Senior Human Factors Engineer

Vicarious Surgical is hiring a Senior Human Factors Engineer to join our Product Team based in Waltham, MA. In this role, you will be the usability lead across robotic subsystems and have a direct impact on development and design of the Vicarious Robotic Platform. In this role you will leverage your in-depth knowledge of human psychology, cognitive science, and ergonomics to work with patients, clinicians, designers, marketing, systems, mechanical, software, and quality engineers to develop a usable, safe, and highly effective system. This role will also have exciting exposure to planning and process opportunities as you will be involved in, and at times asked to lead, aspects of the Vicarious Robot Validation journey. 

You’re a master of your craft and you have experience identifying and defining user and environmental characteristics for consideration in design, developing user workflows, performing heuristic reviews, leading use risk analysis, defining requirements, providing guidance on design implementation, drafting instructions for use, planning and executing formative and summative usability testing, and communicating human factors principles to others within your organization.

Vicarious Surgical is a next generation robotics company developing a disruptive technology with the goal of increasing the efficiency of surgical procedures, improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs. This is a terrific opportunity for an experienced Human Factors professional to join our company at a very exciting time and be a key member of a team of mission-driven and kind individuals with diverse experiences to lead Vicarious into its next phase of hyper-growth and market disruption.  

Responsibilities:

• Support and consider established User Needs, Use Specifications, and Use Workflows to drive usability definition of System Requirements
• Apply ergonomic, psychological, and design principles to system user interfaces 
• Usability lead for robotic subsystems
• Think strategically around usability needs and recommend program initiatives that will support prioritization of identifying, understanding and mitigating use related risks
• Assess and document potential use issues (uFMEA, URRA, FTA) and provide design recommendations to improve usability or mitigate use risk
• Efficiently and effectively assess design iterations of products both internally and with users/key opinion leaders using novel and/or lean methodologies
• Develop sound Formative and Summative Usability Validation Protocols, conduct studies, and draw relevant conclusions through rigorous reporting
• Develop understanding of the scientific, technical, medical, and clinical aspects of VS robotic devices and features and the associated surgical procedures to be addressed
• Support the development of capital equipment, single-use disposables, packaging, IFU, and training
• Maintain a detailed understanding of the developing human factors environment (e.g. evaluation methods, evolving regulatory landscapes, etc.)
• Provide technical consultation to multi-disciplinary design teams with respect to fundamental human factors engineering principles

About You

• Have a Bachelor’s degree in Human Factors, Psychology/Engineering Psychology, Applied Cognition, Human Computer Interaction, UX, Biomedical Engineering or related field
• Have 6+ years of relevant human factors/usability engineering or design experience
• Persuasive storyteller with strong verbal, written, and visual communication skills and the ability to effectively communicate technical information at multiple levels within the organization
• Have an excellent set of writing and presentation examples that demonstrate your ability to clearly communicate findings and recommendations for complex systems
• Experience designing, executing, and reporting on user studies using a variety of methods, including early-stage concept exploration, simulated use, surveys, and observational research
• Experience adapting anthropometric and human performance data to define appropriate requirements
• Adept at estimating effort on defined tasks
• Detailed understanding of FDA 21 CFR Part 820, FDA Human Factors Guidance, IEC 62366, ISO 14971, HE75, and relevant standards
• You are a self-starter requiring minimal supervision to prioritize tasks, tailor HF efforts, meet deadlines, and manage input from many stakeholders; you possess coolness under pressure, problem solving skills, attention to detail, and the ability to adapt to a rapidly evolving environment
• Have the ability to build strong cross-functional relationships and drive design excellence with design, marketing, technology, and product partners

Together, we share a love for learning, and we are passionate teachers.  As a company, we set ambitious goals and individually, we share in that ambition. At the office, we enjoy each other’s company during monthly social, catered lunches and company celebrations.

Please note that at Vicarious Surgical, we follow COVID-19 safety protocol, which may include compliance with vaccination, testing and masking requirements