Director, Ease of Use Engineering

The Director, Engineering (the “Director”) will be responsible for managing the Arthritis Foundation’s Ease of Use lab and will focus on evaluating products and packaging for ease of use by individuals with arthritis and related mobility limitations. The Director will lead the Ease of Use certification testing process for products and package designs using human factor evaluation procedures for a variety of both medical and consumer products and packaging.    Reporting to the VP, Consumer Health and Ease of Use, the Director will collaborate with internal and external teams to develop and grow the Ease of Use program.

1. Apply knowledge of engineering principles and industry standards to ensure compliance with regulations and safety requirements are met in the Arthritis Foundation’s Ease of Use Lab.

2. Lead testing and evaluation of products and packaging designs to assess usability by patients with arthritis or reduced dexterity.  Identify design features through physical, sensory and cognitive evaluations  that may hinder or enable accessibility, including opening mechanisms, grip strength requirements, readability, and ergonomics.  

3. Conduct research and analysis to identify user needs and preferences and stay current on advancements in human factor industry design, accessibility trends, patient needs, and best practices in order to continuously improve protocols and design guidelines.

4. Collaborate with packaging designers, engineers, and regulatory teams to incorporate usability findings into packaging improvements.
5. Maintain documentation of test results, user feedback, risk analysis, and design iterations.
6. Develop and execute protocols for usability studies, including simulated use testing and focus groups with arthritis patients or advocacy groups.  Participate in cross-functional innovation sessions to champion inclusive design practices.
7. Act as a subject matter expert on human factors design, providing guidance and support to other team members as needed.  Communicate effectively with team members and stakeholders to provide updates on project progress and address any issues or concerns.

8. Maintain a strong focus on quality and diligence to ensure designs meet the highest certification standards while adhering to project timelines and budgets to ensure timely delivery of high quality evaluations and final reports.

9. Manage day-to-day operations of the human factor usability testing Ease of Use Lab including scheduling and coordinating testing activities and maintaining lab equipment to ensure compliance with relevant standards.

10. Ability to travel on a limited basis as needed.   Other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree in human factor engineering, engineering psychology, industrial engineering or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in packaging, product development, or human factors engineering.
• Knowledge of usability testing methodologies, with emphasis on accessibility or ergonomic design.
• Must have participated in or conducted human factors research and testing and have work experience in product design, occupation biomechanics, cognitive engineering and/or work physiology.

• Strong analytical and observational skills to interpret user interaction data.
• Experience working with diverse user populations, particularly those with physical impairments.
• Excellent listening, verbal, written, technical, and presentation skills.          Strong expert report writing skills to complement analytics

• Proficiency in documentation and test reporting.

Preferred:

• Advanced degree or certification in Human Factors, Industrial Design, or Accessibility Design. 
• Experience working in regulated industries (pharmaceutical, medical devices, consumer goods).
• Familiarity with arthritis-specific accessibility needs through research or direct involvement.