Industrial and Systems Engineering: Career Overview
Management Course Title
Abstract
Industrial and Systems Engineering is a multidisciplinary sub-field of engineering that regards the optimization of processes through the improvement of their efficiency, reduction of costs and management of human capital. This paper analyzes the historical background of this profession, its work field and job prospects as well as statistics and salary data of this type of engineers.
Industrial and Systems Engineering: Career Overview
History
The origins of Industrial and Systems Engineering can be traced back to ancient times, as it is believed that Egyptians, Greeks and Romans utilized the fundamental principles of this discipline to develop their high-scale projects such as irrigation and highway systems. However, the formal and more recognized advent of SE relates to the creation of complex weaponry during the aftermath of the Second World War. This responded to the need of professionals to assure the effective planning, production and operation of these systems. According to Weigel (2000), the term “systems engineering” was first used in the 1940s by Bell Laboratories. Kevin Kennedy Associates (2016) considers that the projects that proved the value of industrial and systems engineering were the SAGE Air Defense Systems, the ATLAS Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Program and the Nike development. Posterior to the conclusion of these projects the U.S. Government formally documented this discipline for the development of weapon systems.
Though the terms Industrial Engineering and Systems Engineering are generally considered interchangeable, some establish certain differences among these disciplines that will be explained later in this paper. In consideration, the origin of the term “Industrial Engineering” goes back to the Industrial Revolution, and according to Badiru (2005) the first formal emergence of the profession was through Frederick Taylor’s work in the 20th century (p. 2). Taylor is commonly referred to as the “father” of Industrial Engineering as he researched and implemented methods to improve the efficiency of industrial processes.
Overview
The previous section explained the historical background of Industrial and Systems Engineering, but it is now appropriate to elaborate on the fields of these professions and how they relate to each other. The definition of Industrial Engineering can be summarized as scientific management. According to the Institution of Industrial and Systems Engineers (2016), “IE is concerned with the design, improvement and installation of integrated systems of people, material, information, equipment and energy”. In other words, Industrial Engineers are responsible for the optimization of processes and systems by improving efficiency, reducing costs and assuring product and service quality. It is worth noting that Industrial Engineering embraces the analysis of the human element in processes and is concerned with the assurance of worker health and safety.
Badiru (2005) explains that Systems Engineering is the “application of engineering to solutions of a multi-faceted problem through a systematic collection and integration of parts of the problem with respect to its lifecycle” (p. 3). In essence, it is concerned with the design and implementation of complex systems. Systems Engineers are involved in the development stages of processes and participate in the definition of customer needs, functionality, cost and timing restrictions, manufacture processes, testing, performance requirements and other factors that influence the successful design of a system; they are responsible for the integration of all involved disciplines and the creation of structured plans to assure customer satisfaction.
Industrial and Systems Engineering are based on the same principle: system optimization. However, they differ on the timing of their involvement in projects, given that systems engineers participate in the early or conceptual stages of projects to ensure efficient design, while industrial engineers are mostly involved in the implementation and normal operation of processes.
Most higher education programs are aimed at the formation of professionals that specialize in both fields and can thus participate in all stages of engineering projects. Thus, many programs are called “Industrial and Systems Engineering”, as opposed to referencing only one of these disciplines. However, there are exceptions, as some other programs are titled Industrial and Manufacture Engineering, Industrial and Operations Engineering, but these are all variations of the same fundamental discipline.
Work Field
The work field of Industrial and Systems Engineers is wide, as they are solicited by enterprises of almost any nature, as each day more companies bet on productivity management and constant quality improvement to survive in a highly competitive globalized market.
Professionals of Industrial and Systems Engineering are typically hired to manage manufacturing systems by designing methods to improve output and manage personnel, perform supply chain management tasks such as determination of the location of facilities, inventory management and establishing communication among all members of the supply chain (customers, suppliers, etc.). Moreover, these engineers commonly manage the transportation and logistics aspects of a company. They are also responsible for the design of systems and work methods, guidelines and standards, design of salary incentives and quality control systems, job evaluation programs, promotion of health and safety practices, material management, manage human factor, assess and manage risks, among others tasks.
In consequence, professionals in this field have the possibility of working for any type of businesses in multiple settings, including manufacture, services, consulting, healthcare, communications and other fields in either private or public sectors. Industrial and Systems Engineers can specialize in several fields such as Petroleum Systems Engineering, Environmental Systems Engineering, Software Systems Engineering, Electronic Systems Engineering, etc. For instance, companies such as Amazon, Starbucks and UPS are known for hiring I&S Engineers to improve manufacture and transport operations, while Disney’s I&S Engineers commonly work on improving the efficiency and reducing the length of queues at theme parks.
Statistics
According to the United States Department of Labor (2015), in 2014 the number of Industrial Engineers employed in the United States was approximately 241.000, of which 71.5% are employed in the field of manufacturing, 2.5% in wholesale trade, 0.2% in retail trade, 1.4% in transportation and warehousing and 1% hold government positions. Other fields include repair and maintenance services, healthcare and social assistance, educational services, management of companies and enterprises as well as professional, scientific and technical services. The percent change in employment from 2014 to 2024 is projected to be 1%, which is not considered a significant growth.
A study conducted by the University of Chicago (2009) places Industrial Engineering as the ninth profession with highest job satisfaction rates, analyzing overall worker happiness, technical and scientific expertise and other factors, as 48.4% of all surveyed industrial engineers responded to being “very happy” with their current job positions.
Salaries
Salaries for Industrial and Systems Engineers vary according to years of experience, school attended, job location and company. According to the United States Department of Labor, the median pay for Industrial Engineers in 2015 was $83,470 per year or $40.13 per hour for those holding only a bachelor’s degree. However, data from PayScale (2015) indicates that in popular cities such as Miami, Florida, those holding Bachelor of Science Degrees in Industrial & Systems Engineering can earn approximately $101,953 per year. According to gender, salaries for females (who account for 29% of I&S Engineers) range from $62,388 to $106,823 per year, while males’ salaries range go from $52,849 to $90,951 per year. For those whom have over 10 years of experience salaries reach up to $120,000 per year.
References
Badiru, A. (2005). Handbook of Industrial and Systems Engineering. Boca Raton: Taylor & Francis Group.
Kevin Kennedy Associates. (2016). History of Systems Engineering. Retrieved from Kevin Kennedy Associates Website: incose.org/practice/whatissystemeng.aspx
PayScale. (2015). Bachelor of Science (BS / BSc), Industrial & Systems Engineering Degree Average Salary. Retrieved from PayScale - Human Capital: http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Degree=Bachelor_of_Science_(BS_%2F_BSc),_Industrial_%26_Systems_Engineering/Salary
United States Department of Labor - Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2015, December 17). Occupational Outlook Handbook - Industrial Engineers. Retrieved from United States Department of Labor Website: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/industrial-engineers.htm#tab-1
Weigel, A. (2000). An Overview of the Systems Engineering Knowledge Domain. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
