Senior Professional, Human Factors Engineering – Flight Deck Design

Shiv Software Experts; Wichita (KS); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Shiv Software Experts seeks a Senior Professional, Human Factors Engineering – Flight Deck Design to lead HMI concepts, evaluation, and certification for flight deck interfaces. You will apply cognitive ergonomics through requirements, prototyping, simulations, usability testing, and validation across aircraft programs.

You will collaborate with engineering, flight crews, and stakeholders to ensure safe, intuitive, and user-centered cockpit systems in accordance with aviation standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in a relevant field plus related experience.
• Strong background in cognitive ergonomics and human factors.
• Experience with flight deck HMI, cockpit interfaces, and UCD methods.
• Proficiency in analyzing cognitive workload, situation awareness, and error management.

Responsibilities

• Apply cognitive ergonomics to design, evaluation, testing, and analysis of HMIs.
• Support requirements development, task analysis, human error analysis, and usability assessments.
• Develop and maintain HMI simulations, prototypes, and evaluation environments.
• Plan and document human factors activities for new aircraft and cockpit modifications.
• Lead User-Centered Design activities for flight deck HMIs.
• Conduct scenario-based flight deck and UX evaluations per design philosophy.
• Engage with flight crews and SMEs to evaluate usability and operational needs.
• Support certification activities and regulatory compliance.
• Work across multiple aircraft programs and adapt methods as needed.
• Communicate findings through clear technical documents and presentations.

Skills

Cognitive ergonomics expertise

Human factors engineering

Flight deck design experience

User-Centered Design

HMI evaluation

Education

Bachelors degree in Engineering, Science, Psychology, or related (Cognitive Ergonomics, Industrial Design)

Tools

HMI simulation software

Prototyping tools

Data analysis tools

Job description

As a Senior Professional, Human Factors Engineering – Flight Deck Design, you will play a key role in the conceptualization, design, evaluation, and certification of flight deck interfaces. You will apply human factors and cognitive ergonomics principles throughout the product development lifecycle—from requirements definition and prototyping to simulation, usability testing, analysis, and certification.

You will collaborate closely with engineering teams, flight crews, and other stakeholders to ensure flight deck systems provide safe, intuitive, efficient, and user-centered experiences.

Key Responsibilities

• Apply expertise in cognitive ergonomics and human factors engineering to the design, evaluation, testing, and analysis of Human-Machine Interfaces (HMI).
• Support requirements development, task analysis, human error analysis, and usability assessments.
• Develop and maintain HMI simulations, prototypes, and evaluation environments to support design and validation activities.
• Plan, execute, and document human factors engineering activities for new aircraft, major cockpit modifications, and sustaining programs.
• Lead and support User-Centered Design (UCD) activities for flight deck HMI.
• Conduct scenario-based flight deck and User Experience (UX) evaluations in accordance with the organization's flight deck design philosophy.
• Engage directly with flight crews and subject-matter experts to understand operational needs and evaluate the physical and cognitive usability of cockpit systems.
• Support certification activities, including compliance with 14 CFR/CS/FAR 25.1302 and other applicable human factors and aviation regulations.
• Work across multiple aircraft programs and platforms, adapting human factors methodologies to different operational and technical requirements.
• Plan and conduct experiments, simulations, evaluations, and validation/verification activities using appropriate human factors methods and tools.
• Communicate findings, recommendations, and technical assessments through clear technical documentation and presentations.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have:

• A Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Science, Psychology, Cognitive Ergonomics, Industrial Design, or a related discipline. A combination of relevant education and experience may also be considered.
• Approximately 10 years of relevant professional experience, preferably within the aerospace industry.
• Strong practical knowledge of cognitive ergonomics, including:- (Human cognition and perception, Decision-making, Mental workload, Situation awareness, Human error and error management)
• Working knowledge of physical ergonomics, including anthropometry, strength, reach, and visual considerations.
• Strong knowledge of aircraft systems, flight operations, aerospace regulatory requirements, and applicable design standards, such as MIL-STD, SAE ARP, ARINC, and related standards.
• Experience working with computer-based engineering, simulation, prototyping, and analysis tools, with the ability to quickly learn and adapt to new technologies.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, execute, analyze, and document experiments, evaluations, and validation/verification activities.
• Strong technical writing, documentation, and presentation skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with engineering teams, flight crews, and cross-functional stakeholders.
• English proficiency is required; French language skills are an asset.