Operations and Safety Consultant - Human Centred Design

WSP in the UK & Ireland; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

WSP in the UK & Ireland is seeking Human Factors consultants for its Intelligent Infrastructure Operations and Safety team. The role requires expertise in applying human factors and ergonomics to enhance transportation and infrastructure projects. Candidates will be responsible for conducting research, designing safety systems, and supporting client proposals.

The ideal individual will have a degree in a relevant discipline, experience with human-centered design, and strong communication skills. Join us in shaping future transportation systems while ensuring safety and efficiency.

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent in relevant discipline like ergonomics or human factors.
• Experience in human-centered design thinking and action-oriented research.
• Ability to communicate effectively and create technical outputs.

Responsibilities

• Apply human factors principles to transportation projects.
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative research.
• Support client proposal preparations.

Skills

Human factors assessment

Qualitative research

Quantitative research

Communication skills

Teamwork

Education

Degree in ergonomics or human factors

Job description

Job Description

WSP is looking for Human Factors consultants to join its growing Human Centered Design expertise area within our Intelligent Infrastructure Operations and Safety team. At WSP, you’ll find yourself exploring new opportunities to make the most of your expertise, work with deep technical experts across multiple sectors, and help develop and grow a crucial area of WSP business – Intelligent Infrastructure.

Role Overview

Our Human Centred Design experts inform our work to ensure that all aspects of design meet the needs of infrastructure users, prioritising safety and efficiency. We work across the whole lifecycle of projects and policy, providing expertise in areas including:

• Safety – safety risk assessments and safe systems approaches, understanding user error as a consequence rather than a cause of incidents.
• Operations – station and stop designs, signalling, driving behaviours, digital design, influence on engineering or enforcement measures on user behaviour.
• Research – qualitative and quantitative, including simulation studies, feasibility studies, surveys, focus groups and workshops.
• Transport futures – a user focus on emerging mobility trends and future ready transport.
• Environment – sustainability, decarbonisation, mode shift and active travel.
• Training – development of training material and manual (SOP) on data analytics and data‑driven decision making.

Key Responsibilities

• Apply and integrate key principles of human factors, ergonomics and behaviour change to transportation or infrastructure projects and policies.
• Design, conduct and report both qualitative and quantitative research.
• Identify and profile users, incorporating behavioural insights.
• Perform human factors assessments such as task analysis and in-depth risk analysis to inform infrastructure scheme and operational designs.
• Support the Expertise Lead with preparation of client proposals and management of a pipeline of future opportunities.

Qualifications and Experience

• A degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline (e.g., post‑graduate degree in ergonomics, human factors) and an appropriate level of experience.
• Experience in human‑centred design thinking, co‑creation and innovation; action‑oriented research in development issues.
• Demonstrable ability to work in multidisciplinary teams to tight deadlines.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with ability to undertake qualitative and quantitative research and analysis and create technical outputs (reports, presentations) within time, cost and quality requirements.
• Appreciation of the role of Human Factors and human reliability as part of safety cases.
• Understanding of the role of Human Factors in complex and safety‑critical systems.

EEO Statement

Here at WSP we positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy or maternity/paternity. As a Disability Confident leader, we will interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria, please let us know if you require any workplace adjustments in support of your application.