Human Factors Engineer (Wearable Protection Systems & CBRN Garments)

Human Factors Engineer (Wearable Protection Systems & CBRN Garments)

Location: Cadillac, Michigan

About the Role

We are seeking a Human Factors Engineer who is passionate about designing wearable products that improve user performance, comfort, safety, and mission effectiveness.

This role focuses on protective garments, respiratory protection equipment, wearable systems, and integrated personal protection solutions used by military personnel, first responders, law enforcement professionals, emergency response teams, and other mission-critical users.

The role requires a passionate advocate for user-centered design and operational effectiveness who thinks in integrated solutions rather than standalone product optimization.

This position is ideal for candidates with experience in:

• Wearable products
• Technical apparel
• Textile-based products
• Human factors engineering
• Ergonomics
• User experience research
• Medical wearables
• Personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Outdoor or performance apparel
• Defense and first responder equipment

The successful candidate will serve as the advocate for the end user throughout the product development lifecycle, helping teams create solutions that are intuitive, comfortable, effective, and operationally relevant.

Why This Role is Unique

This role provides the opportunity to influence products that directly impact the safety, survivability, comfort, and operational effectiveness of military personnel and first responders.

Unlike traditional human factors positions that focus on a single product, this role considers the complete user experience across an integrated wearable protection system.

You will help shape:

• Protective garments
• Respiratory protection systems
• Gloves
• Footwear
• Integrated PPE
• Soldier systems
• First responder equipment
• Future wearable protection technologies

Your work will directly influence how people move, operate, communicate, and complete their mission while wearing protective equipment.

What You'll Do

Human Factors Research & User Understanding

• Lead human factors activities across new product development programs. Your initial focus will be on ensemble garments, but over time this will extend Air Purifying Respirators (APR), Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPR) and Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA).
• Conduct user research and attend Voice of Customer events (including firsthand user trials) to understand operational needs, mission requirements, environmental challenges, and performance expectations.
• Define user needs, operational use cases, mission scenarios, and human performance requirements.
• Translate user observations and feedback into actionable engineering and product requirements.
• Develop user personas, task analyses, use scenarios, and customer journey maps.

Wearable Product Design & Development

• Drive human-centered design decisions for wearable protection products and systems.
• Influence product architecture related to:
• Fit
• Comfort
• Mobility
• Burden
• Size and weight
• Usability
• Training simplicity
• Operational effectiveness
• Evaluate how respiratory systems, protective garments, gloves, footwear, and ancillary equipment function together as an integrated user experience.
• Ensure products accommodate a broad range of users through appropriate sizing, fit, and anthropometric and physiological burden considerations.

Testing, Validation & Usability

• Plan and conduct:
• Wearer trials
• Human factors evaluations
• Ergonomic studies
• Fit assessments
• Mobility testing
• Usability testing
• Task-based performance evaluations
• Cognitive walkthroughs
• Assess:
• Fit and sizing
• Range of motion
• Dexterity
• Visibility
• Thermal burden
• Comfort
• User acceptance
• Overall system effectiveness
• Analyze findings and communicate recommendations to development teams.
• Develop human factors verification and validation strategies.
• Support product approvals and customer acceptance activities.

Product Integration & System Performance

• Evaluate products as integrated wearable systems rather than independent components.
• Identify opportunities to improve interoperability between garments, respiratory equipment, communications systems, and other ancillary equipment.
• Participate in design reviews and concept evaluations.
• Conduct trade studies related to:
• Anthropometrics
• Sizing systems
• User burden
• Integration effectiveness
• Mobility and performance

Customer Engagement

• Interact directly with users and customers to understand operational requirements.
• Participate in:
• Customer demonstrations
• Field evaluations
• Product assessments
• User workshops
• Concept development activities
• Build strong partnerships between engineering teams and end users.
• Ensure customer feedback influences product development decisions.

Required Qualifications:

Education

Bachelor's or Master's Degree in:

• Human Factors Engineering
• Ergonomics
• Product Design
• Or a related field

Experience:

Required

• Experience applying human factors or ergonomics principles to products, systems, or equipment.
• Experience conducting user research and usability evaluations.
• Experience performing task analysis and design validation activities.
• Experience translating user requirements into actionable engineering requirements
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively on multidisciplinary development teams.
• Experience presenting findings and recommendations to technical and non-technical audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

We are especially interested in candidates with experience in one or more of the following areas:

Wearable Products

• Wearable technology
• Consumer wearables
• Medical wearables
• Industrial wearables

Apparel & Textile Products

• Technical apparel
• Performance apparel
• Outdoor apparel
• Protective clothing
• Textile product development
• Garment systems
• Clothing ergonomics

Human Factors Specialties

• Fit evaluation
• Comfort assessment
• Burden assessment
• Mobility analysis
• User experience research
• Human performance testing

Mission-Critical Product Experience

• Defense products
• Military systems
• First responder equipment
• Law enforcement equipment

About Avon Technologies:

We design and produce life-critical personal protection solutions for the world’s militaries and first responders. With a portfolio that includes Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (“CBRN”), protection. We do this through our two brands, Avon Technologies and Team Wendy. Our mission is to provide unparalleled protection for those who protect us, giving them the confidence to tackle challenging situations and helping them get home safe. At Avon Protection, we recognize that our success relies on the collective efforts of our talented team. As an organization, we welcome individuals who embody our #FIERCE company values - fearlessness, integrity, excellence, resilience, collaboration, and the ability to execute.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes the following:

• Flexible Schedule

• Generous paid time off

• Competitive Compensation Package

• Learning and Development Opportunities

• Bonus Plan

• US Employee Stock Purchase Plan / UK Share Incentive Plan

• 401k Matching / UK Pension

• Tuition Reimbursement Program

• Mentorship Program

• Supplemental plans

• US Company-paid life and AD&D / UK Death in Service

• Medical/Dental/Vision

This job description is not intended, and should not be construed, to be an all inclusive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts or working conditions associated with this job. While this job description is intended to be an accurate reflection of the job requirements, management reserved the right to modify, add or remove duties from particular jobs and to assign other duties as necessary.

Responsibilities of this position may include direct and/or indirect physical or logical access to information, systems, technologies subjected to the regulations/compliance with U.S. Export Control Laws.

U.S. Export Control laws and U.S. Government Department of Defense contracts and sub-contracts impose certain restrictions on companies and their ability to share export-controlled and other technology and services with certain "non-U.S. persons" (persons who are not U.S. citizens or nationals, lawful permanent residents of the U.S., refugees, "Temporary Residents" (granted Amnesty or Special Agricultural Worker provisions), or persons granted asylum (but excluding persons in nonimmigrant status such as H-1B, L-1, F-1, etc.) or non-U.S. citizens.

To comply with these laws, and in conjunction with the review of candidates for those positions within Avon that may present access to export controlled technical data, Avon must assess employees' U.S. person status, as well as citizenship(s).

The questions asked in this application are intended to assess this and will be used for evaluation purposes only. Failure to provide the necessary information in this regard will result in our inability to consider you further for this particular position. The decision whether or not to file or pursue an export license application is at Avon's sole election.

Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without a sponsorship for employment visa status (e.e. H1B status).

The anticipated salary range for candidates who will work in Cadillac, Michigan is $70,000 - $90,000 annually. The final salary offered to a successful candidate will be dependent on several factors that may include but are not limited to the type and years of experience within the job, type and years of experience within the industry, education, etc.

EOE, Including Vet/Disability

https://www.avon-technologiesplc.com/careers/current-vacancies/?gnk=job&gni=8a78859fa0f425c801a0f8868f5d1e38