Scientist

University of Wisconsin Madison•Madison, WI

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The HEART (Human-systems Engineering for Adaptive, Real-World, & Translational Applications) Initiative at the University of Wisconsin–Madison College of Engineering seeks a Research Scientist to accelerate the translation of human-systems engineering research into real-world impact with industry, government, and academic partners. The HEART Initiative engineers intelligent systems with humans in mind, developing methods, metrics, and frameworks that capture how people interact with emerging technologies, and translating that knowledge into human-ready technologies across healthcare, manufacturing, security, transportation, energy, and emerging tech. A central pillar of this mission is positioning Human-Readiness Levels (HRLs) as essential measures of performance, safety, and trust in deployed systems. Reporting to HEART Initiative leadership, the Research Scientist will serve as a hands-on technical and strategic contributor who bridges research and practice. This person will interface directly with industry partners, conduct HRL assessments and evaluations, lead rapid research and development efforts, and drive both internal and external funding proposals. The role also serves as the HEART liaison to other initiatives across the College of Engineering and the broader UW–Madison campus. This is an ideal position for a scientist who thrives at the intersection of rigorous human-systems research and practical, translational deployment.

Requirements

Demonstrated research experience in human factors, human-systems engineering, human-machine interaction, or a related translational research area
Experience designing and conducting human-subjects studies, evaluations, or assessments and analyzing the resulting data
Demonstrated experience communicating technical concepts, analyses, or findings to audiences with varying levels of technical expertise, as evidenced through work history, project experience, presentations, reports, or other communication deliverables
At least two years of experience communicating technical concepts, analyses, or findings to both technical and non-technical audiences

Nice To Haves

Direct experience with Human Readiness Levels, Technology Readiness Levels, or comparable readiness/maturity assessment frameworks
Experience partnering with industry, government, or clinical organizations to translate research into deployed technologies
Experience contributing to competitive research proposals (e.g., NSF, NIH, DoD, industry, or foundation sponsors)
Familiarity with one or more of HEART's priority domains: healthcare, manufacturing, security, transportation, energy, or emerging technology
Track record of leading rapid, applied R&D projects on compressed timelines

Responsibilities

Serves as a main point of contact and liaison with internal and external stakeholders providing information and representing the interests of a specialized research area
Conducts literature reviews, prepares reports and materials, and disseminates information to appropriate entities
Writes or assists in developing grant applications and proposals to secure research funding
Collects and analyzes research data, conducts experiments and interviews, and documents results according to established policies and procedures under general supervision and limited responsibility
Attends and assists with the facilitation of scholarly events and presentations in support of continued professional development and the dissemination of research information
Assists with the identification of research problems and the development of research methodologies and procedures