Human Factors Research - Summer Intern

Analytical Mechanics Associates•Hampton, VA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

AMA is seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Human Factors Research Summer Intern to join our team at Langley Research Center supporting NASA on the Research, Science, and Engineering Services (RSES) contract. The intern will research the contribution of a second qualified aircraft crewmember to safety margin and identify characteristics of automation that support positive pilot behaviors and operational actions. The intern will work in the Crew Systems and Aviation Operations Branch at NASA Langley Research Center to document the state of the art in understanding crew behaviors for managing variability in normal aircraft operations and develop a research plan to fill critical identified knowledge gaps. The data will inform recommended best practices to encourage safety-producing pilot behaviors in modern transport category aircraft. This is a part-time internship starting on June 1, 2026, through September 30, 2026. Pay for this position is $23.10 to $33.85 per hour depending on education and location.

Requirements

Graduate student in Human Factors or Engineering with a focus on human factors/human-systems integration.
An understanding of quantitative and qualitative human subjects research methodologies.
Must hold or be able to obtain CITI certification for conducting human-subjects research.
Must be conversant with Microsoft Office applications and be familiar with tools for qualitative data analysis (e.g., MAXQDA).
Candidates currently enrolled in an accredited university are highly preferred.
Must be able to report on-site at NASA Langley as needed (e.g., for critical meetings or other collaborative activities that require in-person presence), but a hybrid work arrangement is acceptable.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills are required.
Progress toward a graduate degree in a technical area of relevance to human behavior in complex systems.
This position requires U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residency.

Responsibilities

Conduct a review of research literature relevant to understanding the contribution of a second qualified crewmember to safety margin and the characteristics of automation that support positive pilot behaviors and operational actions.
Identify and document critical gaps in the state of current knowledge based on this review.
Develop a research plan to fill critical knowledge gaps that includes test objectives, study design, and data collection and analysis procedures.
Document plans to obtain institutional review board (IRB) approvals, recruit study participants, and prepare materials for data collection, if needed.