Entry Level Qualification 

Graduate

Career Fields 

Engineering & Technology, Mathematics & Science

For Specially Abled 

Career Entrance Exam 

CUET UG

About Career 

As an Ergonomist you will study how people use various electronic, mechanical, electrical, and physical equipment, machines, and systems at their workplaces or at their homes. You will study and help in improving the design of various  equipment, machines, systems, and spaces in order to make it easy for humans to use them in a safe, comfortable and healthy way. You will help in design of these to make people perform better and more efficiently but with less physical and mental stress.

As an Ergonomist, you will research and study about how people work in an industrial, office, or home setting and how they use and operate various equipment, machines, and systems. You will then suggest ways to improve the design of these or you will yourself design these so as to ensure:

Physical comfort, safety, and physical health: ease and comfort in operating and interacting with the equipment, machines and systems; safety from any bodily harm; reduction of the chances of any musculoskeletal disorder such as back pain, pain in the shoulder, strain in arm and hand, etc.; ease of movements in the workspace; ease of doing repetitive tasks; and so on.

Mental well-being and performance: abatement or reduction of mental stress and workload; better and more efficient performance of people; overall mental well-being; and so on.

Organisational performance: improvement of interactions with co-workers and teamwork, improvement of productivity or outputs from the use of equipment, machines, and systems; and so on.

Some examples will make it easy for you to understand this career better

For an example, consider, an employee sitting on a chair in an office using some kind of software on a computer attached to a mouse. All of these, the software, the computer, the mouse or the chair (except the employee!) can be ergonomically designed to optimize the performance of the user and the equipment as well as ensure safety and prevent health related hazards associated with repeated use of the equipment. The “things of interest” here are the chair, the mouse, the computer and the software.

Sedentary behavior, such as sitting for long periods of time also poses a serious threat for injuries and additional health risks. As modernized workplaces become more & more technology devouring more jobs are becoming primarily seated, therefore resulting in a need to prevent chronic injuries & pain. This is becoming easier with the amount of research conducted around ergonomic tools& designs.

Few more examples

Similar examples that require ergonomic designs can be cockpits in cars / planes, seating arrangements in vehicles, adaptable automobiles for specific use by the disabled, body-suits for limb impairment, athletic training machines, hospital beds, wearable technologies (like smart watches, FitBit® etc. ), ATM machines, various computer software applications, industrial robots, furniture (like reclining chairs / sofas, automatic ladders, lifting systems etc.) and so forth.

Even mobile phones today are ergonomically designed with specific focus on the outer shell material like a certain type of glass to make it slip-proof or think of the ATM machines which are optimally designed to accommodate the abilities of the right handed as well as left handed people along with people of all heights.

Getting the idea?

As an Ergonomist, you will use multiple techniques & principles during work to evaluate various human factors. Check out some of these principles:

1. Ethnographic trials–this means that you will be observing the uses of technology in a practical environment. You will focus on "real-world" experiences of human users. You will enroll & register real participating users for collecting data.

2. Iterative design–by using this process you will seek to involve human users at different stages of design, to correct any problems as they emerge. These problems after corrections will gradually & systematically be integrated with the different versions of the design that you are making.

3. Meta-analysis–by this process you will be examining a wide body of published data / literature to understand & use the existing trends and form hypotheses to help you in your design decisions.

4. Subjects-in-tandem–in this process, you will register 2 participating users and ask them to work simultaneously on a prototype system/ equipment (prototype means sample).

While working, they are supposed to make comments about their analytical observations. This will generate a stronger set of required improvements for you to implement in your design. 

5. Surveys & questionnaires–you can administer surveys or questionnaires to a large group of people to gain a large amount of data. This again reflects “real-world” data but with a higher number of participants compared to ‘ethnographic trials’.

6. Think aloud protocol–you will be asking a user to execute a series of tasks on a prototype system/ equipment (prototype means sample), while they continuously verbalize their thoughts and observations.

