Human Factors Expert

Job overview

In the respective domain, ensure product safety and environmental compatibility by providing expert knowledge to influence decisions in certification and continued airworthiness, contributing to the safe integration of innovative and more sustainable technologies.

General accountabilities

In the respective domain:

• Provide expert advice and contribution to complex certification for the determination of the applicable certification basis, the definition of the level of involvement by selecting compliance demonstration items and the agreement of applicants’ certification programmes.
• Verify the compliance demonstrations provided by applicants for the domain of expertise in cooperation with the certification teams and experts of other technical domains.
• Develop and contribute to the definition of interpretative material and special conditions as well as assess requests for deviations or for equivalent level of safety to address new technologies, unconventional uses, and proposals for novel compliance demonstration.
• Ensure investigation of in-service occurrences and defects in the domain of expertise and contribute to the agreement of adequate corrective actions to maintain acceptable safety standards as well as to ensure follow-up of those actions wherever necessary.
• For the domain of expertise provide advice in the development of new airworthiness and environmental protection requirements, industrial standards, including relevant parts of EASA Certification Specifications and advisory- as well as guidance material.
• Provide inputs and support to Design Organisation Approval activities as necessary.
• Provide technical inputs to support the other Agency’s activities such as Research projects or Innovation Partnership Contracts
• Represent the Agency externally in international working-groups or standardisation bodies when requested to do so.

Admission criteria

The following constitute eligibility and essential criteria for the role and for being admitted to the selection process. Candidates not fulfilling these criteria by the deadline for applications, will be excluded from the selection: 

• Have a thorough knowledge of one of the languages of the European Union (at least level C1) and a satisfactory knowledge of another language of the EU to the extent necessary for the performance of the duties (at least level B2). One of the required languages shall be English[1].
• Be a national of a Member State of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.
• Completed university studies of at least 3 years attested by a diploma in Human Factors (e.g. social sciences, psychology, philosophy, sociology, linguistics, or cognitive/physical ergonomics, etc.), or in other relevant subjects in the scope of the profile (e.g. aeronautical engineering, aerospace engineering, automotive engineering, mechanical engineering, etc.),
• At least 3 years of relevant professional experience acquired in positions corresponding to the nature of the duties (defined under the general accountabilities part), obtained after the award of university diploma*.
• Proven professional experience in the field of human factors applied to aviation or comparable domain (e.g. automotive industry) with a specific focus on usability studies, human centred design or evaluation of Human Machine Interfaces. 

* This vacancy is open as well to Temporary Agents (2f) employed at EASA, in the grade bracket AD5 - AD9

The following constitute advantageous criteria for the role. Candidates not fulfilling these criteria will not be excluded from the selection:

• Knowledge of the certification specifications and related material in the field of human factors applied to aviation.
• Knowledge of the aviation organisations and industry operating within the scope of the job description.

[1] Mother tongue English speakers will be expected to demonstrate knowledge of a second EU language. English oral and written skills will be assessed throughout the assessment phase.

Selection criteria

The selection process is based on the assessment of the professional skills and behavioural competences listed below. While these are considered critical to perform the role effectively, candidates who do not meet all criteria may still be considered.

Professional skills

Behavioural competences