Operations: Log collection from OT, alert triage, incident response handoffs.
• Advanced concepts (less common): Passive discovery techniques, golden image strategies, ICS forensics.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Outline your FAT approach for new firewalls and switches in an OT DMZ."
• "Describe your runbook for isolating a suspected compromise in a Level 2 network."
• "What telemetry do you collect in OT for effective detection without disrupting operations?"

Risk, Compliance & Standards (IEC 62443, NIST CSF, TR1658)

This area examines your ability to translate security standards into actionable designs. You must evidence comfort leading RVA workshops, executing supplier self-assessments, and documenting compliance.

Be ready to go over:

• IEC 62443: Zones/conduits, SL-T/SL-C/SL-A alignment, supplier assessments.
• NIST CSF: Identify–Protect–Detect–Respond–Recover mapping to OT controls.
• Client Frameworks: Interpreting Equinor TR1658 and similar specifications.
• Advanced concepts (less common): Risk quantification methods, control attestation, assurance artifacts for audits.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Facilitate an RVA for a new vendor skid and highlight top risks and mitigations."
• "Map a proposed design to IEC 62443 requirements and explain residual risk."
• "Assess a supplier’s self-assessment and propose a remediation plan."

Systems Hardening & Platform Expertise (Windows/Linux/Virtualization)

You will demonstrate practical hardening of Windows and Linux within OT constraints, as well as competency with servers/virtual environments supporting historians, engineering workstations, and application servers.

Be ready to go over:

• Hardening: Baselines, service minimization, allow-listing, secure remote admin.
• Identity & Access: Role-based access, MFA considerations in OT, jump-host policies.
• Platform Ops: Patch windows, backup/restore validation, vendor image handling.
• Advanced concepts (less common): Offline patch validation, immutable infrastructure patterns adapted for OT.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Propose a patching strategy for mixed Windows/Linux hosts on Level 2/3 with limited maintenance windows."
• "Harden an engineering workstation while maintaining vendor tooling compatibility."
• "Design a backup/restore strategy for a historian and validate it during FAT."

This visualization highlights the most frequently emphasized topics for the role—notice the prominence of IEC 62443, Purdue model, OT network design, RVA, FAT, and industrial protocols. Use it to prioritize your study plan: double down on core architecture and standards, then reinforce with hands-on controls and testing.

Key Responsibilities

You will own the secure design and delivery of OT network and cybersecurity controls across complex industrial projects. Day to day, you translate requirements into buildable architectures, verify implementations in FAT/SAT, and document compliance and risk posture.

• Primary deliverables include secure network designs, zoning/segmentation mappings, firewall/IDS configurations, FAT test plans and reports, supplier assessments, and RVA outputs with prioritized remediations.
• You will collaborate with project managers, automation and network engineers, vendors, and client security teams to align on specifications, timelines, and acceptance criteria.
• Expect to lead or facilitate workshops (RVA, design reviews), mentor peers on OT security practices, and serve as a trusted technical advisor to clients.
• Typical initiatives include brownfield network modernization, onboarding of vendor skids into secure zones, deploying detection and logging in OT, and codifying compliance to IEC 62443 and TR1658.

Role Requirements & Qualifications

This role requires strong OT/ICS fundamentals combined with demonstrable implementation experience. Candidates who thrive show both hands-on engineering skill and structured risk leadership.

• Must-have technical skills

  • OT network design aligned to the Purdue model (zoning, conduits, DMZ).
  • Experience with firewalls, switches, IDS, and access control in OT.
  • Practical knowledge of industrial protocols (Modbus, Profibus/Profinet, IEC 61850, OPC UA).
  • Proven application of IEC 62443 and working understanding of NIST CSF.
  • Comfort with Windows/Linux hardening, backup/restore, and FAT execution.

• Experience level

  • Typically 5+ years in OT security or large-scale network engineering within oil & gas, EPC, or industrial automation.
  • Track record leading RVA workshops and supplier assessments; interfacing with multi-vendor environments.

• Soft skills that stand out

  • Consulting mindset: clear communication, stakeholder alignment, and defensible decision-making.
  • Leadership under constraints: balancing safety, uptime, and compliance; driving closure on risks.
  • Documentation excellence: test plans, design records, risk logs, and audit-ready artifacts.

• Nice-to-have vs. must-have

  • Nice-to-have: CISSP, Security+, GSEC; experience with Equinor TR1658; Norwegian language; Hack The Box or lab portfolio.
  • Must-have: Hands-on OT security design/implementation, IEC 62443 familiarity, strong network engineering fundamentals, English fluency.

Common Interview Questions

Expect a mix of scenario-driven technical questions, design prompts, and behavioral probes. Prepare concise, structured answers that reference standards, constraints, and measurable outcomes.

Technical / OT Fundamentals

You will be tested on ICS/SCADA basics, protocol behavior, and practical hardening.

• How do you apply the Purdue model to segment a brownfield OT network with legacy assets?
• Describe how you would secure Modbus TCP communications lacking native encryption.
• What are the key security features in OPC UA and common pitfalls in mixed-vendor environments?
• How do you prioritize patching vs. compensating controls for safety-critical PLCs?
• Which telemetry sources are most valuable for OT anomaly detection and why?

