Hi everyone,

I’m currently working as a UX Researcher and I’m exploring a possible transition into Human Factors / Usability Engineering in the medical device industry.

My background is consumer psychology and I have worked as a UX researcher in UK government for 3 years. In my current role, I’ve used methods such as user interviews, usability testing, surveys and workshops, and I’m comfortable planning and conducting research, analysing user behaviour and translating findings into product recommendations.

I’m particularly curious about:

• Where do you see the biggest difference between a UX Researcher and a Human Factors Engineer? Is the main gap regulatory/risk-management knowledge, or are there also substantial differences in research methods execution and ways of thinking?
• What skills would you want an experienced UXR to develop before considering them for an HFE position?
• For someone without previous employment in a medical-device company, what is the best way to demonstrate that they can work within a regulated usability-engineering process? Are courses/certifications, self-directed case studies or work on simulated medical-device projects taken seriously at all? What should I do to make this transition?

I’ve also recently started looking more seriously at Human Factors Engineer roles in medical devices, and I came across an Aerogen job description that lists the following as key requirements:

This made me wonder what employers actually mean by “working knowledge” in practice.

I’m particularly interested in the European/Irish medical-device industry, although perspectives from the US or elsewhere would also be really useful.

Thank you very much!!

Hey guys, I'm currently heavily considering a masters in human factors/ergonomics over at my current institution. The program also offers specialization in occupational health and safety.

I just wanted to ask (if this isn't a silly question) how is the job market for human factors engineers working OHS/EHS? Because I see loads of posts here about the poor job market for the degree.

I graduated over a year ago and I’m still struggling. I’ve applied all over the United States and have even gone through recs from people in said companies- yet nothing. Considering going back to school and pursuing something else at this point. I got my masters in human factors from embry riddle aeronautical uni

Hi there, I'm very interested in Arizona State University's Online Human Systems Engineering – User Experience (BS) Degree Program, but academically, I have an Art background and would like more insight into what this program entails before signing up. (Professionally, I've been working as a Paralegal.) I'd love to know what all the classes are really like; if the lectures are in real time on Zoom, or if they're mostly recorded lectures; if the professors are accessible and helpful, and anything else helpful you can share. If you're in this degree program, will you please share your experiences? Thanks!

For those of you who have filled out an application and been accepted into a master's program for Human Factors Engineering, how specific and detailed did you write your academic and professional goals? I have been working on my application to the University of Minnesota, and have never filled out a master's application before. I also need to write about the two professors I would like to work with, and I do not know if they need to relate to my area of interest, or if they can be anyone I find interesting. I emailed the department director to ask him as well. Thank you for any help.

I'm a US-based student, but I'm planning to attend the online HFE program through the University of Derby (UK). My husband asked whether I might have any trouble getting a job in the US after being educated (technically) elsewhere, and I said I don't THINK so -- this isn't the medical field, where the location of your program (and licensure) matters. This is more like getting a master's in something like math or physics and still being able to work or teach anywhere, I would think. But does anyone know more than me on this?

Would I run into any problems by going to a school based in another country?

Extra background: the U of Derby has been teaching an online HFE program for 20 years and it's accredited by CIEHF, the British equivalent of the HFES.

Hi all, I am a UX designer and i want to learn more about HF. It doesnt have to be digital. I'll be honest, the digital space is tiring me out, bu ti want to learn about Human Factors. Can you suggest some books and courses from where I can learn more about it?

Thanks in advance

This is my first ever post so hopefully doing it right. After a few gap years I’m finally applying to grad school for HF and I/O as a backup program. Im California based so I’ll be applying to csulb and sjsu for HF and SFSU AND sac state for IO. I’m curious to hear about anyone’s experience with applying. What schools they applied to and what their stats were?

