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Industrial Engineers


Background

In the military, people need to know that the equipment they are using will perform as expected when a crisis arises. Industrial engineers do research to determine the most effective ways for the military to use its people and equipment. Industrial engineers manage quality control programs to ensure that the military develops and uses high quality products and systems.

What They Do

Industrial engineers in the military perform some or all of the following duties:

Physical Demands

No information available.

Special Requirements

A four-year college degree in industrial engineering, industrial management, or a related field is required to enter this career.

Helpful Attributes

Helpful attributes include:

Helpful School Subjects

No information available.

Helpful Fields of Study

No information available.

Work Environment

Industrial engineers usually work in offices. They may work outdoors while performing field studies or overseeing the installation of equipment and systems.

Services offering this career:

Hiring Practices

To serve in the military, a person must be at least 17; the maximum age for enlistment varies. To enlist, a person must pass a physical exam and an aptitude test. An enlistee must also meet military standards of discipline and be a US citizen or permanent resident alien.

This position is for officers.

Wages

The military is competitive with the civilian world when it comes to pay and benefits. All branches offer the same basic pay and benefits.

Pay depends mainly on rank or grade as well as length of service. Bonuses and the situation in which the person is serving (for example: flight duty, sea duty, hazardous duty) also affect pay. 

Cost-of-living increases usually occur every year, based on inflation. The military also pays allowances for food, clothing, and housing. All these factors combined are called Regular Military Compensation (RMC). They should all be considered when comparing military pay to civilian pay.

There are two main parts to RMC: basic pay and allowances. There are also additional incentives for special abilities, training, or hazardous duty.

Check out the RMC Calculator to calculate your RMC based on your inputs.

Training Provided

Job training is offered for some specialties. Training length varies from eight to 16 weeks of classroom instruction, depending on the specialty.

Course content typically includes:

Civilian Counterparts

Civilian industrial engineers work primarily in manufacturing and consulting firms. They also work in other industries and businesses, including insurance companies, retail stores, banks, public utilities, and hospitals. Civilian industrial engineers perform duties similar to those performed in the military. Depending on the specialty, they may also be called production engineers, safety engineers, production planners, or quality control engineers.

Related Civilian Careers

Employment and Outlook

In peace time the services have about 2,000 industrial engineers. In times of military action the number may be different, depending on the type of specialties required. Each year the services need new engineers due to changes in personnel and the demands of the field. After job training, industrial engineers are usually assigned to an engineering, management evaluation, or procurement unit. With experience, they may advance to command or policy-making positions in engineering, administration, or other fields.