Engineering jobs in Nova Scotia

Ships are designed for systems. They are operated by people. The interesting problems usually live in the gap between those two facts.

Blumara is looking for a Human Systems Integration / Human Factors Engineering Specialist to support complex marine and defence programs. This role is about making sure human considerations are properly built into system design, integration, testing, acceptance, and lifecycle support, not bolted on at the end when everyone suddenly remembers humans are involved.

We’re looking for someone with practical HSI/HFE experience who can bring structure, judgement, and clear thinking to complex technical programs. Depending on your background, this could be an intermediate or senior role. What matters most is that you understand how people interact with systems, and how those realities need to be reflected in design decisions, requirements, testing, documentation, and acceptance.

The work involves requirements, design reviews, verification and validation, human integration testing, workload, personnel, training, safety, maintainability, and operator effectiveness. In other words: the part of system design where “technically functional” still has to become “actually usable.”

If you can move comfortably between engineers, operators, program teams, working groups, policy requirements, and deliverable reviews, while keeping the human consequences of design decisions visible, this is probably your sort of problem.

Depending on your background, responsibilities may include:

• developing, supporting, and maintaining HSI and HFE activities in alignment with program plans, regulatory requirements, and DND policy
• supporting HSI/HFE planning, documentation, assessment, and compliance activities across the system lifecycle
• reviewing system designs, engineering changes, and program decisions for human factors impacts, risks, and issues
• supporting verification and validation activities, including human integration testing, usability assessment, and safety-related evaluation
• contributing to Integrated Project Teams, Working Groups, design reviews, and technical discussions
• assessing impacts across HSI domains such as personnel, training, human factors engineering, safety, workload, maintainability, habitability, and operational effectiveness
• developing, reviewing, and improving HSI/HFE deliverables so they are clear, defensible, and useful
• helping translate operational realities into design considerations before they become expensive surprises
• working with more senior technical staff, client stakeholders, and project teams to resolve HSI/HFE questions and documentation gaps

For more experienced candidates, responsibilities may also include:

• providing senior-level guidance and review for HSI/HFE activities and deliverables
• leading or coordinating specific HSI/HFE work packages
• advising project teams on HSI/HFE risks, compliance issues, and acceptance considerations
• mentoring junior or less experienced staff

We’re especially interested in people who have worked on complex systems where the human element genuinely matters: marine, defence, aerospace, transportation, industrial systems, emergency response, control rooms, or other safety-critical technical environments.

This is not “make the interface nicer.” It is making sure the system works for the people who have to operate, maintain, train on, recover, troubleshoot, and live with it.

What we’re looking for

You should have:

• 4+ years of experience applying Human Systems Integration, Human Factors Engineering, ergonomics, human-centred design, systems engineering, safety-critical design, or a closely related discipline
• a degree in a relevant field such as Human Factors Engineering, Behavioural Science, Industrial Engineering, Systems Engineering, Psychology, Ergonomics, Cognitive Science, or a related discipline
• equivalent applied experience may offset formal educational requirements
• a practical understanding of HSI/HFE principles and how they apply to real systems, users, operators, maintainers, and support environments
• experience reviewing designs, requirements, procedures, interfaces, or system changes for human impacts and operational risk
• the ability to work with multidisciplinary teams, including engineers, operators, maintainers, safety specialists, training teams, and client stakeholders
• strong technical writing and review skills
• comfort working in structured, document-heavy, quality-controlled environments
• eligibility for Canadian security screening

Strongly preferred:

• 8+ years of relevant HSI/HFE experience
• experience with marine, naval, defence, aerospace, transportation, industrial, or other safety-critical systems
• experience working with DND, defence contractors, government programs, or formal technical governance environments
• experience supporting verification and validation, user trials, human integration testing, usability assessment, or operational evaluation
• familiarity with HSI domains such as manpower/personnel, training, human factors engineering, system safety, workload, maintainability, habitability, and survivability
• experience contributing to Integrated Project Teams, Working Groups, design reviews, or formal acceptance activities
• experience leading HSI/HFE tasks, reviewing deliverables, or advising project teams on human factors risks and compliance requirements

Why Blumara?

Serious work. Close team.

Blumara offers meaningful marine and defence work in a company where people are known, trusted, and able to make a visible contribution.

Practical judgement matters here. So does clear communication, high standards, and giving good people room to grow.

Blumara offers:

• meaningful, hands-on marine and defence work
• mentorship and training support
• support toward professional registration, where applicable
• flexible hours options
• competitive compensation and benefits
• profit sharing
• a respectful, inclusive culture where useful ideas are expected to leave the building and become actual deliverables

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Benefits:

• Company events
• Dental care
• Disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Extended health care
• Flexible schedule
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Profit sharing
• RRSP match
• Store discount
• Vision care
• Wellness program

Work Location: In person