7. Time studies – this you will use to determine the time required for a worker to complete each task on a functional prototype.

Now, understand that, for most applications today designing a product is essentially achieved through computer-aided technologies.

For example, Ergonomists may use a computer simulation human model that has most of the bones, muscles & joints present in the human body already pre-programmed and fed into a software application. One example could be a seated human model, called a “skeletal mannequin”, where the human body is placed on a chair that has a seat, backrest, headrest, leg rest, footrest, and armrest.

The simulation model can then be used to calculate the forces acting between the human body & the chair, or the forces between the vertebral column etc. as required.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

You will be engaged in one or more of the following roles & responsibilities as well as other associated duties:

1. You will design, develop, test, and evaluate operational procedures, electromechanical / mechanical / electronic systems and equipment designs (specifically human work systems) such as cockpit designs in cars or planes, user workstations, sports equipment, medical aids, industrial machines or use computerized human models to optimize usability, cost, quality, safety, or performance in these cases.

2. You will assess the user-interface or usability characteristics of such products.

3. You will employ human factors and/or cognitive science methods which may include eye tracking, cognitive modeling, and observational data collection methods, as well as skills in data manipulation, analysis, and visualization.

4. You will apply modeling or quantitative analysis to forecast human decisions/ behaviors/ structures/ postures or the attitudes & actions of human groups.

5. You will perform data collection/testing including selecting the appropriate test procedures and use statistical knowledge to analyze these quantitative & qualitative data.

6. You will perform functional, task, or anthropometric (relating to measurements of human body) analyses by conducting research programs, surveys, recruit participants, analyze research findings, and develop insights – this means you will be collecting data through direct observation.

7. You will use data analytics expertise and related software to leverage large data sets of digital data.

8. You will analyze complex systems to determine potential for further development, production, compatibility, or usefulness in a particular product.

9. You will operate testing equipment, such as heat stress meters, motion analysis equipment, light meters, thermo anemometers (measure air temperature & velocity) etc.

10. You will inspect work sites to identify physical hazards and conduct research to evaluate potential solutions related to changes in equipment design, procedures, manpower, personnel, or training.

11. You will collaborate with software developers, engineers, and operations personnel to identify efficient solutions for industrial mechanisms, systems and processes.

Career Entry Pathway 

Class 10 all subjects as per scheme of studies – Class 11-12 Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics along with any other subject as per scheme of studies - B Tech/ BE / B Eng. in Mechanical / Human Factors / Automobile / Electronics & Communication/ Electrical/ Industrial / Software / Transportation / Civil / Biomedical / Agricultural / Production / Materials Engineering or Education Technology

After completing Class 11-12 Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics along with any other subject as per scheme of studies, go for a graduation with B Tech/ BE / B Eng. in Mechanical / Human Factors / Automobile / Electronics & Communication/ Electrical/ Industrial / Software / Transportation / Civil / Biomedical / Agricultural / Production / Materials Engineering or Education Technology. Then you must work for at least 3-4 years in a relevant industrial field pertaining to your discipline of study before entering into the field of Ergonomics, professionally.

Class 10 all subjects as per scheme of studies – Class 11-12 with any subject as per scheme of studies – Bachelor’s in Applied Psychology/ Psychology

After completing Class 11-12 with or without Mathematics along with any other subject as per scheme of studies, you can go for a Bachelor’s in Applied Psychology/ Psychology or similar courses.

