<p>So i've done my research and read bunches of articles and websites on job descriptions of industrial engineers but i am still having a hard time grasping what they actually do in the real world day to day. What are some popular companies to work for? Any "day in the life" information would be great.</p>
<p>I could type it out but it’s already written and recorded so here are some links</p>
<p>[Industrial</a> Engineering - YouTube](<a href=“Industrial Engineering - YouTube”>Industrial Engineering - YouTube)</p>
<p>[What</a> an Industrial Engineer does](<a href=“Career Search | Career Choices for Me | The Princeton Review”>Career Search | Career Choices for Me | The Princeton Review)</p>
<p>I’ve posted this before - i think - but here it goes again. Both Mrs. T. and myself qualify as IE’s and have the graduate shingle to prove it.</p>
<p>My specialization was Human Factors Engineering, and I spend part of my time designing user interfaces for consumer electronics. I use specialized tools like Altia or commoner tools like Photoshop. Then my CS degrees kick in and I write application software for said gadgets as well, no IE involved. </p>
<p>Mrs. T. selected Manufacturing for her specialty and true enough she has spent the last quarter century on software for manufacturing systems. Like me, she’s got an undergrad in CS. She does more work on SPC, process capability, scheduling, and other IE favorite topics. Essentially she uses her IE knowledge to understand what’s going on in a customer’s manufacturing system, and how to make it better. Some of her work is on the factory floor, bunny suit and all, some in the lab, most at her desk. A lot of what she does involves process modeling of existing systems, so it’s a lot of paper and pencil / meetings / etc. and not hands-on engineering or design. </p>
<p>Bottom line, my work is more hands on design and her work is more hands off smoke filled backroom type work. IE teaches you fewer ‘hard’ skills than EE or ME, but more ‘soft’ skills that can be used in a lot of different settings.</p>