What Jobs You Can Get with an Industrial Engineering Degree?

<p>A professional organization that supports industrial engineers, known as the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE), has thousands of members whose job functions span from managing McDonald's real estate to developing spaceport technology for NASA. Each of these jobs requires skills in project management, streamlined production, business practice and ergonomics. Some possible job roles with an industrial engineering degree include quality control engineer, sales engineer and <a href="https://learn.org/articles/What_are_the_Education_Requirements_for_Becoming_a_Project_Manager.html">project manager</a>. Below is an overview of what it takes to work in the field, along with similar professions to an industrial engineer. </p> <h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutIndustrialEngineeringCareers">Important Facts About Industrial Engineering Careers</h3> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td>Work Environment</td><td>Offices, laboratories, industrial production plants, construction sites, factories</td></tr> <tr><td>Key Skills</td><td>Analytical, communication, math, organizational, critical-thinking, speaking, and problem-solving</td></tr> <tr><td>Licensure</td><td>Professional Engineering (PE) license</td></tr> <tr><td>Similar Occupations</td><td>Industrial production managers, logisticians, quality control inspectors, materials engineers, industrial engineering technicians, and health and safety engineers</td></tr> </table><h2 id="section---TypesOfIndustrialEngineeringJobs">Types of Industrial Engineering Jobs</h2> <h3 id="section---QualityControlEngineer">Quality Control Engineer</h3> <p>Industrial engineers who work in quality control, also known as quality engineering or quality assurance, are devoted to creating the highest quality products. These professionals study work processes to minimize the errors that production equipment or workers may introduce to the working environment. By isolating each step of a process, these industrial engineers pinpoint where changes can be made to reduce production problems, mechanical malfunctions or worker errors. </p> <p>Based on the general requirements of working in industrial engineering (as outlined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics), <a href="https://learn.org/articles/What_are_Some_Well-Known_Colleges_for_Quality_Engineering.html">becoming a quality control engineer</a> may require a bachelor's degree, and you might also pursue a graduate degree and get work experience through cooperative education (<i>www.bls.gov</i>). This career's expected employment growth from 2016-2026 is faster than average at a rate of 10%. In July 2019, <i>PayScale.com</i> reported that quality assurance and quality control engineers earned a median salary of $65,276. </p> <h3 id="section---SalesEngineer">Sales Engineer</h3> <p>In many fields, sales engineers have supplemented or taken the place of traditional sales representatives. Today's technologies may be too complex for sales representatives to understand and explain; sales engineers fill this gap with a combination of technical expertise and communication skills. They ensure that any technical question posed by a client can be answered. These professionals may work in software, machine or computer sales. </p> <p>The BLS notes that <b>an engineering bachelor's degree and some on-the-job training are required for sales engineer positions</b>. In addition, you'll need to gain work experience in sales. About average growth of 7% is expected for sales engineers from 2016-2026, and jobs should increase in manufacturing, independent sales and computer systems design. In May 2018, the BLS reported a sales engineer median wage of $101,420. </p> <h3 id="section---ProjectManager">Project Manager</h3> <p>Those in the industrial engineer field who work as project managers spend their time ensuring that products or services are produced in an efficient manner. Most project managers start out planning the tasks required to complete a project. They then organize the human and material resources necessary to keep the project running smoothly while adhering to the planned budget and timeline. They often work closely with both seller and buyer to make sure that each side is satisfied with the final result. </p> <p><b>An engineering bachelor's degree is a common requirement for engineering managers, and a master's degree related to business, technology management or engineering management may be beneficial or required.</b> </p> <p>In addition, you usually need several years of work experience in engineering before becoming a manager. The BLS reports that architectural and engineering job growth from 2016-2026 will be 6%. <i>PayScale.com</i> reported in July 2019 that engineering project managers made a median salary of $90,814.</p>