CAREER

Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists

Overview

Salary Median (2020)

$95,300

Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)

+10.2% (faster than the average)

Career

What Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists Do

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.

Other Job Titles Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists May Have

Consulting Ergonomist, Ergonomist, Human Factors Engineer, Occupational Ergonomist

How Leaders Describe a Typical Day at Work

UX Designer ,

Intel

I think of myself as a creative thinker and technologist. I help to design and create specialized technology and equipment with the aim of making people's lives better/easier. I am most well known for working with Stephen Hawking and providing him with specialized computer equipment to improve his communication speed. Through my work at Intel and other organizations, my aim is to help people with disabilities thrive.

Senior Experience Designer ,

Sphero

I lead physical and digital experience design on the Star Wars Force Band. I work directly with project leads and technical teams to help define and design the product UX. I conduct a lot of applied user research for feature exploration, scoping, development, and refinement. I also conduct human factors design and research including gesture ergonomics and industrial design optimization. My overall focus is on end-to-end physical and digital user experience design.


Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

  • 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.

This page includes information from theO*NET 26.1 Databaseby the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under theCC BY 4.0license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.