Tool Design Engineer
Dream up creative solutions to problems that need special tools.
Industrial Engineering Technicians are the men and women who gather up the Engineer ’s drawings and turn them into a workable workstation, piece of equipment, or process. Industrial Engineering Technicians work hand in hand with Industrial Engineers and Industrial Engineering Technologists.
It’s often confusing what a Technician does and how it is different from a Technologist or Engineer. In simple terms, the Engineer uses math and science to come up with a plan. The Technologist implements that plan. And you, the Industrial Engineering Technician, assist the Technologist in every phase of the project.
Those phases change each day and are different with each venture, so you play various roles in this position. You need great communication skills because you converse with everyone from the CEO to the Janitor.
To further understand the scope of the project, you study blueprints and schematics. But just because the Engineer made a plan doesn’t mean it will work right out of the gates. Part of your job is to help hammer out details.
For example, you might perform tests on equipment, study the layout of production lines, interview employees, analyze time and efficiency, or evaluate job descriptions. You might also study product quality, predict how changes will affect the output, or investigate loss and quality control. Overall, it’s your goal as an Industrial Engineering Technician to make sure the industrial process is streamlined, so that the company gets the most out of its investment in machines and employees.
Persistent: You keep pushing through, even when faced with tough obstacles.
Logical Thinker: You take a step-by-step approach to analyze information and solve problems.
Detail Oriented: You pay close attention to all the little details.
Nationally: $32,000 – $73,000
Main education level: Bachelor's
source: US Dept of Labor