Industrial and manufacturing engineers

Industrial and manufacturing engineers conduct studies, and develop and supervise programs to achieve the best use of equipment, human resources, technology, materials and procedures to enhance efficiency and productivity. Industrial and manufacturing engineers are employed in consulting firms, manufacturing and processing companies, in government, financial, health care and other institutions, or they may be self-employed.

Example Titles

CIM (computer integrated manufacturing) engineer

computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) engineer

consulting industrial engineer

cost engineer

efficiency engineer

engineer, computer integrated manufacturing (CIM)

engineer, manufacturing

fire prevention engineer

industrial efficiency engineer

industrial engineer

industrial safety engineer

manufacturing engineer

methods engineer

plant engineer

production engineer

QA (quality assurance) engineer

quality assurance (QA) engineer

quality control engineer

safety engineer

systems engineer – manufacturing

time-study engineer

work measurement engineer

Main duties

Industrial and manufacturing engineers perform some or all of the following duties:

• Plan and design plant layouts and facilities

• Study new machinery and facilities and recommend or select efficient combinations

• Develop flexible or integrated manufacturing systems and procedures

• Conduct studies and implement programs to determine optimum inventory levels for production and to allow optimum utilization of machinery, materials and resources

• Analyze costs of production

• Design, develop and conduct time studies and work simplification programs

• Determine human resource and skill requirements and develop training programs

• Develop performance standards, evaluation systems and wage and incentive programs

• Conduct studies of the reliability and performance of plant facilities and production or administrative systems

• Develop maintenance standards, schedules and programs

• Establish programs and conduct studies to enhance industrial health and safety or to identify and correct fire and other hazards

• Evaluate or assess industrial facilities

• Supervise technicians, technologists, analysts, administrative staff and other engineers.