Human Factors Engineer and Ergonomist

Also called: Certified Professional Ergonomist, Cognitive Engineer, Consulting Ergonomist, Engineering Psychologist, Ergonomic Consultant

Human Factors Engineer and Ergonomist

Varies

estimated salary

Human factors engineers and ergonomists design objects, facilities, and environments to optimize human well-being and overall system performance, applying theory, principles, and data regarding the relationship between humans and respective technology. Investigate and analyze characteristics of human behavior and performance as it relates to the use of technology.

  • Design or evaluate human work systems, using human factors engineering and ergonomic principles to optimize usability, cost, quality, safety, or performance.
  • Develop or implement human performance research, investigation, or analysis protocols.
  • Recommend workplace changes to improve health and safety, using knowledge of potentially harmful factors, such as heavy loads or repetitive motions.
  • Prepare reports or presentations summarizing results or conclusions of human factors engineering or ergonomics activities, such as testing, investigation, or validation.
  • Inspect work sites to identify physical hazards.
  • Collect data through direct observation of work activities or witnessing the conduct of tests.
  • Provide technical support to clients through activities, such as rearranging workplace fixtures to reduce physical hazards or discomfort or modifying task sequences to reduce cycle time.
  • Conduct interviews or surveys of users or customers to collect information on topics, such as requirements, needs, fatigue, ergonomics, or interfaces.
  • Perform functional, task, or anthropometric analysis, using tools, such as checklists, surveys, videotaping, or force measurement.
  • Integrate human factors requirements into operational hardware.
  • Advocate for end users in collaboration with other professionals, including engineers, designers, managers, or customers.
  • Write, review, or comment on documents, such as proposals, test plans, or procedures.
  • Train users in task techniques or ergonomic principles.
  • Establish system operating or training requirements to ensure optimized human-machine interfaces.
  • Develop or implement research methodologies or statistical analysis plans to test and evaluate developmental prototypes used in new products or processes, such as cockpit designs, user workstations, or computerized human models.
  • Assess the user-interface or usability characteristics of products.
  • Review health, safety, accident, or worker compensation records to evaluate safety program effectiveness or to identify jobs with high incidence of injury.
  • Conduct research to evaluate potential solutions related to changes in equipment design, procedures, manpower, personnel, or training.
  • Analyze complex systems to determine potential for further development, production, interoperability, compatibility, or usefulness in a particular area, such as aviation.
  • Estimate time or resource requirements for ergonomic or human factors research or development projects.
  • Apply modeling or quantitative analysis to forecast events, such as human decisions or behaviors, the structure or processes of organizations, or the attitudes or actions of human groups.
  • Operate testing equipment, such as heat stress meters, octave band analyzers, motion analysis equipment, inclinometers, light meters, thermoanemometers, sling psychrometers, or colorimetric detection tubes.
  • Provide human factors technical expertise on topics, such as advanced user-interface technology development or the role of human users in automated or autonomous sub-systems in advanced vehicle systems.
  • Design cognitive aids, such as procedural storyboards or decision support systems.
  • Investigate theoretical or conceptual issues, such as the human design considerations of lunar landers or habitats.
  • Perform statistical analyses, such as social network pattern analysis, network modeling, discrete event simulation, agent-based modeling, statistical natural language processing, computational sociology, mathematical optimization, or systems dynamics.
Work Context
  • Electronic Mail — 100% responded "Every day".
  • Telephone — 72% responded "Every day".
  • Face-to-Face Discussions — 62% responded "Every day".
  • Freedom to Make Decisions — 62% responded "A lot of freedom".
  • Structured versus Unstructured Work — 50% responded "A lot of freedom".
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — 55% responded "Every day".
  • Contact With Others — 43% responded "Contact with others most of the time".
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Work Activities
  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Provide Consultation and Advice to Others — Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
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Detailed Work Activities
  • Prepare proposal documents.
  • Train personnel on proper operational procedures.
  • Investigate safety of work environment.
  • Recommend technical design or process changes to improve efficiency, quality, or performance.
  • Research human performance or health factors related to engineering or design activities.
  • Estimate technical or resource requirements for development or production projects.
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Knowledge

Engineering and Technology
  • Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Psychology
  • Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
English Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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Skills

Reading Comprehension
  • Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking
  • Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Complex Problem Solving
  • Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Critical Thinking
  • Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
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Abilities

Oral Comprehension
  • The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Written Comprehension
  • The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Oral Expression
  • The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Written Expression
  • The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
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Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
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Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Analytical or scientific software
  • The MathWorks MATLAB Hot Technology
  • IBM SPSS Statistics Hot Technology
  • SAS Hot Technology
  • Ovo Studios Ovo Logger
  • Data Translation quickDAQ
  • Noldus Information Technology uLog Pro
  • Simulation software
  • Statistical software
  • The MathWorks Simulink
  • Thought Technology BioGraph Infiniti
  • Noldus Information Technology The Observer XT
  • Noldus Information Technology FaceReader
  • Dartfish ProSuite
  • Mangold INTERACT
  • Mangold LogSquare
  • Mangold Soundalyzer
  • Bit Debris Solutions Usability Activity Log
  • AEMC DataView
  • Triangle Research Collaborative Observational Coding System OCS Tools
Web platform development software
  • JavaScript Hot Technology
  • Hypertext markup language HTML Hot Technology
  • Cascading Style Sheets CSS Hot Technology
  • AJAX Hot Technology
  • Dynamic hypertext markup language DHTML
Object or component oriented development software
  • jQuery Hot Technology
  • Oracle Java Hot Technology
  • C++ Hot Technology
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Education

Get started on your career:

Job Outlook

New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
Salary
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