The Office of Aerospace Medicine (AAM) develops and manages medical programs in support of Aviation Safety. This position is an Engineering Research Psychologist team member within the Aerospace Medical Research Division, Aeromedical Protection and Survival Laboratory, Aeromedical Engineering Research Sciences Section (AAM-632), which participates on the Cabin Safety Research Team (CSRT).
Duties
Performs multiple, varying, and complex assignments under the limited direction of a manager, project/ program manager, team coordinator, more experienced engineering research psychologists, or more experienced technical specialists. May act as a contributing Engineering Psychologist on large work activities or as a team leader for single or small work activities.
The principal investigator conducts aircraft cabin safety research studies involving the identification and development of equipment and techniques designed to minimize the risk of injury during and after aircraft accidents, incidents, and related emergency aircraft evacuations. Supports all aspects of research project planning including evaluation of research objectives, literature review, experimental protocol development, specifying required equipment, instrumentation, determining data to be collected and the means of collecting the data, selecting procedures to analyze the data, Statement of Work preparation for human subject contracts, and preparation of applications for submission to the CAMI Institutional Review Board (IRB) on use of human subjects.
Applies experience and advanced technical knowledge of human factors research and civil aircraft cabin safety requirements to accomplish assignments and develop plans and techniques to improve programs and policies. Understands how the technical area interacts with other disciplines and considers the objectives of AVS and AAM when developing, integrating, and implementing solutions. Assignments include performing psychological research using methods and techniques including qualitative and quantitative methods for assessment and analysis and using inferential statistical methods; performing scientific and technical research studies, various other extensive research; and shared responsibility for project/program management. Defines, plans, and organizes assigned resources to accomplish organizational objectives. Allocates resources to accomplish small work-activities within established schedules.
Supports research and training activities including test equipment/facility preparation and collection of data from human subjects during surveys and performance tests conducted. Most tests and training activities are conducted using CAMIs unique research facilities including Water Survival Research Tank; B-747 Aircraft Environment Research Facility; Flexible Cabin Simulator, and B-727 Aviation Fire Research Laboratory; Wind and Waves Research Facility. Because of the nature of the facilities and tests conducted, these activities require mobility, eyesight, hearing, and swimming skills. A pre-employment physical is required.
Familiar with statistical procedures and underlying statistical assumptions, uses statistical procedures that are appropriate for different kinds of research data, and uses standard software packages, such as Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), to analyze research data obtained from studies. Interpret results of statistical analyses based on data derived.
Prepares technical reports, memoranda, journal articles, presentation slides, and other types of scientific documentation of research results for publication. Prepares tables, graphs, figures that represent results of data analyses.
Technical subject matter expert on a variety of cabin safety research topics. Participates in Industry/Professional organizations for sharing technical information or developing Safety Standards.
Contributes to the preparation of management/technical reports or contractual documents and may communicate the results to FAA management, the aviation and aerospace industries, and other external parties.
The work activities of this position support and are vital to the success of projects or activities of one or more organizational units, subdivisions, and LOBs/SOs. The work of this position may affect the safety and security of customers.