Associate Director - Human Factors Engineering

Associate Director - Human Factors Engineering

AECOM is seeking a Senior Human Factors Engineer to join our growing global Rail Systems and Human Factors team. Based in India, you will play a strategic role in delivering complex, global, safety-critical transportation programs.

This is a high-impact role that requires knowledge of rail standards (e.g. EN 50126, RIS-7100, RSSB guidance), strong systems integration expertise, and a deep commitment to user-centred design, safety assurance, and regulatory compliance.

You will collaborate with clients, multi-disciplinary engineering teams, and safety specialists to embed Human Factors principles throughout the system lifecycle. You will also provide leadership in technical delivery, mentor junior staff, and support continuous improvement in AECOM's Human Factors capabilities.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Technical Leadership

• Lead the planning, execution, and integration of Human Factors activities across the full system lifecycle, from concept through to operation and maintenance.
• Establish HF design philosophies and strategies aligned with project and regulatory requirements.
• Act as technical lead on key rail and infrastructure projects, ensuring alignment with HF integration strategies and applicable standards (e.g. EN 50126, ISO 9241, RIS-7100, RSSB guidance).
• Experience producing Human Factors Integration Plans, Human Factors Issue Logs and Human Factors Assessment Report and experience of conducting assessments such as Hierarchal Task Analysis.
• Execute HF design development activities, including design reviews, mock-ups, simulators, and structured user feedback studies.
• Lead certification planning and develop compliance strategies for HF-related system elements.
• Provide expert input into RAMS (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Safety) assurance activities.
• Translate regulatory and system requirements into clear, verifiable HF design and usability criteria.
• Conduct and review task analyses, HMI design assessments, usability testing, cognitive workload studies, and error management strategies.
• Develop, review, and approve certification-related documentation (e.g., Issue Papers, Equivalent Levels of Safety, Test Plans, Design Reports).
• Oversee planning and execution of HF-related test campaigns, including fabrication, witnessing, and compliance evidence.
• Interface with certification bodies and regulatory stakeholders to demonstrate compliance and resolve design queries.
• Drive human-centred design within multidisciplinary teams, ensuring HF is embedded in technical decisions and design trade-offs.

Project and Team Management

• Contribute to project proposals, technical scoping, and estimation of HF effort and cost.
• Ensure timely and high-quality delivery of HF work packages, aligned with programme constraints and project milestones.
• Review and sign off technical documentation, HF reports, and deliverables to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Mentor junior engineers and support performance development through project delivery and structured feedback.

Industry Engagement & Knowledge Development

• Maintain strong working knowledge of UK and international Human Factors and rail standards, including regulatory frameworks such as CSM-RA and ORR.
• Represent AECOM in client meetings, industry working groups, and technical committees.
• Support the development and continuous improvement of HF methodologies, tools, and guidance within AECOM.
• Identify innovation opportunities and contribute to thought leadership, technical training, and capability building across the Human Factors discipline.

Essential Qualifications and Experience

• Master's degree (MSc) in Human Factors, Ergonomics, or a closely related discipline
• A minimum of 10–15 years' professional experience in Human Factors, including at least 5 years in the rail or other regulated, safety-critical environments
• Significant experience applying Human Factors principles to UK and international rail programmes, with expert understanding of relevant standards (e.g., EN 50126, RIS-7100, RSSB guidance)
• Proven technical leadership in the delivery of HF activities, including HMI design, task and workload analysis, error management, human-system integration, and user-centred design
• Strong capability in interpreting and developing engineering specifications and HF compliance documentation
• Highly effective communication skills (written and verbal), with the ability to engage technical and non-technical stakeholders, present to clients, and influence outcomes across disciplines
• Proficiency in English
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and HF-related tools

Preferred Qualifications

• Holds or working towards Chartered status or equivalent
• Experience in regulatory or consultancy environments (e.g., ORR, RSSB, RAIB)
• UK Rail experience
• Involvement in industry standards groups or technical committees

Our ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Initiative and self-motivation, with the ability to work independently and take ownership of complex tasks
• A relationship builder who can engage confidently and professionally with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders at all levels
• Team focused, with a collaborative approach to delivering shared goals across disciplines and geographies
• Clear and consistent communicator, able to convey technical ideas and project needs effectively in both verbal and written formats
• Sound judgement and practical decision-making, with the ability to evaluate information quickly, identify key issues, and offer robust solutions
• Commitment to quality and attention to detail, ensuring work meets high standards of accuracy and compliance
• A supportive mentor and role model, who contributes to team development and fosters a positive working environment
• Professional integrity, aligned with AECOM's values of inclusion, accountability, and delivering excellence
• With infrastructure investment accelerating worldwide, our services are in great demand, and there's never been a better time to be at AECOM! Join us, and you'll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility.