Framing your first human factors specialist role

What does the defence and security hiring market look like now?

The sector is growing, and that growth shows up in the number of people it employs. MOD expenditure with industry supported a total of 272,000 direct jobs in 2023/24, an increase of 11% compared to the previous financial year, according to the MOD's supported employment estimates for 2023/24. That builds on the year before, when the total number of MOD-supported UK jobs reached 239,000 in 2022/23, an increase of 6% on the previous financial year the MOD's 2022/23 estimates.

Fresh investment keeps adding demand. More than 1,700 new jobs are being created across the UK defence sector following at least £1.4 billion in foreign direct investment committed since July 2024 a 2025 GOV.UK announcement. And the sector has pulled hard on talent for a while now: surveyed recruitment grew by 17.8% in 2022 a 2024 GOV.UK release on the defence sector. For a specialist role like human factors, that means you're competing for a small pool of people in a market that keeps expanding.

Why is a first human factors specialist a hard role to frame?

Human factors sits between engineering, psychology and safety. The person reduces the chance of human error by shaping how someone uses a system: a cockpit display, a control room, a maintenance process, a piece of protective equipment. When a role is new, nobody inside the organisation has done it before, so there's no existing job description to copy and no clear picture of where the person sits.

That matters because the sector is still growing fast, and the supported workforce has risen two years running, from 239,000 jobs in 2022/23 to 272,000 in 2023/24 MOD employment estimates. A vague advert in a tight market gets ignored. A sharp one, naming the standards, the clearances and the systems the person will touch, tells the right specialist this role was written for them.

How do you frame the role so the right person applies?

Start with the problem, not the title. Name the system or programme the specialist will improve, the standards they'll work to, and who they'll report to. Be clear about whether the role is design-focused, assurance-focused or both, because those attract different people. Set out what good looks like in the first three months, so someone can picture the remit even though nobody has held it before.

• State the mission in one line: the system, the users and the safety outcome the person owns.
• List the standards and methods you expect, so applicants can self-select on fit.
• Be upfront about security clearance and whether you'll sponsor it, as this shapes who can apply.
• Name the team and reporting line, so a first hire knows they won't be working alone.
• Describe early priorities: what success looks like in the first few months for a role nobody has held before.

Then move quickly. With investment creating more than 1,700 new defence jobs since July 2024 GOV.UK, specialists have options, and a slow process loses them. Keep your stages tight, give feedback fast, and make the first conversation count.

How can we help you hire your first human factors specialist?

We built Reed.ai to take the weight off a hard, specialist search like this one. We search a database of 15 million candidates, match the people who fit your brief, and manage the process end to end, so framing a brand-new role doesn't stall. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost. If you're ready to frame your first human factors specialist role, tell us what good looks like and we'll start the search today.

Sources

• MOD supported employment estimates 2023/24 - GOV.UK
• MOD supported employment estimates 2022/23 - GOV.UK
• Defence dividend delivers thousands of UK jobs following exceptional foreign investment - GOV.UK
• Defence sector continues contributing significantly to UK economy - GOV.UK