Senior Human Factors Engineer

Within this role, the candidate will be analysing and understanding the use-cases and concepts of operations performed by the pilots and help guide the Cockpit designs to ensure the best Human Factors principles are utilised throughout the Cockpit. The role will support requirement derivation, development of conceptual solutions and collaborate across the wider Avionics System team. The candidate will work closely with Test Pilots and the Flight Test community, plus Customer representatives to ensure appropriate Human Factors principles are applied to HMI designs; helping to deliver a product that keeps the Typhoon fighter aircraft at the cutting edge of technology.

The candidate will be involved with the development of the simulators used to demonstrate and test our designs during customer assessments, including a full-scale replica of the cockpit in an immersive environment, and testing aircraft equipment in flight prior to customer delivery. These powerful tools give the candidate the opportunity to learn how to operate the fast jets aircraft and put themselves in the position of the fighter pilot. This helps improve designs but this is also an experience unique to our team. This role would suit somebody with a passion for design, optimising user experience and/or fast jets or Military Aviation.

As a Senior Human Factors Engineer, the candidate will assist in the development of HMI designs and schemes for the fast jets or Military Aviation Cockpit. This will include designing and evolving the modes and capabilities required by the fast jets or Military Aviation Weapon System, such as Sensor capabilities, Navigation and Communications, Weapons targeting and release functions, and defensive aids operations.

Work Experience Duties may also include providing broader support to the Cockpit Group team, including:

• Supporting Safety analysis using Human Error Analysis techniques
• Supporting technical document reviews and distribution
• Validation and Verification activities of design to support qualification and airworthiness clearances
• Undertaking analysis of customer requirements, to determine the basis for new and evolved features within the cockpit
• Against agreed requirements, establishing designs and schemes for the HMI within the fast jets Cockpit, covering control and symbology aspects
• Defining Pilot interfaces with the systems in conjunction with Aircrew and Test Pilots from fast jets operating Airforces and engineering teams
• Working with Cockpit and System Integration rig test teams, specifying and supporting the development of test scenarios to demonstrate the proposed HMI design
• Supporting HMI usability assessments with Aircrew
• Producing Cockpit technical documentation
• Through customer review, undertaking Aircrew assessment of proposed design schemes, refining as necessary, to establish the detailed schemes to be taken forward for full Cockpit and Avionic Systems design
• Coordinating with product safety and product clearance stakeholders, to support aircraft clearances of the Cockpit Designs / Schemes
• Working with support engineering, to establish and maintain Aircrew and Groundcrew Technical Publications, to underpin safe operation of the fast jets Weapon System

The candidate needs to have excellent communication skills (verbal and written) with an ability to engage with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders. The candidate needs to be pro-active and able to think creatively, having the courage to challenge and drive improvement. They will be analytical, a natural problem-solver, able to use their own initiative and act independently as required.

Essential skills/qualifications

• Degree or equivalent in Human Factors or related subject (e.g. psychology or user centred design)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Confidence in presenting information to a wide variety of stakeholders
• Be capable of deriving system requirements from higher level requirements (Customer etc.)
• Must be capable of progressing a number of concurrent tasks and reporting on these

Desirable skills/qualifications

• Experience in conducting experiments and user assessments
• Military Air domain knowledge and/or experience

Sole UK citizenship is mandatory to be able to clear the background checks and obtain SC clearance. Current valid SC clearance would be an advantage.