Class 10 all subjects as per scheme of studies – Class 11-12 Physics, Chemistry, and Biology along with any other subject as per scheme of studies - Bachelor’s in Physiology/ Zoology – Master’s in graduation discipline – PhD in Physiology & Ergonomics/ Human Factors/ Virtual Ergonomics/ Applied Ergonomics or similar

After completing Class 11-12 Physics, Chemistry, and Biology along with any other subject as per scheme of studies, you can go for a Bachelor’s in Physiology/ Zoology. Then pursue Master’s in your graduation discipline. Thereafter, opt for a PhD in Physiology & Ergonomics/ Human Factors/ Virtual Ergonomics/ Applied Ergonomics or similar

Class 10 all subjects as per scheme of studies – Class 11-12 Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics along with any other subject as per scheme of studies - BE/ B Tech in any core Engineering discipline or B Sc in any discipline/ Physics/ Chemistry/ Statistics/ IT/ Computer Science/ Cognitive Science/ Data Science – Master’s in Industrial Design / Product Design / Virtual Ergonomics & Design/ Interaction Design/ MA or M Des in Design Thinking or similar

After completing Class 11-12 Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics along with any other subject as per scheme of studies, you can go for BE/ B Tech in any core Engineering discipline or a B Sc in any discipline/ Physics/ Chemistry/ Statistics/ IT/ Computer Science/ Cognitive Science/ Data Science. Then go for Master’s in Industrial Design / Product Design / Virtual Ergonomics & Design/ Interaction Design/ MA or M Des in Design Thinking or similar. You may also further your profile by opting for Doctoral or PhD studies after post-graduation.

Class 10 all subjects as per scheme of studies – Class 11-12 with any subject as per scheme of studies – BA/ B Sc in any discipline - Master’s in Industrial Design / Product Design / Virtual Ergonomics & Design/ Interaction Design/ MA or M Des in Design Thinking or similar

After completing Class 11-12 with any subject as per scheme of studies, you can go for a BA/ B Sc in any discipline. Then opt for a Master’s in Industrial Design / Product Design / Virtual Ergonomics & Design/ Interaction Design/ MA or M Des in Design Thinking or similar courses.

Class 10 all subjects as per scheme of studies – Class 11-12 with Mathematics & any other subject as per scheme of studies – Bachelor’s in Applied Psychology/ Psychology – MS/ MA in Engineering Psychology, Industrial & Organizational Psychology, Ergonomics or M Sc Cognitive Science & Human Factors or similar – M Phil & Ph D in Human Factors/ Ergonomics/ Virtual Ergonomics/ Applied Ergonomics or similar (optional)

After Class 11-12 with Mathematics & any other subject as per scheme of studies and after completing Bachelor’s in Applied Psychology/ Psychology, go for MS/ MA in Engineering Psychology, Industrial & Organizational Psychology, Ergonomics or M Sc Cognitive Science & Human Factors or similar. Then you may opt for M Phil & Ph D in Human Factors/ Ergonomics/ Virtual Ergonomics/ Applied Ergonomics or similar. PhD course can be done directly after post-graduation without an M Phil too.

Class 10 all subjects as per scheme of studies – Class 11-12 Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics along with any other subject as per scheme of studies - Bachelor’s in Life Science (Zoology, Physiology etc)/ Physics/ Chemistry/ Mathematics - M Sc/ MS in Ergonomics & Occupational Health/ Health Ergonomics/ Human Factors & Ergonomics/ Applied Ergonomics & Human Factors / Behavior Change/ Human Factors & Patient Safety/ Anthropometry or similar

After completing Class 11-12 Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics along with any other subject as per scheme of studies, you can go for a Bachelor’s in Life Science (Zoology, Physiology etc.).)/ Physics/ Chemistry/ Mathematics. Then you can opt for M Sc/ MS in Ergonomics & Occupational Health/ Health Ergonomics/ Human Factors & Ergonomics/ Applied Ergonomics & Human Factors / Behavior Change/ Human Factors & Patient Safety/ Anthropometry or similar. You may also further your profile by opting for Doctoral or PhD studies after post-graduation.

