Human Factors Usability Researcher & Evaluator

About the Role

Torch Technologies, a 100% employee-owned company, is seeking a talented Human Factors Usability Researcher & Evaluator to join our innovative Human-Machine Interaction (HMI) team. This role is both highly collaborative and customer-facing, requiring close engagement with stakeholders to understand system requirements and user needs. As part of the Human-Machine Interface (HMI) team, you will play a key role in optimizing usability through rigorous, data-driven human factors research. You will identify key system components, select appropriate research methods, define performance metrics, and design/execute human‑factors studies. Your work will focus on generating reliable, quantifiable data that leads to actionable recommendations and measurable system improvements.

Responsibilities

• Analyze user workflows, tasks, and decision-making processes through detailed personas, journey maps, and other usability methodologies.
• Identify and understand user needs and pain points through in-depth user interviews, heuristic evaluations (analyses), and cognitive task analyses.
• Advocate for the user in design and engineering discussions.
• Use relevant usability metrics and Key-Performance-Indicators (KPIs) to evaluate user interactions with a system/product.
• Design and execute comprehensive usability studies from the development of study plans/scenarios to the in-person participant facilitation of the study.
• Gather and analyze quantitative and qualitative data to deliver actionable recommendations and digestible insights that will drive design and workflow decisions.
• Produce usability reports, findings, and summaries that will drive practical design recommendations and future system applications.
• Support design reviews and communicate insights to stakeholders, UX designers, and engineers.
• Integrate into cross-functional teams to guide and enhance research methodologies and their implementation among colleagues.

Required Qualifications

• US Citizenship.
• BA/BS degree in Usability Engineering, Human Factors, Cognitive or Experimental Psychology, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Industrial or Systems Engineering, or a related field with a focus on human factors technology. Graduate degree is preferred.
• 3-8 years of experience in Human Factors research.
• Preferably 1.5 years of DoW experience.
• Proficiency in a variety of user experience research methodologies, including usability evaluations, customer interviews, task analysis, heuristic evaluation, and user surveys.
• Excellent communication, written, and interpersonal skills, with a strong commitment to customer satisfaction.
• Willingness to travel approximately 20% of the time to various locations across the U.S.
• This is an on-site position.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with DoW weapons systems and/or unmanned aircraft systems is a plus.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Proactive and Organized: You have strong project management skills and can clearly communicate research findings through written reports and in-person presentations.
• A Critical Thinker: You are comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty, and you possess excellent critical thinking and analysis skills.
• Creative and Driven: You bring creativity and a strong drive to the design research process, constantly seeking innovative ways to improve the user experience.

Security Requirements

Must possess and be able to maintain a Final Secret Clearance or meet the eligibility requirements to obtain and maintain a Secret Clearance.

Schedule

M-F; 8-5

Work Location

Customer-site

Travel

Yes, 20%

Benefits

• ESOP participation
• 401(k) match
• Medical, dental, vision, life insurance
• Short-term disability, long-term disability
• Flexible spending accounts, Health Saving Accounts and Health Reimbursement Accounts
• EAP
• Education assistance
• Paid time off and holidays