Industrial Engineer
An industrial engineer analyses and optimises manufacturing processes, production systems, and workplace layouts to improve efficiency, safety, and quality in Australian industrial settings. They apply engineering principles and data analysis to eliminate waste, reduce costs, and enhance productivity across factories, plants, and assembly operations.
What this job is
An industrial engineer analyses and optimises manufacturing processes, production systems, and workplace layouts to improve efficiency, safety, and quality in Australian industrial settings. They apply engineering principles and data analysis to eliminate waste, reduce costs, and enhance productivity across factories, plants, and assembly operations. They work with cross-functional teams to implement process improvements and ensure compliance with Australian workplace safety and environmental standards.
Are employers advertising this role?
Steady, down 1.3% over 5 years
Counted across a group of similar roles. These are three-month rolling averages of online job advertisements, not filled positions.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index.
Day-to-day
Map and analyse current production workflows using process mapping tools and time-motion studies to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies. Design optimised facility layouts and material flow systems to reduce handling distances and improve production throughput. Conduct workplace hazard assessments and develop control measures to comply with Safe Work Australia guidelines and AS/NZS 4801 occupational health and safety standards. Collect and analyse production data using statistical methods and industrial engineering software to measure performance against key performance indicators. Develop standard operating procedures and work instructions for manufacturing processes to ensure consistency and quality control. Perform cost-benefit analyses on proposed process improvements and equipment upgrades to justify capital expenditure decisions. Design and conduct lean manufacturing initiatives, including value stream mapping and kaizen activities, to reduce waste and cycle times. Collaborate with production supervisors and operators to trial and implement process changes and gather feedback on feasibility.
Who does this now
About 6,000 people worked in this occupation across Australia at the 2021 Census.
What this role asks for
Bachelor degree or higher (ABS skill level 1)
Registration or licensing may be required.
Can employers fill these jobs
Employers hiring for this occupation were generally able to find suitable applicants in 2025. Ratings are not the same everywhere. QLD, SA, NT and ACT were rated in shortage. This measures how hard employers found it to fill jobs. It is not a count of jobs, and it does not say whether the occupation is growing.
Requirements
The standard entry pathway requires a bachelor degree or higher (ABS Skill Level 1). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.
The honest hard part
Manufacturing is contracting in Australia, so jobs are scarce and often concentrated in struggling sectors. You'll need a bachelor's degree in engineering or related field, and employers expect experience with lean, Six Sigma, and specific software (SAP, Minitab, Arena). Your recommendations often get shelved due to budget constraints or worker resistance. Pay plateaus around mid-career unless you move into management.
Where the jobs are
Australian manufacturing employment has fallen over the past two decades, so competition is real. Remote work is rare; you'll be on the factory floor regularly.
Pay
Published for ANZSCO unit group 2335, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.
This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.
Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
Skills
- Data Entry and Accuracycore
- Goal Setting and Planningcore
- Microsoft Excel Data Managementcore
- Problem Solvingcore
- Process Documentationcore
- Process Improvement Identificationcore
- Quality Assurance Monitoringcore
- Report Writingcore
- Reporting and Analyticscore
- Research and Analysiscore
- Risk Identificationcore
- Stakeholder Communicationcore
- Team Collaborationcore
- Verbal Communicationcore
- Written Communicationcore
- Adjust engineering designs
- Attention to Detail
- Continuous Learning and Upskilling
- ERP and Inventory Systems
- Microsoft Office Suite Proficiency
- Negotiation
- Power BI Reporting and Dashboards
- Regulatory and Legislative Awareness
- Time Management and Prioritisation
Which of these do you have?
Tick the ones you haveCommon questions
Sources
- ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
- ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
- ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.
Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.
Last updated: 30 October 2026
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