Class 10 all subjects as per scheme of studies – Class 11-12 with any subject as per scheme of studies – Bachelor’s in Philosophy/ Anthropology – M Sc Cognitive Science & Human Factors or similar Master’s degree programs

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After completing Class 11-12 with any subject as per scheme of studies, you can go for a Bachelor’s in Philosophy/ Anthropology. Then you may pursue M Sc Cognitive Science & Human Factors or similar Master’s degree programs. Thereafter, you may opt for M Phil & Ph D in Human Factors/ Ergonomics/ Virtual Ergonomics/ Applied Ergonomics or similar. PhD course can be done directly after post-graduation without an M Phil too.

Required Qualification & Competencies 

To get into this field, you will need to pass Class 10 all subjects as per scheme of studies. Then you must complete Class 11-12 with:

1. Mathematics along with any other subject as per scheme of studies

2. Physics, Chemistry and Biology along with any other subject as per scheme of studies

3. Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics along with any other subject as per scheme of studies

After Class 11-12:

1. You can go for a Bachelor’s in Human Factors Engineering/ Automobile Eng./ Electronics & Communication/ Electrical/ Education Technology/ Industrial Engineering/ Software Engineering/ Transportation Engineering/ Civil Engineering/ Biomedical Engineering/ Agricultural Engineering/ Production Engineering/ Materials Engineering or any core Engineering discipline

2. You can go for a Bachelor’s in Applied Psychology/ Psychology/ Physiology/ Zoology / Philosophy/ Anthropology / Applied Linguistics & English Language/ Computational Linguistics

3. You can go for a Bachelor’s in Physics/ Chemistry/ Mathematics/ Statistics/ IT/ Computer Science/ Cognitive Science/ Data Science

4. You can go for a B Des in Product Design/ System Design/ Industrial Design or similar

5. You can go for a BA/ B Sc in any discipline (preferably with Mathematics).

 You can study for a Bachelor’s or Master’s or Doctoral degree in any of the following fields (Note that all these fields may not offer you a degree at all 3 levels,that is in Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral. Some fields may offer a degree only at the Master’s or at the Doctoral level):

1. Ergonomics

2. Human Factors Engineering

3. Electronics & Communication

4. Electrical Engineering

5. Education Technology

6. Industrial Engineering

7. Psychology

8. Applied Psychology

9. Computer Science & Engineering

10. Automobile Engineering

11. Transportation Engineering

12. Civil Engineering

13. Biomedical Engineering

14. Agricultural Engineering

15. Production Engineering

16. Materials Engineering

17. Physical Sciences

18. Chemical Sciences

19. Mathematical Sciences

20. Statistical Sciences

21. Data Science

22. Physiology

23. Zoology 

24. Philosophy

25. Anthropology 

26. Any field of Engineering and Technologies

27. Any field of Experience, Information and Interaction Design

28. Any field of Industrial Design

29. Any field of Cognitive Sciences

30. Any field of Linguistics

Compentencies Required

Interests

1. You should have interests for Investigative Occupations. Investigative occupations involve working with ideas and quite a lot of thinking, often abstract or conceptual thinking. These involve learning about facts and figures; involve use of data analysis, assessment of situations, decision making and problem solving.

2. You should have interests for Realistic Occupations. Realistic occupations often involve physical activities for getting things done using various tools and equipment.

Knowledge

1. You should have knowledge of Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of how to manufacture and produce various goods or systems and products. This includes knowledge about design, development, prototype testing, manufacturing, construction, installation, repair and maintenance.

2. You should have knowledge of Technical and Engineering Design- Knowledge of various techniques, methods, specifications and tools for creating, developing and laying out designs of various machines, equipment, devices, manufacturing plants, structures, systems and processes. This includes developing blueprints, drawing and models.

3. You should have knowledge of Psychology - Knowledge of why and how humans behave the ways they behave. This includes understanding of mental processes and knowledge of perception, beliefs, motives, attitudes, personality, values, interests, learning

4. You should have knowledge of Education and Training - Knowledge of various principles and methods of developing training or teaching curriculum, design of instructional methods, developing course materials, teaching and giving instruction individuals and groups.

5. You may need knowledge of Sociology - Knowledge of how humans behave in groups, social norms, human relationships, social interactions, and societal trends.

