Jobs › Medline

Senior Human Factors Engineer

Medline · Northfield, IL · $101,000–$152,000 a year · Full time

Posted Aug 11, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a use error you found in testing that led to a real design change.

What they are checking: Whether their research has actually changed products, not just produced reports.

Tell me about a contextual inquiry you ran. What did you learn that you wouldn't have found in a lab?

What they are checking: Whether they value watching real users in real settings like hospitals and clinics.

Tell me about an engineer you mentored in human factors methods.

What they are checking: Whether they can build human factors skill across teams, which the posting expects of this role.

Tell me about a process improvement you led in how your team ran usability work.

What they are checking: Whether they make the human factors process faster or more consistent, not just run individual studies.

What would you do

The design team wants to fix a use error by adding a warning to the instructions for use. How do you respond?

What they are checking: Whether they know labeling is the weakest control and push for design fixes first.

A project is behind schedule and leadership asks you to cut the summative study size. What do you say?

What they are checking: Whether they can defend the evidence the device needs while offering realistic ways to save time.

About the work

Walk me through how you'd plan a summative usability study for a Class II device.

What they are checking: Whether they know how to pick critical tasks from the use-related risk analysis and design a study that meets FDA expectations.

What's the difference between formative and summative studies, and how do the results of each get used?

What they are checking: Whether they understand formative studies shape design while summative studies prove the final design is safe.

How do you connect your use-related risk analysis to the product's overall risk management file?

What they are checking: Whether they integrate human factors with ISO 14971 risk work instead of running it as a separate track.

How would you apply human factors to packaging and labeling for a simple Class I product?

What they are checking: Whether they scale the effort to risk and still catch issues like confusing labels or hard-to-open packaging.

How do you use post-market complaint data in human factors work?

What they are checking: Whether they see complaints as a source of real use errors that should feed back into design.

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The full job description

As published by Medline.

Job Summary This position is responsible for leading Human Factors and Usability Engineering activities across the product lifecycle to ensure medical devices (Class I and II) are safe and effective for use. This engineer will collaborate with cross-functional project teams to improve product designs (new and existing), specifically the device user interfaces, including the device, packaging, labeling, and instructions for use, while minimizing the potential for use errors. This position will advise on and oversee completion of Design Validation activities, including execution of simulated use studies, to ensure devices meet user needs and intended uses. This position mentors engineers and leads process improvement initiatives. Job Description Responsibilities: • Lead Human Factors activities across the product lifecycle, from early concept through development, validation, and post-market surveillance. Develop and implement usability strategies and provide guidance to product development teams. • Lead and execute usability studies (formative and summative) with end users across all stages of product development. Author protocols, surveys, use scenarios, moderator scripts, and reports. • Conduct user research, including contextual inquiries and heuristic analyses, and distill insights into themes that guide user needs, use-related risks, and user interface design. Collaborate with product design teams to establish user needs. • Create and maintain usability engineering documentation to record human factors activities, including use specifications, usability plans, and summary reports. • Identify and assess potential use errors and hazards through task analysis, review of known use problems, and risk assessments. Advise product development teams on human factors considerations to optimize device design and mitigate risks associated with misuse or use errors. Create use-related risk analysis documentation and implement risk control measures. • Lead Design Validation activity planning, execution, and completion of documentation. Conduct Design Validation simulated use studies to support Design Validation efforts. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop methods for and ensure completion of all Design Validation deliverables. • Create, review, and update internal team and corporate procedures and templates to comply with current industry standards and regulations. • Lead training workshops on usability and human factors engineering topics. Mentor engineers on best practices. Qualifications: Education • Bachelor’s degree in Human Factors Engineering, Usability Engineering, Cognitive/Experimental Psychology, Biomedical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Cognitive Engineering, or related field. Work Experience • Minimum 4 years of Human Factor Engineering experience. Preferred Qualifications: • 7+ years of Human Factors Engineering experience in the medical device industry preferred. • Extensive experience conducting formative and summative usability studies, including protocol and report generation. • Experience conducting user research activities, such as task/workflow analysis, interviews, focus groups, surveys, and voice of customer activities, including contextual inquiry. • Proficient in creating usability plans, summary reports, and use-related risk assessments. • Experience with Design Validation, including planning, conducting simulated use studies, and documenting results. • Strong knowledge of industry standards regarding human factors and usability (FDA guidance, AAMI HE 75, ISO 62366, IEC 60601-1-6, ISO 11607-1). • Experience ensuring compliance with 21 CFR 820.30 Design Controls and ISO 14971 Risk Management. • Experience conducting evaluations to meet aseptic presentation requirements per Section 7 of ISO 11607-1. • Willing to travel up to 25% of the time for business purposes (domestic and international). Medline Industries, LP, and its subsidiaries, offer a competitive total rewards package, continuing education & training, and tremendous potential with a growing worldwide organization. The anticipated salary range for this position: $101,000.00 - $152,000.00 Annual The actual salary will vary based on applicant’s location, education, experience, skills, and abilities. This role is bonus and/or incentive eligible. Medline will not pay less than the applicable minimum wage or salary threshold. Our benefit package includes health insurance, life and disability, 401(k) contributions, paid time off, etc., for employees working 30 or more hours per week on average. For roles where employees work less than 30 hours per week, benefits include 401(k) contributions, paid time off, as well as access to the Employee Assistance Program, Employee Resource Groups and the Employee Service Corp. For a more comprehensive list of our benefits please click here . We’re dedicated to creating a Medline where everyone feels they belong and can grow their career. We strive to do this by seeking diversity in all forms, acting inclusively, and ensuring that people have tools and resources to perform at their best. Explore our Belonging page here . Medline Industries, LP is an equal opportunity employer. Medline evaluates qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, neurodivergence, protected veteran status, marital or family status, caregiver responsibilities, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

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