Human Factors Scientist (Ph.D.)

About Exponent

Exponent is the only premium engineering and scientific consulting firm with the depth and breadth of expertise to solve our clients’ most profoundly unique, unprecedented, and urgent challenges. Our vision is to engage multidisciplinary teams of science, engineering, and regulatory experts to empower clients with solutions that create a safer, healthier, more sustainable world. For over five decades, we've connected the lessons of past failures with tomorrow's solutions to advise clients as they innovate technologically complex products and processes, ensure the safety and health of their users, and address the challenges of sustainability.

Join our team of experts with degrees from top programs at over 500 universities and extensive experience spanning a variety of industries. At Exponent, you’ll contribute to the diverse pool of ideas, talents, backgrounds, and experiences that drives our collaborative teamwork and breakthrough insights. We help you grow your career through mentoring, sponsorship, and a culture of learning.

Key statistics:

• 950+ Consultants
• 640+ Ph.D.s
• 90+ Disciplines
• 30+ Offices globally

About the Role

We are currently seeking a Human Factors Scientist for our Human Factors Practice in Philadelphia, PA for a Summer 2026 start date. In this role, you will work as part of a team to analyze human performance related to a wide variety of scenarios involving consumer products, occupational work, and automobiles. Activities will focus on a combination of analyzing accidents and injuries that have occurred in the past and managing safety risk to help prevent such incidents in the future.

Responsibilities

• Work on multi-disciplinary projects, providing case management, data processing, and other project support
• Conduct research to obtain and review technical data, scientific literature, and standards
• Communicate complex analyses clearly and succinctly to a non-technical audience
• Manage a range of consulting activities that involve usability testing, study and survey design, human factors in accidents and their prevention, including limitations of human perceptual, cognitive, and response capabilities
• Provide project management for multiple projects at a given time, including managing budgets and deadlines, managing project teams, and performing support tasks for team members
• Participate in the design and evaluation of warnings and safety information
• Develop client contacts

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Developmental, Experimental, Industrial, or Cognitive Psychology, or a related psychology discipline, Neuroscience, or Vision Science
• Currently based in or willing to relocate to the Philadelphia area
• Able and willing to start no earlier than Summer 2026
• Breadth of knowledge of literature from psychology and related disciplines along with the ability to creatively adapt and apply literature, computational models, and concepts from these fields to specific and novel problems
• Strong record demonstrating your ability to design behavioral studies using a variety of human subjects and database research methods (e.g., survey, experimental, quasi-experimental, case study)
• Experience leading multiple scientific studies from start (i.e., design) to finish (i.e., communicating your results)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, as well as strong interpersonal skills
• Assertive, self-starter, and able to work with accuracy and attention to detail under pressure and/or deadlines
• Proficiency in analytical, statistical, and computer programming (specifically Excel, SPSS, MATLAB, Python, or R)
• Presently legally authorized to work in the United States; no immigration sponsorship or processing required

Applicants are encouraged to submit a CV (Curriculum Vitae) with publications (feel free to include publications that are in review or pending).

Work Environment

At Exponent, we have found that in-person interactions deepen employee engagement and are crucial for development, for realizing the full potential of our talented and diverse teams, and for building a more inclusive workplace where all have a sense of belonging. In our offices, you can expect a supportive culture and a collaborative, dynamic, multi-disciplinary work environment. Our consultants engage in-person in the office unless they are traveling for client work or other business activities.

We value the rich lives our colleagues enjoy outside of work and understand that work/life balance is critical to our employees and their well-being. Consultants have the autonomy to balance their work and personal schedules so you can meet with clients, visit inspection sites, attend conferences, and make time for priorities outside of work, too.

Compensation

Our consultants are rewarded for their technical and business contributions and have an opportunity to plan for future success and career growth. Exponent's total compensation plan includes base salary, bi-weekly bonuses for high-intensity efforts, annual bonus, and 401(k) employer contribution of 7% of base salary at the Associate and Senior Associate level. The base salary range for this position is dependent on experience and capabilities, which will be assessed during the interview process.

Benefits

Access benefits information on our Life@Exponent page.

Exponent is committed to offering a variety of programs and resources to support health and well-being. We believe that providing competitive benefits as well as compensation and recognition programs empowers our staff to do work that makes a difference.