Skills

1. You should have Technical Skills - using various technologies and technical methods to get things done or solve problems.

2. You should have Quality Control Analysis Skills - conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

3. You should have Systems Analysis Skills - determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, or the environment will affect outcomes.

4. You should have Systems Evaluation Skills - identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.

5. You should have Critical Thinking skills- Skills in the analysis of complex situations, using logic and reasoning to understand the situations and take appropriate actions or make interpretations and inferences.

6. You should have Judgment and Decision Making Skills - considering pros and cons of various decision alternatives; considering costs and benefits; taking appropriate and suitable decisions.

7. You should have Problem Solving Skills - Skills in analysis and understanding of problems, evaluating various options to solve the problems and using the best option to solve the problems.

8. You should have experience working independently under general direction within the scope of an assignment and use sound judgment in determining methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria.

Technological Skills

1. You may need knowledge and understanding of a variety of field ergonomic methods, including, but not limited to: the NIOSH Lifting Equation and its derivatives, the Strain Index, OCRA, psycho-physical limits, the Recommended Cumulative Recovery Allowance, anthropometry, Metabolic Energy Expenditure equations.

2. You may need knowledge and understanding of using digital human modeling applications including but not limited to: 3DSSPP, Siemens Jack, Santos, Any Script or equivalent.

3. You may need comprehensive understanding of OSHA, NFPA and ANSI Standards

Ability

1. You should have Deductive Reasoning Ability - apply general rules and common logic to specific problems to produce answers that are logical and make sense. For example, understanding the reasons behind an event or a situation using general rules and common logic.

2. You should have Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

3. You should have Inductive Reasoning Ability - to combine pieces of information from various sources, concepts, and theories to form general rules or conclusions. For example, analyzing various events or situations to come out with a set of rules or conclusions.

4. You should have Information Ordering Ability - to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

5. You should have Oral Comprehension Ability - listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

6. You should have Oral Expression Ability - communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

7. You should have Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

Personality Traits

1. You are always or mostly careful about your actions and behaviour.

2. You are always or mostly disciplined in your action and behaviour.

3. You are always calm or generally remain calm in most situations.

4. You can always act independently or could do so in most situations.

5. You are always imaginative or in most situations.

Career - Job Opportunities & Profiles 

Currently, the most frequent job placements are in the computer industry in the areas of cognitive engineering (human factors & ergonomics), human-computer interface design, artificial intelligence, neural network applications, software design & development.

Join as Program Intern/ Engineer Trainee/ Engineering Intern and then gradually move up to positions like:

1. Ergonomist

2. Human Factors Scientist

3. Human Factors Researcher

4. Ergonomics Specialist 

5. Ergonomics Engineer

6. Industrial Engineer

7. Ergonomics Scientist

8. Manufacturing Engineer

9. Product Safety Engineer

10. Human Factors Consultant

11. Human Factors Evaluation Specialist

12. Surgical Research Fellow - Human Factors

13. Human Factors Engineer

14. Safety Professional

15. Usability Engineer

16. Research Engineer

Various opportunities such as these will be available to you.

1. As a Ergonomist you can get an opportunity to work with several companies like: Human Factors International (HFI) Inc. , Impelsys India Pvt. Ltd, Boston Scientific Corp. , Metaphase Design Group, Emergo Global Consulting LLC, Atkins Limited etc.

2. In a high-end science lab of:

3. IT Product Company (such as Microsoft, Apple, HP, Dell, etc.)

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4. IT services company (such as Google, Amazon etc.)

5. Engineering companies with emphasis on sensor technology, human-computer interaction, micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS), robotics, space technology etc. like BCI Sensors (Basic Commerce and Industries, Inc.), Northrop Grumman Space Systems, General Electric etc.

6. Simulation consulting companies specializing in human body models and model analysis such as Anybody Technology A/S etc.

