Assistant Human Factors Consultant

We are seeking an Assistant Human Factors Consultant to join our team. This is an opportunity to develop your Human Factors career while contributing to a diverse range of projects across the rail and wider transport sector.

Working as part of experienced multidisciplinary teams, you will support the delivery of Human Factors activities across projects from early design through to assurance and implementation. You will work alongside senior Human Factors specialists and project teams to understand client objectives, identify human performance risks and contribute to practical, human-centred solutions.

You will support projects assessing human performance, safety, usability and accessibility, applying Human Factors methods and good practice under the guidance of more experienced colleagues. You will also have opportunities to engage directly with clients and stakeholders, develop your technical expertise and progressively take greater responsibility for your own work packages.

Our work supports clients including Network Rail, Hitachi, RSSB and Transport for London, across infrastructure, rolling stock, control rooms, accessibility and digital railway technologies.

The RCS team within our WSP Rail team offers a rewarding environment in which you can build your Human Factors expertise while contributing to projects that enhance safety, performance, accessibility and sustainability across the rail industry.

Examples of current projects include…

• RSSB research projects, including the development of a Control Communications maturity framework to help railway operators assess communications effectiveness within and beyond Control Centres.
• Supporting the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) in reviewing accessibility and inclusive cases across the GB rail network.
• Human Factors Integration and progressive assurance activities on major infrastructure and rolling stock programmes.
• Supporting the design and assurance of modern control rooms and traffic management systems for automated railway operations, including HS2 and Metro Manila.
• Accessibility and PRM compliance assessments for stations, depots and rolling stock.
• ETCS and digital railway programmes supporting the safe introduction of new technologies.

Responsibilities…

You will work with and learn from experienced Human Factors professionals, with responsibilities including:

• Supporting the development and delivery of Human Factors Integration plans and activities.
• Contributing to progressive assurance activities and the preparation and management of supporting evidence.
• Supporting the identification, assessment and management of Human Factors issues, risks and associated design requirements.
• Identifying and applying relevant industry standards, guidance and Human Factors good practice.
• Supporting and, as your experience develops, delivering Human Factors assessments and methodologies including:
  • task analysis
  • human error identification and assessment
  • workload assessment
  • workstation and workplace assessment
  • human-machine interface evaluation
  • alerts and alarms assessment
  • usability and accessibility assessment.
• Producing clear, high-quality technical reports, presentation materials and other project deliverables.
• Supporting workshops, stakeholder engagement, interviews and other Human Factors data-gathering activities.
• Working collaboratively with engineers, designers, operators and other specialists within multidisciplinary project teams.
• Building positive working relationships with clients and stakeholders.
• Managing your own workload and delivering assigned activities to agreed quality, cost and programme requirements.
• Contributing to bids, proposals and the development of scopes for Human Factors work, with guidance from senior colleagues.
• Continuing to develop your technical and consulting capabilities through project experience, mentoring and professional development.

What we are looking for you to demonstrate…

Required…

• A relevant undergraduate or master’s degree in Human Factors/Ergonomics, Psychology, Systems Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• A genuine interest in understanding and optimising human performance within complex systems.
• Academic, project or professional experience covering relevant areas such as ergonomics, human-system interaction, human performance, psychology, safety or user-centred design.
• An understanding of core Human Factors/Ergonomics principles and an interest in developing these within the transport and rail sector.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate technical information clearly.
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills.
• A proactive and organised approach to work, with the ability to manage priorities and meet deadlines.
• A commitment to producing high-quality work with strong attention to detail.
• The ability to work effectively as part of multidisciplinary teams and build positive working relationships.

Desirable…

Experience or knowledge of some of the following would be advantageous, but is not essential:

• Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA) and other task analysis techniques.
• Human Error Identification and Risk Assessment techniques such as SHERPA, HEART or equivalent approaches.
• Qualitative or quantitative workload assessment.
• Anthropometric assessment and accommodation analysis.
• Digital human modelling.
• Sight-line and visibility assessment.
• Human-machine interface (HMI) evaluation and design review.
• Usability evaluation and user trials.
• Accessibility, inclusive design and PRM-TSI or NTSN compliance.
• Safety assurance, safety case development or CSM processes.
• Control rooms, traffic management systems, automation or other high-reliability operational environments.
• Rail or other safety-critical industry experience.
• Relevant placement, internship, research or consultancy experience.

Professional development…

You will be encouraged to develop your technical and consultancy capability through a combination of project experience, coaching and continued professional development. The role provides an opportunity to build experience across different areas of Human Factors and work towards greater responsibility for technical activities and project work packages as your skills develop.

Professional membership of the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors (CIEHF), or a willingness to work towards appropriate professional membership and future chartership, would be welcomed.