The Ohio State University

Industrial engineers address the overall performance of systems, responsiveness of systems to customer and user needs, and the quality of products or services produced. Industrial engineers recognize how the design of machinery, tools, equipment, computers, software and automated systems affect the performance of people and work systems. They also evaluate and design the roles people play within work systems to ensure people can safely, effectively and efficiently perform their tasks while maximizing work quality. 

Organizations from every sector of our economy—banking, food, energy, health care, commercial aviation, manufacturing, logistics, entertainment and government—turn to industrial engineers for help in improving an organization’s efficiency and productivity. Industrial engineers often work in teams with other types of engineers and business specialists to design and improve systems that produce and distribute goods and services. Industrial engineers guide and support organizational management and often become managers.