7. A number of technology-driven companies/ manufacturing research facilities of Jaguar, Land Rover, Honda, Hyundai, KIA Motors, Ford Motor Company, Larsen & Toubro, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, ITC Ltd, Jet Airways, Harley-Davidson, BAE Systems (British multinational defence, security, & aerospace company), Rolls-Royce, AWE (Atomic Weapons Establishment) etc.

8. Consumer electronics & communications companies, TV businesses, mobile phone businesses such as TCL Corporation, Haier, Panasonic, Sharp, Sony, Samsung, LG Electronics, JVC, Toshiba, Fujitsu and Philips etc.

9. Gaming, and media industry with biggies such as Nvidia, Sony Interactive Entertainment PlayStation, Electronic Arts, Blizzard Entertainment, Microsoft Xbox etc.

10. For an example, you may help your team as a Human Effectiveness Intern to build a missile defense training game with Unity and C# by using algorithms/ data structures to program the simulations while also learning about visual design & animations to apply to the user interface.

Such opportunities include defense research organizations, operations research companies or enterprises which use quantitative research methods to analyze behavioral data (from psychophysical & motor control experiments) and design predictive models where you will collaborate with engineering teams to translate fundamental scientific knowledge into novel software and hardware technologies.

1. Health Tech –Medical equipment manufacturing firms such as Medtronic, General Electric, Stryker Corporation etc.

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2. Heavy metal manufacturing industries, agricultural machinery, construction, mining, forestry, and military equipment – Komatsu, John Deere, Landini, Claas etc.
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Specialisation Tracks In This Career

Physical Ergonomist (Human Factors & Biomechanics)

Physical ergonomics is concerned with the human anatomy, and some of the anthropometric (human body measurements), physiological and bio mechanical characteristics. Physical ergonomics is particularly important to those who confront repetitive occupational stresses with increased risk of chronic diseases or to patients already diagnosed with illnesses. Some very common examples in this case will be standing desks, recliner sofas, lifting columns, industrial/ medical exoskeletons, vision & reading aids, assistive technologies for the disabled / elderly, adapted automobiles (adapted for ease of use by disabled people whether a car or a van), braces/body-framing suits / back support for sport injuries, machines for exercise/ use by athletes etc.

Cognitive Ergonomist

Cognitive Ergonomists basically focus on the interactions with the cognitive/ learning abilities of humans to accurately study, evaluate, & design tasks, jobs, products, environments or systems. This is majorly concerned with mental processes, such as diagnosis, situation-awareness, perception, memory, reasoning, and motor response of humans. Applications include any area where humans interact with technology such as cockpit layouts, collision avoidance in transportation systems, mobile devices, nuclear power plants etc. The working contexts where such impact is most relevant are aviation, rail, maritime & road systems, medical & hospital environments, energy production etc.

Engineering Psychologist

Engineering Psychologists are applied psychologists who specifically deal with the overarching science of human behavior & capability, applied to the design & operation of systems and technology. Engineering psychologists trace the failures of industrial equipment/ systems/ processes caused due to human errors. One of the first designs was the use of “psychoacoustics” directed at improving military communication systems by trying to reduce noise levels in military aircraft. Engineering psychologists continue to contribute to the designs of a variety of products, including dental & surgical tools, cameras, toothbrushes as well as car-seats.

Neuroergonomist

This sub-specialty addresses human factors issues such as: work performance, operational safety, and workplace-related risks (e.g., repetitive stress injuries). It concerns itself with an emphasis on the role of the human nervous system. A central goal of Neuroergonomists is to study the way in which brain function is related to task/work performance. They typically use “noninvasive neuroimaging methods” to record brain activity using EEG, MEG, PET, fMRI, fNIRS, TCD or other techniques. Some physiological measure such as blood, heart rate, skin conductance etc. may also be used to study attention, motor, or affective processes.

