Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists
Official O*NET title: Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists (17-2112.01)
Also called: ergonomist, human factors, board certified ergonomist, certified professional ergonomist, cognitive engineer
Do you do this at work?
Answer each card — it takes about a minute.
Do you do this at work?
Investigate theoretical or conceptual issues
Swipe right for yes, left for not me. On a keyboard: → yes, ← not me, Z undo. +2 XP per answer.
How AI is changing human factors engineers and ergonomists work
7 of 26 measurable main tasks for this job show up in real AI-use data, so we rate it Amber (some AI use) — 27%.
This shows where people already use AI, not whether the job will disappear. How we measure this.
Tasks in this job and recorded AI use
- Investigate theoretical or conceptual issues (main task) — a lot of recorded AI use
- Analyze complex systems to determine potential for further development, production, interoperability, compatibility, or usefulness in a particular area (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Operate testing equipment (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Perform statistical analyses (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Apply modeling or quantitative analysis to forecast events (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Establish system operating or training requirements to make sure optimized human-machine interfaces (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Provide human factors technical expertise on topics (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Collect data through direct observation of work activities or witnessing the conduct of tests (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Conduct interviews or surveys of users or customers to collect information on topics (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Advocate for end users in collaboration with other professionals (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Inspect work sites to identify physical hazards (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Prepare reports or presentations summarizing results or conclusions of human factors engineering or ergonomics activities (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Recommend workplace changes to improve health and safety, using knowledge of potentially harmful factors (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Perform functional, task, or anthropometric analysis, using tools (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Provide technical support to clients through activities (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Assess the user-interface or usability characteristics of products (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Integrate human factors requirements into operational hardware (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Review health, safety, accident, or worker compensation records to evaluate safety program effectiveness or to identify jobs with high incidence of injury (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Design or evaluate human work systems, using human factors engineering and ergonomic principles to optimize usability, cost, quality, safety, or performance (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Write, review, or comment on documents (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Train users in task techniques or ergonomic principles (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Conduct research to evaluate potential solutions related to changes in equipment design, procedures, manpower, staff, or training (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Develop or put in place human performance research, investigation, or analysis protocols (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Develop or put in place research methodologies or statistical analysis plans to test and evaluate developmental prototypes used in new products or processes (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Estimate time or resource requirements for ergonomic or human factors research or development projects (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Design cognitive aids (main task) — no recorded AI use
Tasks: O*NET 31.0. AI use: Anthropic Economic Index (exact or close text match).
Your first steps (guidance)
- Week 1: Open a free AI assistant and say hello. Follow our “Getting started with AI” guide. Ask it one simple question about your work.
- Week 2: Use AI on one task you do often. Try the prompt for: “Investigate theoretical or conceptual issues”. Try the prompt for: “Analyze complex systems to determine potential for further development, production, interoperability, compatibility, or usefulness in a particular area”.
Tick your own tasks above to get a plan based on what you really do. The first 2 weeks are free; Premium (coming soon) adds weeks 3–12. New to AI? Read our beginner’s guide.
Questions about AI and human factors engineers and ergonomists
Will AI replace human factors engineers and ergonomists?
Our data can’t predict job losses, and we don’t try to. What it does show: 7 of the 26 main tasks for this job match tasks people already use AI for (Anthropic Economic Index), giving a Amber rating (some AI use). Using AI on a task is not the same as AI doing the whole job, and 19 of the 26 listed tasks show no recorded AI use yet.
Which human factors engineer tasks is AI used for most?
In the data, the most AI use among this job’s tasks is for: investigate theoretical or conceptual issues; analyze complex systems to determine potential for further development, production, interoperability, compatibility, or usefulness in a particular area; operate testing equipment.
Which human factors engineer tasks show little or no AI use?
For example: collect data through direct observation of work activities or witnessing the conduct of tests; conduct interviews or surveys of users or customers to collect information on topics; advocate for end users in collaboration with other professionals. These are good places to keep building your own skills.
How does this job compare to others?
In Microsoft Research’s “Working with AI” study, this job’s AI applicability score is equal to or higher than 81% of the occupations they scored. That measures overlap with AI chat use, not risk of job loss.
How can a human factors engineer start learning AI?
Start small: open a free AI assistant, try it on one task you do often, and always check facts and numbers yourself. The plan on this page is guidance, not professional advice.
See how this job ranks
Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists ranks #290 of 572 jobs for the share of main tasks with AI use (#1 = most), and #18 of 37 in Engineering.
Related jobs
- Will AI change engineering managers?
- Will AI change architects?
- Will AI change landscape architects?
- Will AI change cartographers (mapmakers)?
- Will AI change surveyors?
- Will AI change aerospace engineers?
- Will AI change health and safety engineers?
- Will AI change industrial engineers?
- Will AI change biomedical engineers?
- Will AI change data scientists?
- Will AI change manufacturing engineers?
- See all jobs