About This Career

Designs 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. Investigates and analyzes characteristics of human behavior and performance as it relates to the use of technology.

This career is part of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics cluster Engineering and Technology pathway.

A person in this career:

• Designs or evaluates human work systems, using human factors engineering and ergonomic principles to optimize usability, cost, quality, safety, or performance.
• Recommends workplace changes to improve health and safety, using knowledge of potentially harmful factors, such as heavy loads or repetitive motions.
• Develops or implements human performance research, investigation, or analysis protocols.
• Prepares reports or presentations summarizing results or conclusions of human factors engineering or ergonomics activities, such as testing, investigation, or validation.
• Inspects work sites to identify physical hazards.
• Collects data through direct observation of work activities or witnessing the conduct of tests.
• Performs functional, task, or anthropometric analysis, using tools, such as checklists, surveys, videotaping, or force measurement.
• Provides 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.
• Conducts interviews or surveys of users or customers to collect information on topics, such as requirements, needs, fatigue, ergonomics, or interfaces.
• Integrates human factors requirements into operational hardware.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would sit most of the time. There's some walking and standing. You may have to lift and carry things like books, papers or tools weighing 10 lbs. or less.
• Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
• Work in this occupation involves sitting more than one-third of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Seeing clearly at a distance
• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

• Overtime work
• Regular working hours and limited travel