Organizational Ergonomist

Organizational Ergonomists focus particularly on intangible factors. They specialize in organizational structures, policies & processes that include communications within an organization, management of crew resources, work schedule design, temporal organization of work, organizational culture and quality management. For example, in the case of a nuclear power plant control station, every possible aspect of the workstation must function in coordination appropriately, including all of its human operators. So, the instrument displays are particularly important. Appropriate lighting and glare reduction decrease the risk of reading errors. Employees need to react appropriately in an emergency so proper alarm systems are required.

Soft Ergonomist (Interaction Design)

Soft Ergonomists apply their study to the designing of virtual interfaces including computer application, website, ATM options, parking meter etc. If the designed interface only caters to right-handed individuals, or people within a certain height range then the interface might need a redesign. Then there are cognitive imbalances. The designer should not expect that all users of a product (software application/website) would be experts, with high cognitive abilities. Then say suppose, ATM machines require you to enter only the PIN numbers and not the account number or other details. User's memory load should be hence minimized.

Ergonomist (Medical Devices & Drug Delivery)

In the medical and the healthcare industry, opportunities for Ergonomists are many and varied. Few of the products that need ergonomically optimized designs include prefilled injector pens, infusion pumps, surgical staplers, autoinjectors, microneedles for drugs & vaccine delivery, radiation emitting devices, surgery bots or other personalized medical devices. If device operation is very complex, safe & efficient use of a medical product can be compromised. This is an emerging concern among engineering companies & manufacturers. Mistakes made during device operation not only can hamper effective patient treatment, monitoring, or diagnosis but in some cases can lead to injury or death. Then, the design requirements relating to a device must address the intended use of the device and the needs of the user and patient.

Career Growth

If you begin in the role of an engineer, you can progress as follows (it varies company wise and the actual names of jobs positions could be quite different):

Ergonomics Engineer – Senior Engineer – Lead Engineer – Principal Engineer/ Director of Engineering – Head of Engineering / Vice President of Engineering –President of Engineering / similar role.

If you begin in a consulting role, then you can progress as follows:

Associate – Assistant Consultant – Associate Consultant – Senior Consultant – Associate Vice President – Vice President – President
(Consulting companies can also have Engineering roles as described above)

If you begin in an IT product engineering role, then you can progress as follows:

Product Engineer – Senior Product Engineer – Lead Product Engineer – Principal Engineer/ Director of Engineering – Head of Engineering / Vice President of Engineering – President of Engineering / similar role.

If you begin working in a university department or a centre as Scientist or in research oriented roles, then your career progression could be as follows:

Research Associate (after your Master’s degree) – Doctoral Fellow (if you enroll for a doctoral degree) – Post-Doctoral Fellow / Assistant Professor / similar role (after your Ph.D.) – Associate Professor – Professor / Director of a centre or department – Senior Professor / Dean / President of a centre

Some may get promoted to university wide roles such as Proctor/ Vice President/ Pro-Vice Chancellor/ Vice Chancellor / Chancellor, etc.

Salary Offered  

1. At the entry level jobs, after your post-graduation depending upon the institution where you are graduating from, you may expect to get about Rs. 40,000 – 1, 00,000 or even more a month. In junior level jobs (after 4-5 years of experience), you can make about Rs. 60,000 – 1, 50,000 or more per month.

2. In mid-level jobs in India (after 8-10 years of post-graduation), you can expect to earn about Rs. 70,000 – 2, 50,000 or even more a month.

3. In senior-level jobs in India (after 15 years of post-graduation), you can expect to earn about Rs. 1, 50,000 – 5, 00,000 or even more a month.

4. Major opportunities today are concentrated at these locations Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Vizag, Chennai and Delhi in declining order of abundance.

Global (US)

1. At the entry level jobs, after your Master degree depending upon the institution where you are graduating from, you may expect to get about USD 3,000 – 6,000 or even more a month. You may get these jobs right after a Bachelor degree (only from premier institutes) in some core Engineering disciplines like Mechanical, Automobile, Electronics & Communication, Electrical, Education Technology, Industrial Engineering, Software, Transportation Engineering, Civil, Biomedical Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Production Engineering or Materials Engineering, provided you have 3-4 years of relevant engineering experience but other disciplines shall not prove to be very rewarding in this field for graduates.

