Senior Research Engineer - Human Factors

Company Description

Abb Vie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas—immunology, oncology, neuroscience, and eye care—as well as products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about Abb Vie, please visit us at

The Abb Vie Device & Combination Product Development (DCPD) function provides design and development expertise to enable drug delivery systems for Abb Vie biopharmaceuticals. The Human Factors Center of Excellence (HFCOE) within DCPD manages the drug delivery device and stand‑alone medical device user interface design process and executes usability assessments required to support the successful submission of Abb Vie products. A combination of an increase in the number of drugs that require a delivery device, stand‑alone medical devices, and increasing engagement of Human‑Centered Design and HF skills in early‑stage development drive the need for additional Human Factors expertise.

We are looking for an individual with training in human factors/usability engineering to support our combination product development efforts with a focus on Process Excellence.

This role is intended to support the DCPD HFCOE in optimizing the processes that the team follows in its day‑to‑day development work. The individual will work alongside existing HFCOE team members and key stakeholders to establish optimal processes that make best practices accessible and actionable for the team. As a process owner for key HFCOE processes, the individual will also spend time supporting product development of device and combination products, working with Engineering, Medical, Compliance, and Regulatory staff to design user interfaces and HF studies required to ensure ease‑of‑use, safety, user acceptance, and regulatory approval.

• Use established methods to diagnose the current state of a process and identify pain points and improvement opportunities.
• Apply process improvement tools to implement countermeasures that enhance process efficiency, quality, and compliance.
• Develop and maintain process strategy, objectives, and long‑range roadmap with input from key stakeholders.
• Facilitate and implement process changes and create relevant documentation such as best‑practice guidelines, job aids, and SOPs.
• Serve as the resident expert within HFCOE for information‑management tools that support processes (e.g., SharePoint, Smartsheet).
• Design and conduct user research, task and workflow analyses, and use‑related risk analyses.
• Collaborate with System Engineers to develop user needs and interface specifications.
• Design device and system user interfaces and associated instructional materials.
• Conduct usability tests and other assessments; design, conduct, and analyze interviews and surveys.
• Prepare and compile thorough documentation for inclusion in regulatory submissions.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Human Factors, Industrial Engineering, Human‑Computer Interaction, Psychology, or related discipline with a minimum of 12 years of experience,
• Master's degree or equivalent with a minimum of 10 years of experience, or
• Ph.D. with a minimum of 4 years of experience.
• Thorough theoretical and practical understanding of the discipline.
• Strong working knowledge of human‑factors methods and principles.
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate with diverse disciplines and teams in fast‑paced environments.
• Strong problem‑solving and analytical skills.

The compensation range described below represents the range of possible base pay compensation that Abb Vie believes, in good faith, it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and Abb Vie may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range.

This range may be modified in the future.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance, and a 401(k) plan to eligible employees.

Abbie is an equal‑opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives, and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation,  to learn more.