System Design / Architecture

You will be asked to design and defend secure, buildable architectures.

• Design a secure remote maintenance approach for vendor access without violating Purdue boundaries.
• Propose IDS deployment and tap strategy for Level 2/3 networks and the OT DMZ.
• Outline firewall policies and ACLs for Level 3.5 to 3 communications with justifications.
• How would you integrate a new vendor skid into existing zones and conduits with minimal downtime?
• Present your FAT plan for validating firewall and switch configurations pre-deployment.

Risk, Compliance & Standards

Expect to translate standards into implementation and evidence.

• Lead an RVA for a new OT subsystem: what are your top five risks and mitigations?
• Map your proposed controls to IEC 62443 requirements and identify residual risk.
• How do you evaluate a supplier’s self-assessment and track remediation to closure?
• Discuss how you have aligned a client design to NIST CSF functions.
• What artifacts do auditors typically request to validate OT cybersecurity controls?

Incident Response & Operations

Interviewers want to see operational realism and restraint in OT environments.

• Walk through your workflow for triaging a suspected compromise on a Level 2 HMI.
• How do you design logging and alerting in OT to minimize operational impact?
• Describe a time you coordinated incident response between IT SOC and OT operations.
• What is your isolation strategy when malware is suspected in a control network?
• How do you verify recovery integrity for a historian following a restoration?

Behavioral / Leadership & Client Engagement

Demonstrate facilitation skill, clarity, and stakeholder trust.

• Tell us about a time you led a contentious design review—how did you drive consensus?
• Describe how you handled conflicting requirements from a vendor and a client standard.
• How do you communicate risk and options to non-technical stakeholders under time pressure?
• Give an example of enabling a business goal while upholding security and compliance.
• How do you mentor team members to elevate OT security practices?

Scripting / Automation (as applicable)

Light scripting can improve repeatability and verification.

• How have you automated configuration validation for firewalls or switches?
• Describe a script or tool you built to collect and normalize OT device inventories.
• What precautions do you take when running scripts in sensitive OT environments?
• How do you test and roll back scripted changes safely during maintenance windows?
• Share a time automation reduced FAT/SAT cycle time or error rates.

Use this interactive module on Dataford to rehearse answers, get sample solution structures, and track your progress across categories. Prioritize weaker areas identified by practice sessions and revisit scenarios until your responses are crisp, standards-aligned, and implementation-focused.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How difficult is the interview and how much time should I allocate to prepare?
Plan for a moderately rigorous process with deep dives into OT design and standards. Most candidates benefit from 2–3 weeks of focused preparation, emphasizing IEC 62443, Purdue segmentation, and hands-on control validation.

Q: What distinguishes successful candidates?
They combine practical OT engineering skill with structured risk reasoning. Expectation-setters who can explain trade-offs, reference standards precisely, and produce audit-ready artifacts consistently stand out.

Q: What is the work environment and culture like?
Delivery-focused and collaborative. You’ll work in multi-disciplinary teams, often onsite with clients, where safety, reliability, and compliance guide decisions—and security is framed as an operational enabler.

Q: What is the typical timeline from first conversation to offer?
Timelines vary by project, but many processes complete within 3–6 weeks. Proactive scheduling, swift artifact sharing, and clear availability can shorten the cycle.

Q: Is remote work possible, or is onsite presence required?
Hybrid models exist, but onsite presence—especially at Forus or client facilities—is common for workshops, FAT/SAT, and stakeholder sessions. Expect periodic site visits and potential offshore prerequisites depending on the project.

Other General Tips

• Anchor in standards: Reference specific IEC 62443 clauses and how you evidenced compliance. This shows mastery beyond theory.
• Show your work: Use a structured approach—requirements, constraints, options, recommendation, risks, and evidence. Interviewers score the process.
• Think safety-first: Always articulate operational safety and uptime impacts when proposing security controls.
• Bring the artifacts: Diagrams, FAT checklists, and RVA summaries (sanitized) provide credibility and invite deeper technical discussion.
• Practice whiteboarding: Be ready to draw Purdue layers, traffic flows, and control placements quickly and legibly.
• Quantify outcomes: Cite improvements (e.g., “reduced high-risk findings by 60%,” “cut FAT defects by 30% via automated checks”). Numbers stick.

Summary & Next Steps

The Security Engineer role at Akkodis places you at the heart of industrial cybersecurity—designing and validating secure OT networks that keep critical infrastructure safe, compliant, and resilient. You will operate where engineering precision meets real-world constraints, shaping architectures, controls, and risk posture for high-impact projects.

Focus your preparation on five pillars: OT network architecture, industrial protocol fluency, security controls and FAT/SAT, IEC 62443/NIST CSF/TR1658 compliance, and facilitation/leadership. Practice with realistic scenarios, prepare artifacts that demonstrate depth, and rehearse concise, standards-aligned explanations.

You are stepping into a role with tangible impact and clear growth pathways. Leverage the modules in this guide, continue practicing on Dataford, and refine your narrative with measurable outcomes. Arrive ready to design, defend, and deliver—your next project could secure a cornerstone of Norway’s energy future.