Human Factors Scientist

February 24, 2026

Other Jobs To Apply

No other job posts for this day.

Job Description At Idaho National Laboratory, your work will directly shape the future of critical operations by ensuring seamless human-technology interactions in high-stakes environments like nuclear energy, space exploration, and national security. By applying cutting-edge human factors research, you'll enhance system reliability and Optimize performance, supporting INL’s legacy of driving innovation and technological leadership. Your contributions will help define the principles that safeguard America’s most vital infrastructure and empower breakthroughs in energy and defense technologies. Join a team that’s pioneering solutions to the nation’s toughest challenges, where your expertise makes a tangible impact on safety and efficiency. Idaho National Laboratory is hiring a Human Factors Researcher to work on our Human Factors and Reliability team. Our team works a 9x80 schedule located out of our Engineering Research Office Building (EROB) facility with every other Friday off. The Human Factors and Reliability team is focused on cutting-edge research to enable human-centered design for nuclear plant optimization, advanced reactors, complex energy systems, and emerging artificial intelligence and automation technologies by utilizing INL’s world-class capabilities and simulation environments. As an INL human factors scientist you will leverage advanced human factors techniques to drive research projects and contribute to scientific publications. You will act as a human factors expert on multi-disciplinary teams providing state-of-the-art strategies and methodologies to enable human centered design and experimental validation for a variety of applied energy technologies. You will report to the manager for our Human Factors and Reliability team. Responsibilities Include <ul><li> Develop and implement advanced human factors approaches to support research initiatives. </li><li> Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to design and execute experiments, analyze complex datasets, validate approaches, and interpret results. </li><li> Design human-computer interfaces and human-machine interfaces for complex energy systems, including nuclear reactor control environments. </li><li> Use human factors methods to evaluate, rigorously test, and validate AI and machine learning tools for high consequence use cases. </li><li> Publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals and present at scientific conferences. </li><li> Work with a multi-disciplinary team of scientists and engineers on challenging work scope. </li><li> Stay current with the latest advancements in human factors and relevant applied energy domains. </li><li> Mentor and guide junior researchers and interns in human factors approaches, methodologies and best practices. </li><li> Demonstrate effective research skills and the ability to collaborate and partner with other government agencies, academia, and private sector companies to achieve project objectives. </li><li> Contribute to proposal development and secure new research funding. </li><li> Work effectively with research teams to develop and manage cross-cutting technical programs for a variety of customers. </li></ul>Requirements <ul><li> Level 3: Bachelor of Science degree in human factors, experimental psychology, industrial engineering, human-computer interaction, or a related scientific/engineering field and 5 years of relevant experience; or a Masters of Science degree in human factors, experimental psychology, industrial engineering, human-computer interaction, or a related scientific/engineering field and 2 years of relevant experience; or a PhD in human factors, experimental psychology, industrial engineering, human-computer interaction, or a related scientific/engineering field and 2 years of relevant experience </li><li> Level 4: Bachelor of Science degree in human factors, experimental psychology, industrial engineering, human-computer interaction, or a related scientific/engineering field and 9 years of relevant experience; or a Masters of Science degree in human factors, experimental psychology, industrial engineering, human-computer interaction, or a related scientific/engineering field and 6 years of relevant experience; or a PhD in human factors, experimental psychology, industrial engineering, human-computer interaction, or a related scientific/engineering field and 4 years of relevant experience </li></ul>The Ideal Candidate Will Possess <ul><li> Nuclear power experience </li><li> Experience performing research in applied energy domains </li><li> Familiarity with automation, machine learning, and AI tools. </li><li>Advanced degree preferred </li></ul>Job Information The pay range for this position is: Level 3 ($95,256 - $195,288) / Level 4 ($114,360 - $234,336). At Idaho National Laboratory compensation decisions are determined using factors such as education, relevant experience, and other credentials. Physical Requirements While performing the duties of this classification, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, stoop, kneel, bend, use hands to handle materials, manipulate tools, keyboard and type, reach with hands and arms, and operate job related equipment. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Sufficient visual acuity and hearing capacity to perform the essential functions and interact with people is required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Working Conditions The work environment is an office with appropriate climate controls. The noise level is generally moderate. Working shifts may be greater than 8 hours/day and may work alone. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and levels of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. About Us Benefits and Relocation <ul><li>Medical, Dental, Vision, and Flexible Spending Accounts</li><li>401(k) with a 4.2% employer contribution and up to 4.8% match (regular positions) or self-contribute access (postdoctoral positions)</li><li>Paid time off (personal leave)</li><li>Employee Education Program (tuition assistance for eligible positions)</li><li>Comprehensive Relocation Package</li><li>Benefit eligibility subject to multiple factors, including employment status and position classification. </li></ul>At this time, BEA will not sponsor any H1-B visas obtained outside of the United States of America (U.S.A.), including consular visas. INL is a science-based, applied engineering national laboratory dedicated to supporting the U.S. Department of Energy's mission in nuclear energy research, science, and national defense. With more than 6,300 scientists, researchers, and support staff, the laboratory works with national and international governments, universities and industry partners to change the world's energy future and secure our nation's critical infrastructure. INL Mission Our mission is to discover, demonstrate and secure innovative nuclear energy solutions, other clean energy options and critical infrastructure. INL Vision Our vision is to change the world's energy future and secure our nation's critical infrastructure. Selective Service Requirements To be eligible for employment at INL males born after December 31, 1959 must have registered with the Selective Service System (SSS). For more information see . Equal Employment Opportunity Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. It is the policy of INL to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information. Reasonable Accommodation We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation. Other Information When applying to positions please provide a resume and answer all questions on the following screens. Applicants, who fail to provide a resume or answer the questions, may be deemed ineligible for consideration. INL does not accept resumes from third party vendors unsolicited.

Back to blog

Common Interview Questions And Answers

1. HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR DAY?

This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

When you're working on a remote team, there's no way to chat in the hallway between meetings or catch up on the latest project during an office carpool. Therefore, virtual communication will be absolutely essential to get your work done...

3. WHAT IS "WORKING REMOTE" REALLY FOR YOU?

Many people want to work remotely because of the flexibility it allows. You can work anywhere and at any time of the day...

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN YOUR PHYSICAL WORKSPACE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK?

With this question, companies are looking to see what equipment they may need to provide you with and to verify how aware you are of what remote working could mean for you physically and logistically...

5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

Several years ago, I was working in a team to plan a big event. My supervisor made us all work as a team before the big day. One of our activities has been to find out how each of us processes information...

6. HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM? WHICH APPLICATIONS / SYSTEM DO YOU USE?

Or you may receive even more specific questions, such as: What's on your calendar? Do you plan blocks of time to do certain types of work? Do you have an open calendar that everyone can see?...

7. HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE FILES, LINKS, AND TABS ON YOUR COMPUTER?

Just like your schedule, how you track files and other information is very important. After all, everything is digital!...

8. HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORK?

The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

9. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEETING AND PREPARE A MEETING? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING DURING THE MEETING?

Just as communication is essential when working remotely, so is organization. Because you won't have those opportunities in the elevator or a casual conversation in the lunchroom, you should take advantage of the little time you have in a video or phone conference...

10. HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS, IN YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE?

This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...

DISCLAIMER