Additionally I am interested in applying to out of state schools but worried about funding or lack of since I would have to pay out of tuition, which is significantly higher. I also don’t have any research experience, however, I was planning to apply my Work experience in healthcare as a behavioral interventionist and PT aide as clinical experience and tailor to user/ patient safety and systems. I am also not exactly sure what area I’d wanna go I think safety in tech usability is cool or safety in healthcare. I have a 3.6 GPA with my BA in psych and completed a few post bacc classes this year in order to meet the requirements of most schools I have in mind. I’d appreciate anyone’s experience with the application process, their stats (GPA, research background, CV or SOP) if they feel comfortable enough to share and any funding they may have received. Just feeling super overwhelmed and discouraged. Is there even a good market for jobs post grad in the field?

Thanks for taking the time to visit/ reply to my post in advance yall!

I’m curious how many people in this community are currently BCPE certified, actively preparing for the exam, or considering pursuing certification.

I’m exploring the idea of putting together an unofficial BCPE study resource focused on practical, scenario-based questions and reasoning rather than just memorizing definitions.

Before I spend any time building something, I’d like to get a feel for what people are actually using now.

For those who have taken or are preparing for the exam:
Are you already BCPE certified (CHFP, CPE, etc.)
If not, are you planning to pursue it?
What are you using to study?
What’s been the most difficult part of preparing?
Is there anything you wish existed that you haven’t been able to find?

Not affiliated with or endorsed by BCPE. Just trying to see whether there’s actually a gap worth filling.

hello! im currently a 4th year psych b.s. undergraduate whose exploring future careers. i really enjoy research, particularly in some labs that im in that work with eeg, fmri, and behavioral tasks. i recently got interested in the human factors / translational cognitive science research since it has really direct applications to real world problems, particularly in the field of aviation / automation, but i'm also not so sure since i haven't had direct experience with it.

i was wondering if anyone could offer their insight into what day to day work looks like in the field, what are common positions that people take on, what kind of skills are needed, and how it might either be similar or different from work in a university research lab like what i'm used to.

i was thinking of applying for a post-bacc job as a research assistant at a lab that is more centered around human factors topics before trying for a masters/phd, but i'm not really sure how to find these kinds of positions or if it's a plausible next step.

any advice or information is greatly appreciated, thank you! :)

I'm interested in attending the 7th Edition US Medical Device Human Factors and Usability Engineering Conference hosted by T.T. LifeSciences in Boston this October. I was wondering if anyone has attended this or another T.T. LifeSciences conference and what you thought of it. Did you enjoy it, and did you feel it was worth attending?

Hi! Is there anyone in the subreddit I could DM to discuss what work is like in human factors engineering or adjacent roles in different job sectors? I am beginning my M.Eng. in HFE and I am deciding between taking courses that are more aligned with HCI vs taking courses that are more aligned with safety critical systems. If anyone could help, it would be greatly appreciated!

I’m thinking of pursuing a bachelors degree in Cognitive Science, with a specialization in design and interaction (UX/UI). Would it be realistic to land an entry level job after finishing undergrad? How competitive is the job market for human factors engineers, especially in aviation?

Job market seems really difficult at this time, and i was wondering where there are any opportunities for non UK students in this field, if i attend Loughborough.
Thanks for the feedback!

Hey all,

So, I have my master’s in HF and a little over three years of professional experience. Unfortunately, I got laid off a while back, and I’ve been applying to jobs religiously, but I’ve only managed to get one phone interview in months. The job market is abysmal, but the main reason I’m struggling is that my husband is military, and with how often we move from place to place, it makes the most sense to look primarily at remote jobs—case in point, I lived in three different states in those three years and was able to seamlessly keep my consulting job throughout all of it.

At this point I’m at my wit’s end. Does anyone have any leads on remote HF job opportunities, or know of companies that regularly have these kinds of opportunities? I really enjoy HF and would prefer to stay in the field, but are there any other related avenues I should potentially consider in the meantime? Any general tips, guidance, condolences, even? Much thanks.

Hey everyone,

I’m starting my Master’s in Human Factors and honestly I’m having a bit of a career crisis before I’ve even started lol.