2. Most aspirants complete their post-graduation or higher before getting into a professional environment. You may be involved as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in a university / Research Assistant in a university or even an enterprise while you complete your post-graduation studies/ PhD in the US.

3. Most professionals in this field are either post graduates or PhD holders in the US so competition will be tough if you wish to find an opportunity right after graduation.

4. After 4-5 years of relevant work experience, you may expect to earn around USD 5,500 to USD8,000 a month or more depending on your job location and roles.

5. In mid-level jobs (after 8-10 years of post-graduation), you can expect to earn about USD 6500 – 10 500 or even more a month.

6. In senior-level jobs (after 15 years of post-graduation), you can expect to earn about USD 8,000 – 12,000 or even more a month.

7. Senior corporate leaders including roles such as those of Director of Programs - Product Development / VP Product Support Engineering get much more than this; their total remuneration including performance bonuses could be as high as USD 2 000 000 a year or more.

Monthly Earnings In Indian Rupee

1. Entry level: 0 - 2 years of work experience 

2. Junior Level: From 1 to 12 years of work experience 

3. Mid-Level: From 5 to 20+ years of work experience 

4. Senior Level: From 10 to 25+ years of work experience (there could be exceptions in some high-end technical, financial, engineering, creative, management, sports, and other careers; also in the near future, people will reach these levels much faster in many careers and in some careers, these levels will have no meaning as those careers will be completely tech skill driven such as even now, there is almost no level in a Cyber Security Expert’s job)

Famous Personalities 

Information not available.

Work Activities 

1. Analysing and interpreting data and information - Analysis of data and information to find facts, trends, reasons behind situations, etc.; interpretation of data to aid in decision making.

2. Communicating with co-workers and others - Communicating with people in writing, verbally or otherwise inside your workplace and various other people who have professional relationships with your place of work including vendors, government officials, etc. or with people at large.

3. Computing - using various computer software applications; using software applications for scientific and technical work.

4. Creative thinking - Developing new ideas, concepts, innovative solutions to problems, newer ways of getting things done, designing products and services, creating work of art and craft, etc.

5. Drawing, drafting, laying out and specifying objects, equipment, devices, tools, and systems - Creating and developing designs, drawings, layouts and specifications about how to construct, manufacture, assemble, build, use, and maintain various equipment, devices, tools and systems.

6. Fabricating, assembling, and constructing equipment, devices and products - Fabricating, assembling, constructing or otherwise manufacturing products, equipment, devices and tools; testing and calibrating products, equipment, devices, tools and systems.

7. Getting Information and learning - Observing, hearing, and reading, using computers, or otherwise obtaining information and learning from it.

8. Identifying objects, actions, and events - Identifying various characteristics of objects; observing and understanding actions and events; understanding changes in actions and events.

9. Making decisions and solving problems - Analysis of data and information; evaluation of alternative decisions and results of decisions; taking the right decisions and solving problems.

10. Organizing, planning and prioritizing tasks - Planning and organising tasks in order to achieve work goals; prioritizing tasks to achieve goals and making the best use of the time available.

11. Processing information - Compiling, tabulating, calculating, auditing, verifying or otherwise dealing with information processing including data entry, transcription, recording, storing and maintaining databases.

12. Strategic planning - Developing visions and goals, developing strategies and action plans for achieving visions and goals.

13. Updating and using relevant knowledge - Keeping updated with the latest knowledge relevant to your fields of work and use of the relevant knowledge in getting things done.

14. Using computers for work - Using computers for day-to-day office work; using computer software for various applications in day-to-day professional work; entering data and process information; for writing.

15. Working in a team - Working in a team of people; developing team; maintaining professional relationships among team members.