Day in the life
A Day in the Life of an Industrial Engineering Technician
What industrial engineering technicians actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
What is a typical day like for an industrial engineering technician?
Collect downtime data. From there, the day usually includes collect time and production data, draw layouts, and write work instructions. Full time, sometimes on off shifts.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for an industrial engineering technician working full time.
- Collect downtime data.
- Time-study a new job.
- Update a floor layout in CAD.
- Write work instructions.
- Help install a fixture.
- Enter data in reports.
- Meet the engineer.
Where industrial engineering technicians work
Technicians work on plant floors and in engineering offices.
Hours and schedule
Full time, sometimes on off shifts.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Collect time and production data
- Draw layouts
- Write work instructions
- Support equipment setup
- Track quality data
- Support improvement projects
- Prepare reports
Tools you’ll use every day
- AutoCAD
- Excel
- Stopwatches
- Video tools
- Minitab
- ERP systems
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- Two-year path
- Hands-on and data work
- Good pay
- Path to engineering
What’s hard
- Floor noise
- Repetitive data collection
- Pushback from operators
- Shift work at times
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I like data and hands-on work
- I like improving processes
- I’m detail-oriented
- I want a two-year path
- I like CAD
- I might want to be an engineer
Not sure? Take the free Industrial Engineering Technician fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Wear PPE on the floor
- Stay clear of moving equipment
- Follow lockout/tagout
- Report hazards