Are you interested in earning a Human Movement and Rehabilitation Science Degree so that you can pursue an advanced career in the field? If so, there’s good news. Earning a master’s degree will prepare you for a career in which you’ll be able to make a real and lasting difference in the lives of others daily.
You may wonder about the kinds of companies that might employ you upon graduation. Having that knowledge will help you determine whether or not this degree is truly the right one for you. To help, we’ve compiled a list of the top employers of movement science researchers organized by industry.
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Companies Hiring Human Movement Experts
Human movement experts can work in many different capacities and within various companies. Some of the most common types of companies hiring human movement researchers and scientists include those that develop and sell:
- Assistive Technology
- Sports Performance Equipment
- Animation Services
- Video Games
- Aerospace Solutions
- Healthcare Solutions
Assistive Technology
Companies that develop and sell assistive technology hire human movement experts frequently. These companies produce a diverse range of products, including prosthetic limbs, artificial organs, orthotics, and the equipment necessary to create and maintain these products. Because these technologies influence their wearer’s ability to move (and are themselves influenced by the way that the wearer moves), it is critical for human movement experts to be involved in their development.
Some of the largest companies hiring human movement experts to produce assistive technologies include:
- American Orthopedics
- Kendall Prosthetics & Orthotics
- Advanced Motion Control
- Adaptive Prosthetics & Orthotic
- And more
Sports Performance Equipment
Elite athletes must train their bodies intensely to perform at the top of their respective fields. To do this, they often leverage equipment that enables them to push their bodies harder and recover more quickly after exertion. These products, including exercise equipment targeting specific muscles and ranges of motion, specialized footwear, compression sleeves, and motion sensors, can be indispensable for professional athletes (and even everyday fitness enthusiasts). As such, companies that produce these types of sports performance products often employ human movement experts.
Some of the largest sports performance companies employing human movement professionals include:
- Adidas
- Nike
- Under Armour
- ASICS
- Champion
- Bowflex
- Peloton
- Fitbit
- And more
Animation
As modern animation moves closer toward hyper-realistic depictions of the world around us, animation companies are increasingly focused on ensuring that their on-screen subjects move realistically. When animating a human subject, this means the animation must move (e.g., walk, run, crawl, swim) in the same way that a living, breathing human would. These advancements have caused animation companies to employ many human movement experts who can critique animations and assist in motion capture.
Some of the most well-known animation companies that employ human movement experts include:
- Disney
- Pixar
- Dreamworks
- Warner Brothers
- Cartoon Network Studios
- Tim Burton Productions
- Blue Sky Animation Studios
- And more
Video Games
Video game companies, studios, and developers also employ human movement scientists to help generate realistic movement of human subjects in their games. Additionally, as the fields of virtual and augmented reality continue to grow, human movement experts may assist in the development of motion capture devices or equipment.
Video game companies that are known to hire human movement workers include:
- Nintendo
- Microsoft (Xbox)
- Sony (Playstation)
- Activision Blizzard
- Electronic Arts (EA)
- Valve Corporation
- Ubisoft
- Bethesda
- And more
Aerospace
In order to develop vessels that can protect the humans inside of them, the aerospace industry must understand how the human body moves and functions under intense stress (as might be experienced during a rocket’s or jet’s liftoff and thrust). As such, human movement experts routinely evaluate these systems and contribute to the development of life-sustaining products for the industry.
Some of the most important aerospace companies that employ human movement researchers include:
- SpaceX
- Blue Origin
- Virgin Galactic
- Lockheed Martin
- Boeing
- Sikorsky Aircraft
- GE Aviation
- Northrop Grumman
- And more
Additionally, while not a “company” per se, the United States Military (Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, etc.) employs human movement workers in various capacities related to the development of aerospace equipment and technologies.
Healthcare Companies
Finally, human movement experts are employed worldwide by healthcare companies that directly interact with patients. In this capacity, human movement experts consult on individual cases, collaborate with occupational therapists, physical therapists, and physicians, operate gait labs, conduct movement evaluations, and more.
Examples of employers include, but are not limited to:
- Hospitals
- Outpatient clinics
- Stroke rehabilitation clinics
- Long-term care facilities
- And more
A Multitude of Options
Human movement professionals have abundant career opportunities across industries and employers. Companies and organizations across the globe rely on human movement experts and researchers to inform their products and services in order to provide the best possible solutions to their customers and patients.
Learn more about the MS in Human Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences at Northeastern, and take your first step toward a career in this exciting field today.
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Career Guide
Learn How to Break Into the Field of Human Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences