Example Career: Industrial Engineers

Career Description

Design, develop, test, and evaluate integrated systems for managing industrial production processes, including human work factors, quality control, inventory control, logistics and material flow, cost analysis, and production coordination.

What Job Titles Industrial Engineers Might Have

• Engineer
• Industrial Engineer
• Operations Engineer
• Process Engineer

What Industrial Engineers Do

• Plan and establish sequence of operations to fabricate and assemble parts or products and to promote efficient utilization.
• Review production schedules, engineering specifications, orders, and related information to obtain knowledge of manufacturing methods, procedures, and activities.
• Estimate production costs, cost saving methods, and the effects of product design changes on expenditures for management review, action, and control.
• Draft and design layout of equipment, materials, and workspace to illustrate maximum efficiency using drafting tools and computer.
• Coordinate and implement quality control objectives, activities, or procedures to resolve production problems, maximize product reliability, or minimize costs.
• Communicate with management and user personnel to develop production and design standards.
• Recommend methods for improving utilization of personnel, material, and utilities.
• Develop manufacturing methods, labor utilization standards, and cost analysis systems to promote efficient staff and facility utilization.
• Confer with clients, vendors, staff, and management personnel regarding purchases, product and production specifications, manufacturing capabilities, or project status.
• Apply statistical methods and perform mathematical calculations to determine manufacturing processes, staff requirements, and production standards.
• Study operations sequence, material flow, functional statements, organization charts, and project information to determine worker functions and responsibilities.
• Complete production reports, purchase orders, and material, tool, and equipment lists.
• Record or oversee recording of information to ensure currency of engineering drawings and documentation of production problems.
• Evaluate precision and accuracy of production and testing equipment and engineering drawings to formulate corrective action plan.
• Analyze statistical data and product specifications to determine standards and establish quality and reliability objectives of finished product.
• Regulate and alter workflow schedules according to established manufacturing sequences and lead times to expedite production operations.
• Direct workers engaged in product measurement, inspection, and testing activities to ensure quality control and reliability.
• Formulate sampling procedures and designs and develop forms and instructions for recording, evaluating, and reporting quality and reliability data.
• Implement methods and procedures for disposition of discrepant material and defective or damaged parts, and assess cost and responsibility.
• Schedule deliveries based on production forecasts, material substitutions, storage and handling facilities, and maintenance requirements.

What Industrial Engineers Should Be Good At

• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

What Industrial Engineers Should Be Interested In

• Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

What Industrial Engineers Need to Learn

• Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.