Human Factors Engineers & Ergonomists
Engineer, Ergonomist, Human Factors Engineer, Occupational Ergonomist
What they 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.
On the job, you would:
- Collect data through direct observation of work activities or witnessing the conduct of tests.
- Conduct interviews or surveys of users or customers to collect information on topics, such as requirements, needs, fatigue, ergonomics, or interfaces.
- Advocate for end users in collaboration with other professionals, including engineers, designers, managers, or customers.
Knowledge
Math and Science
- psychology
- arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
Arts and Humanities
- English language
Engineering and Technology
- design
- product and service development
Education and Training
- teaching and course design
Skills
Basic Skills
- listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
- reading work related information
Problem Solving
- noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
People and Technology Systems
- measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it
- thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Abilities
Verbal
- communicate by speaking
- communicate by writing
Ideas and Logic
- make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
- use rules to solve problems
Math
- choose the right type of math to solve a problem
- add, subtract, multiply, or divide
Visual Understanding
- quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things
Personality
People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
- Integrity
- Analytical Thinking
- Attention to Detail
- Cooperation
- Initiative
- Concern for Others
Technology
You might use software like this on the job:
Analytical or scientific software
- IBM SPSS Statistics
- The MathWorks MATLAB
Presentation software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
Web platform development software
- AJAX
- JavaScript Object Notation JSON
Education
Education: (rated 5 of 5)
master's degree or
bachelor's degree
usually needed
bachelor's degree
usually needed
Job Outlook
Bright
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about human factors engineers and ergonomists.