Career Map: Industrial Engineer

Industrial engineers find ways to eliminate wastefulness in the wind turbine production processes. They devise efficient ways to use workers, machines, materials, available technology, and energy in order to increase productivity and minimize time and costs in the manufacture of turbine systems and components.

Industrial engineers develop, evaluate, and improve manufactured products and methods, utilizing their knowledge of product design, materials and parts, assembly processes, tooling, production equipment capabilities and quality control standards. They also work to find ways to improve performance. To do this, industrial engineers first study product requirements carefully. Then they use mathematical methods and models to design manufacturing and information systems to meet those requirements most efficiently.

In working to achieve the end product, industrial engineers must address worker safety, ergonomics, and environmental design. They also work with others in their organization to assist in financial planning and cost analysis.

Industrial engineers typically do the following:

• Review production schedules, engineering specifications, process flows, and other information to understand methods and activities in manufacturing and services
• Figure out how to manufacture parts or products, or deliver services, with maximum efficiency
• Develop management control systems to make financial planning and cost analysis more efficient
• • Enact quality control procedures to resolve production problems or minimize costs
• Work with customers and management to develop standards for design and production
• Know the market and most current designs and best processes for their field.
• Design control systems to coordinate activities and production planning to ensure that products meet quality standards
• Confer with clients about product specifications, vendors about purchases, management personnel about manufacturing capabilities, and staff about the status of projects.

• Creativity. Industrial engineers use creativity and ingenuity to design new production processes in many kinds of settings to reduce use of material resources, time, or labor while accomplishing the same goal.
• Critical-thinking skills. Industrial engineers create new systems to solve problems related to waste and inefficiency. Solving these problems requires logic and reasoning to identify strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to the problems.
• Listening skills. These engineers often operate in teams, but they must also solicit feedback from customers, vendors, and production staff. They must listen to customers and clients to fully grasp ideas and problems the first time.
• Math skills. Industrial engineers use the principals of calculus, trigonometry, and other advanced topics in mathematics for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work.
• Problem-solving skills. In designing facilities for manufacturing and processes for providing services, these engineers deal with several issues at once, from workers’ safety to quality assurance.
• Speaking skills. Industrial engineers sometimes have to explain their instructions to production staff or technicians before they can make written instructions available. Being able to explain concepts clearly and quickly is crucial to preventing costly mistakes and loss of time.
• Teamwork. Industrial engineers must be able to work with other professionals to serve as a bridge between the technical and business sides of an organization. This requires being able to work with people from a wide variety of backgrounds.
• Writing skills. Industrial engineers must create documentation for other professionals or for future reference. The documentation must be coherent and explain their thinking clearly so that others can understand the information. 

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Industrial Engineer