Jobs / Architecture and engineering / 17-2112.01
Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists
Design objects, facilities, and environments to optimize human well-being and overall system performance, applying theory, principles, and data regarding the relationship between humans and respective technology. Investigate and analyze characteristics of human behavior and performance as it relates to the use of technology.
- US jobs
- 365,740 (SOC 17-2112 group, "Industrial Engineers")
- Median wage
- $102,440 a year
- Job family
- Architecture and engineering
Can agents do the work of human factors engineers and ergonomists?
We read the evidence at the level of the job family, Architecture and engineering:
- Task levelUnexploredNo task-level benchmark in our collection tests architecture or engineering design work, such as CAD modeling or engineering calculations.
- Project levelNot yetWhole projects are mostly out of reach. The Remote Labor Index includes 3D, CAD, and architecture projects; across all its projects, the best agent completed 15.8% to a standard a client would accept. GDPval includes mechanical engineers, and its deliverables score higher, but those tasks are one-shot and fully specified.
Benchmarks for the job family
These cover work in architecture and engineering, not always this occupation's tasks.
- 1846 EloClaude Opus 5.5 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort, Default Fallback) · 23 Sep 2026Unrated
Typical tasks
From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.
- 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, such as requirements, needs, fatigue, ergonomics, or interfaces.
- Advocate for end users in collaboration with other professionals, including engineers, designers, managers, or customers.
- Inspect work sites to identify physical hazards.
- Prepare reports or presentations summarizing results or conclusions of human factors engineering or ergonomics activities, such as testing, investigation, or validation.
- Recommend workplace changes to improve health and safety, using knowledge of potentially harmful factors, such as heavy loads or repetitive motions.
- Perform functional, task, or anthropometric analysis, using tools, such as checklists, surveys, videotaping, or force measurement.
- Provide technical support to clients through activities, such as rearranging workplace fixtures to reduce physical hazards or discomfort or modifying task sequences to reduce cycle time.
- Assess the user-interface or usability characteristics of products.
- Establish system operating or training requirements to ensure optimized human-machine interfaces.
- Integrate human factors requirements into operational hardware.
- Review health, safety, accident, or worker compensation records to evaluate safety program effectiveness or to identify jobs with high incidence of injury.
Other job titles for this occupation (23)
Board Certified Ergonomist · Certified Professional Ergonomist · Cognitive Engineer · Engineer · Ergonomic Consultant · Ergonomics Technical Advisor · Ergonomist · Human Factors Advisor · Human Factors Engineer · Occupational Ergonomist · Engineering Psychologist · Ergonomic Specialist · Ergonomics Consultant · Ergonomics Engineer · Ergonomics Specialist · Human Factors Ergonomist · Human Factors Specialist · Human Machine Interface Engineer (HMI Engineer) · Injury Prevention Specialist · Interface Designer · Usability Engineer · Usability Specialist · User Interface Designer (UI Designer)