Career as Ergonomist

Ergonomist
You’d have to go a long way to find a career as varied, exciting, challenging and rewarding as this. Where else could you sit in the cockpit of a fighter plane, stand on an oil platform out at sea, drive a high-speed train and walk in a virtual world? Where else could you watch close-up a surgical operation, air traffic control, a power plant start-up or robots building state-of-the-art vehicles?

And you don’t even have to choose between them! Ergonomists also known as  human factors specialists might experience many of these situations during their career. Their role involves ensuring that equipment and products are as safe and easy to use as possible.

WHO IS AN ERGONOMIST?

As an ergonomist, you are concerned with the safety and efficiency of equipment, systems and transportation. You'll use scientific information to ensure the health, comfort and protection of the people using them. You may be involved in the design of new products and could work in a range of environments e.g. defence, energy, health and safety, healthcare, IT, manufacturing and transport.

By scientifically studying the relationship between people, environments and equipment, ergonomists use their findings to improve human interaction with processes and systems.

Job Responsibilities:

• does market research
• interviews various staff about tools, piece of furniture or about a building
• interviews staff about physical problems they may be encountering at work
• takes measurements and photographs
• collates the data and makes informed decisions
• starts designing new and improved solutions for the workplace
• liaises with engineers and other members of staff
• makes prototype (a full size example)
• puts prototype through testing programmes to find any faults
• solves any manufacturing problems
• consults to companies and organisations
• writes reports and advises

WHAT QUALITIES ARE REQUIRED?

While looking for a job, we search about the responsibilities, scope, qualification etc required for a particular. But we often forget the most important factors  i.e career interest, Aptitude and personality, needed to be considered, while applying for a job. 

Some of the basic aptitude, personality and interest required to succeed in this career are-

EDUCATION

• There is no specific degree in erogomics in India till now. To find a job in this a revelant degrees in following fields can prove to be useful- 

- anatomy

- biology/physiological sciences

- computer science/software engineering

- engineering, e.g. manufacturing, industrial and mechanical

- health sciences

- industrial design

- kinesiology

- mathematics/physics

- medicine

- operational research

- physiotherapy/occupational therapy

- psychology

- sports science.

• Though there no specific degree in this field there is online course provided by National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning.

• There are also some organisation in same field who provides training programs for aspiring candidates, wanting to learn and make a career in ergonomist sector. Those companies are INDIAergo & Green World Group. 

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

- As a Ergonomist you are most likely to find job opportunities in following sectors:-

• computer consultancies
• consumer and safety laboratories
• defence and process companies
• government bodies
• manufacturing companies
• Large multinational manufacturers
• Occupational health and safety consultancies
• Health Service Executive
• transportation companies
• India-based and overseas research institutes
• universities
• utility companies.

- If you are employed in these areas, you may work as part of a team of professionals, such as designers and health specialists, or as part of a specialist department.

TOP RECRUITERS IN INDIA- 

• Amazon
• Godrej
• Mahindra