Scientist

About the Role

The HEART (Human-systems Engineering for Adaptive, Real-World, & Translational Applications) Initiative at the University of Wisconsin–Madison College of Engineering seeks a Research Scientist to accelerate the translation of human-systems engineering research into real-world impact with industry, government, and academic partners. The HEART Initiative engineers intelligent systems with humans in mind, developing methods, metrics, and frameworks that capture how people interact with emerging technologies, and translating that knowledge into human-ready technologies across healthcare, manufacturing, security, transportation, energy, and emerging tech. A central pillar of this mission is positioning Human-Readiness Levels (HRLs) as essential measures of performance, safety, and trust in deployed systems.

Reporting to HEART Initiative leadership, the Research Scientist will serve as a hands-on technical and strategic contributor who bridges research and practice. This person will interface directly with industry partners, conduct HRL assessments and evaluations, lead rapid research and development efforts, and drive both internal and external funding proposals. The role also serves as the HEART liaison to other initiatives across the College of Engineering and the broader UW–Madison campus. This is an ideal position for a scientist who thrives at the intersection of rigorous human-systems research and practical, translational deployment.

Key Responsibilities

• Serves as a main point of contact and liaison with internal and external stakeholders providing information and representing the interests of a specialized research area
• Conducts literature reviews, prepares reports and materials, and disseminates information to appropriate entities
• Writes or assists in developing grant applications and proposals to secure research funding
• Collects and analyzes research data, conducts experiments and interviews, and documents results according to established policies and procedures under general supervision and limited responsibility
• Attends and assists with the facilitation of scholarly events and presentations in support of continued professional development and the dissemination of research information
• Assists with the identification of research problems and the development of research methodologies and procedures

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated research experience in human factors, human-systems engineering, human-machine interaction, or a related translational research area
• Experience designing and conducting human-subjects studies, evaluations, or assessments and analyzing the resulting data
• Demonstrated experience communicating technical concepts, analyses, or findings to audiences with varying levels of technical expertise, as evidenced through work history, project experience, presentations, reports, or other communication deliverables
• At least two years of experience communicating technical concepts, analyses, or findings to both technical and non-technical audiences

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience with Human Readiness Levels, Technology Readiness Levels, or comparable readiness/maturity assessment frameworks
• Experience partnering with industry, government, or clinical organizations to translate research into deployed technologies
• Experience contributing to competitive research proposals (e.g., NSF, NIH, DoD, industry, or foundation sponsors)
• Familiarity with one or more of HEART's priority domains: healthcare, manufacturing, security, transportation, energy, or emerging technology
• Track record of leading rapid, applied R&D projects on compressed timelines

Education

Required: Ph.D. (or equivalent doctoral degree) in industrial and systems engineering, human factors/ergonomics, cognitive science, biomedical engineering, computer science, psychology, or a closely related field.

Compensation

The starting salary for the position is $70,000 but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications.

Application Instructions

To apply for this position, select either "I am a current employee" or "I am not a current employee" under Apply Now. You will then be prompted to upload the following:

• A letter of qualification describing your qualifications, research interests, and fit for the translational mission of the HEART Initiative
• A current curriculum vitae (CV)
• Contact information for three professional references

The application has only one attachment field. Upload the required documents in that field, either as a single combined file (PDF preferred) or as multiple files in the same upload area. Applicants are required to attach both a letter of qualification and resume detailing their training and experience relating to the required and preferred qualifications referenced in the position description. The application reviewers will be relying on written application materials to determine which qualified applicants will advance in the recruitment process. Applicants that do not submit all materials or do not clearly show that they meet the requirements will no longer be considered. Applicants selected to advance may be asked to provide a research statement, representative publications, and/or a sample proposal or technical report.

Contact

Jenna Moss, jamoss@wisc.edu

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.