Industrial Engineering Technicians

Description

Apply engineering theory and principles to problems of industrial layout or manufacturing production, usually under the direction of engineering staff. May perform time and motion studies on worker operations in a variety of industries for purposes such as establishing standard production rates or improving efficiency.

Tasks

Interpret engineering drawings, schematic diagrams, or formulas and confer with management or engineering staff to determine quality and reliability standards.
Read worker logs, product processing sheets, or specification sheets to verify that records adhere to quality assurance specifications.
Observe worker using equipment to verify that equipment is being operated and maintained according to quality assurance standards.
Compile and evaluate statistical data to determine and maintain quality and reliability of products.
Prepare charts, graphs, or diagrams to illustrate workflow, routing, floor layouts, material handling, or machine utilization.
Study time, motion, methods, or speed involved in maintenance, production, or other operations to establish standard production rate or improve efficiency.
Design new equipment and materials or recommend revision to methods of operation, material handling, equipment layout, or other changes to increase production or improve standards.
Aid in planning work assignments in accordance with worker performance, machine capacity, production schedules, or anticipated delays.
Recommend modifications to existing quality or production standards to achieve optimum quality within limits of equipment capability.
Evaluate data and write reports to validate or indicate deviations from existing standards.
Prepare graphs or charts of data or enter data into computer for analysis.
Record test data, applying statistical quality control procedures.
Select products for tests at specified stages in production process, and test products for performance characteristics and adherence to specifications.
Observe workers operating equipment or performing tasks to determine time involved and fatigue rate using timing devices.
Evaluate industrial operations for compliance with permits or regulations related to the generation, storage, treatment, transportation, or disposal of hazardous materials or waste.
Initiate or participate in emergency response procedures to contain, secure, or clean spills of hazardous materials.
Monitor environmental management systems for compliance with environmental policies, programs, or regulations.
Operate industrial hygiene equipment in manufacturing environments to reduce exposure to environmental contaminants.

Knowledge

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.
Mechanical: Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
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.
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.
Design: Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Production and Processing: Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Skills

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Abilities

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.
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).
Written Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Fluency of Ideas: The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
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.

Work Activities

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Work Context

Electronic Mail: How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Face-to-Face Discussions: How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets: How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled: How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Telephone: How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Contact With Others: How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Work With Work Group or Team: How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Coordinate or Lead Others: How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
Responsibility for Outcomes and Results: How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
Responsible for Others' Health and Safety: How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?

Interests

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.
Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Work Style

Dependability: Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail: Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Persistence: Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Integrity: Job requires being honest and ethical.
Stress Tolerance: Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Analytical Thinking: Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Adaptability/Flexibility: Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Initiative: Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Independence: Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Leadership: Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.

Work Values

Support: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Achievement: Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Independence: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Working Conditions: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Recognition: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Relationships: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.

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Lay Titles

Analysis Tester

Boiler Water Tester

Cellophane Tester

Cloth Tester

Engineering Technician

Industrial Engineer

Industrial Engineering Analyst

Industrial Engineering Technician

Industrial Technician

Industrial Technologist

Manufacturing Engineer

Manufacturing Technician

Materials Planner

Methods Study Analyst

Methods Time Analyst

Motion Study Analyst

Motion Study Engineer

Paper Tester

Personnel Quality Assurance Auditor

Plant Facilities Technician

Process Documentation and Methods Analyst

Production Analyst

Production Control Analyst

Production Planner

Production Staff Worker

Project Engineer

Quality Assurance Manager (QA Manager)

Quality Control Engineering Technician (QC Engineering Technician)

Quality Control Technician

Quality Controller

Quality Process Engineer

Soda Tester

Time Motion Analyst

Time Study Analyst

Time Study Observer

Time Study Technician

Tool Representative

Woolen Tester

Yarn Tester

National Wages and Employment Info

Median Wages (2008):: $24.51 hourly, $50,980 annual.

Employment (2008):: 67,400 employees