Senior Consultant - Human Factors in Bristol

We are seeking an experienced Senior Human Factors Consultant to join our team. In this role, you will manage multiple projects, support junior colleagues, and ensure high-quality delivery. You will lead work from bids through to completion, working closely with clients to understand objectives, build strong relationships, and manage resources, costs, and work packages. You will deliver projects assessing human performance risks and developing human-centred design solutions. Working with clients such as Network Rail, Hitachi, RSSB, and Transport for London, you will support major programmes across infrastructure, rolling stock, control rooms, accessibility, and digital railway technologies. Your expertise in Human Factors Integration and risk-based analysis will guide multidisciplinary teams to ensure safety, efficiency, and accessibility. Ricardo offers a rewarding environment where you can contribute to projects that enhance safety, performance, and sustainability across the rail industry.

Examples of Our Current Projects:

• RSSB research projects such as the Development of a Control Communications maturity framework to enable railway operators to 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 – HS2, Metro Manila.
• Accessibility and PRM compliance assessments for stations, depots and rolling stock.
• ETCS and digital railway programmes, supporting safe introduction of new technologies.

Key Responsibilities:

• Human Factors Integration planning.
• Management of progressive assurance activities and evidence.
• Management of Human Factors issues/risks and derived design requirements.
• Identification and application of appropriate industry standards and good practice guidance.
• Scoping and delivery of appropriate Human Factors activities and methodologies, including task analysis, human error assessment, workload assessment, workstation and interface design, alerts and alarms management.

Key Competencies and Experience Required:

• A relevant undergraduate or master’s degree in a subject related to Human Factors/Ergonomics, Psychology, Systems Engineering, or similar.
• Chartered member status with the CIEHF, or evidence of equivalent experience and competencies to achieve this in the short term.
• A genuine interest in how we optimise human performance; including evidence of modules of study covering topics such as ergonomics, human-system interface design, human performance, psychology, or similar.
• At least five years’ experience as a Human Factors adviser to organisations operating in complex, high reliability environments; including at least two years demonstrated experience within the rail environment.
• Strong verbal and written communication, consultation, and facilitation skills and the ability to deal effectively with people at all levels.
• A proactive, organised approach and a commitment to producing high quality work with a high level of attention to detail.

Desirable:

• Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA) and other task analysis techniques.
• Human Error Identification and Risk Assessment (e.g. SHERPA, HEART or equivalent structured approaches).
• Workload analysis (e.g. qualitative and quantitative workload assessment techniques).
• 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.
• Experience in accessibility and PRM-TSI or NTSN compliance.
• Experience in safety assurance, safety case development and CSM processes.
• Experience in control rooms, traffic management systems, automation or high-reliability operational environments.

Benefits:

• Work-life balance – flexible hours, hybrid working policy with two days remote per week.
• Inclusivity & belonging – employee resource groups and a culture of inclusion.
• Health & wellbeing – virtual GP service, gym flex, menopause support package, and reasonable workplace adjustments.
• Flex your time – 'WSP My Hour' for one hour daily of personal activities, with make-up flexibility.
• Part-time and flexible working arrangements, optional additional leave, and use of bank holiday entitlement.
• Your development – training, mentoring, chartership opportunities.

Equal Opportunity & Disability Confident 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.