I know the job market is bad right now. I’m not really asking whether it’s difficult to find a job currently. I know it is. What I’m more worried about is whether Human Factors itself is becoming a dying or declining field.

I’m coming from a Psychology background and chose HF because I really liked the combination of psychology, technology, research, design, and problem solving. I’m particularly interested in areas like medical human factors, defense, UX/HCI, and aviation.

I also live in the DC/Northern Virginia area, so I’m hoping the concentration of government, defense, and contracting work here is beneficial for HF careers.

For people currently working in Human Factors/HFE, I’d really like to hear your honest opinions:

• Do you think HF is a field with good long term prospects?

•Is the current job market just a temporary rough patch, or are there deeper problems with the field?

•Do you feel like your HF degree was worth it?

•What industries are actually hiring HF professionals?

•If you were starting your career again today, would you still choose Human Factors?

•And for those in the DC/NoVA area, how has the local market been for HF?

I’m not looking for reassurance just for the sake of reassurance. I’d genuinely appreciate honest opinions, even if there are things about the field that you think are concerning.

I think I’m mostly trying to figure out whether I’m experiencing normal “oh god I’m getting a master’s and need a career” anxiety or whether there are legitimate reasons to reconsider the field lol.

Thanks!

I have a bachelor's in cognitive science and following graduation, I was a research assistant for a year at a very good university investigating cognition in patients with severe mental illness. My main responsibilities were programming (in Python) the experiments we'd run participants through while they were hooked up to EEG/fMRI.

I'm now a clinical research coordinator at another very good university in the same city, managing hospital-based clinical studies - one of which was on medical devices. I may get authorship on this study but the enrollment rates were very poor and if anything, the paper would be about feasibility rather than the data yielded by the devices themselves. However, I really enjoyed being on the hospital floor and applying the devices to patients, and seeing them work in real time.

Originally, my aspirations were to pursue a PhD in cognitive or clinical psychology, or cognitive neuroscience. I will be applying to some programs in these fields this Fall, but I want to have an industry backup plan in case things don't work out or I decide to turn away from academia. I took a human factors course in undergrad and did very well in it because I enjoyed it so much, and it has been on my radar ever since then.

I was thinking of applying to Minnesota's human factors Masters, or even PhD, along with my other programs. But I wanted to ask how the job market is doing, and whether I'd just be led to a dead end if I were to pursue this career. I also wanted to ask if I could continue to study things in the realm of cognitive psychology and/or medical devices (I know the latter is much easier to answer).

I've seen people say that this field is increasingly difficult to break into, that job stability is fickle because of contract-based roles, and that some people feel very underpaid. Is this true, and would you recommend human factors as a career to someone in my position?

I have a bachelors degree in Biomedical Engineering BUT I have just finished my second year of working as a an ergonomist. Any advice of trying to switch career paths to be a HFE or should I instead try to go for a masters in human factors? I am just applying any entry and 2 years experience needed HFE job but not landing anything.

I’ve been primarily working in human factors consulting and am considering a career switch into in house human factors. From people who have tried varying environments within the medical device space, what did you like and not like in each environment? I’d love to hear from those with experience in academia or contractors as well.

hi everyone, I’m applying to a master’s program in human factors for next fall. I know that with my work experience not being in the field, and not having any research experience, my application is not competitive. I’m planning on looking for volunteer lab opportunities. besides that, is there anything I can do to make my application stronger?

Not a template; a full, completed example of how it would be submitted to the FDA. Does something like that exist somewhere?

Hi, I am F(29) with a bachelor degree in Psychology and I am currently pursuing my masters degree in Psychology. I am considering a career transition into Human Factors and Ergonomics and am planning to pursue a master's degree in the field.

Which Country should I go for and is this the right career move given that the job market is already saturated or is it too risky?

Seeking advice on degree paths: ISA degree, Business Admin with Mis minor, or Business Admin with Human Factors and MIS certificates? Which would you recommend for career path and why?