Industrial Engineer

Job Title: Industrial Engineer

Job Description

This Industrial Engineer role focuses on developing and optimizing sub-assembly layouts within a dynamic manufacturing environment. You will design and refine facility layouts, workstations, and material flows to support efficient, scalable production of advanced aerospace and autonomous systems. The position combines hands-on layout design, detailed time and labor studies, and continuous process improvement to ensure that production lines operate safely, efficiently, and in alignment with rapidly growing demand. You will have the opportunity to own complete systems or subsystems, contribute to new manufacturing operations from the ground up, and play a key role in shaping how a large-scale manufacturing campus operates as it scales.

Responsibilities

• Develop and refine sub-assembly layouts using AutoCAD to support efficient production and future scalability.
• Design facility layouts, including manufacturing floor space, workstations, benches, and tooling locations, to optimize workflow and ergonomics.
• Create and optimize workstation layouts that integrate tooling, material presentation, and operator tasks for maximum efficiency.
• Evaluate and improve material flow across the production process, ensuring smooth movement of parts and assemblies between operations.
• Define and refine inventory strategies, including pull systems, stock levels, and inventory sizing, to balance availability and efficiency.
• Analyze workstation flow and efficiency to identify bottlenecks, waste, and improvement opportunities in sub-assembly and final assembly areas.
• Conduct detailed time studies using manual/stopwatch methods and spreadsheet-based analysis to establish accurate labor standards.
• Perform labor studies and develop labor standards that support reliable planning, scheduling, and performance measurement.
• Execute line balancing activities to distribute work content effectively across operators and stations, minimizing idle time and bottlenecks.
• Support capacity planning by using labor standards and layout data to model throughput, constraints, and future expansion needs.
• Contribute to headcount planning by aligning labor requirements with production demand and capacity constraints.
• Develop and maintain value stream maps to visualize end-to-end processes and identify opportunities for waste reduction and flow improvement.
• Design value stream layouts that integrate sub-assembly, main assembly, and supporting processes into cohesive, efficient production systems.
• Design and refine workstations and processes that support safe, repeatable, and efficient operations in a high-growth manufacturing environment.
• Integrate sub-assemblies into overall facility layouts, ensuring logical flow, appropriate buffering, and alignment with final assembly requirements.
• Collaborate with engineering, production, and operations teams to implement layout changes, validate improvements, and support ramp-up activities.
• Use industrial engineering fundamentals and lean manufacturing principles to drive continuous improvement in process flow, cycle time, and resource utilization.
• Support or interface with simulation efforts by providing accurate labor standards and layout data for capacity and headcount modeling.
• Participate in or lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on process optimization, plant layout refinement, and overall manufacturing efficiency.
• Document layouts, standards, and process changes clearly to ensure alignment across engineering, production, and operations teams.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering or a closely related discipline, with a strong preference for a true industrial engineering background.
• Typically 3-5+ years of experience in industrial engineering roles, with openness to 2-3 years for high-performing candidates.
• Professional experience in fast-paced, high-growth manufacturing environments where processes and layouts are evolving.
• Hands-on experience with layout planning, including facility layouts, material flow, and labor optimization.
• Proficiency with AutoCAD for developing and refining sub-assembly and facility layouts.
• Demonstrated experience conducting time studies using manual/stopwatch methods and spreadsheet-based analysis.
• Experience in line balancing and capacity planning within manufacturing operations.
• background in labor studies and labor standards development to support accurate planning and performance measurement.
• Strong understanding of material flow, process flow, and plant layout in a manufacturing context.
• Experience with value stream mapping and value stream layout development for continuous improvement.
• Industrial engineering experience in manufacturing process improvement, process engineering, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Knowledge of lean manufacturing and lean six sigma principles applied to production environments.
• Ability to analyze and optimize workstation flow, efficiency, and ergonomics.
• Experience with industrial engineering fundamentals such as workstation and process design, and sub-assembly integration into layouts.
• Understanding that accurate labor standards are foundational for simulation, capacity planning, and headcount modeling.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to use spreadsheets and data to drive decisions on layouts, standards, and capacity.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment and adapt to changing priorities and requirements.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with PMTS or MODAPTS is strongly preferred for developing detailed and consistent labor standards.
• Exposure to simulation tools for modeling capacity, throughput, or headcount planning is helpful but not required.
• Experience with simulation in manufacturing environments, even at a conceptual level, is beneficial.
• background in industrial engineering within aerospace, robotics, or complex assembly environments is advantageous.
• Experience in process improvement and continuous improvement programs in manufacturing settings.
• Familiarity with lean six sigma methodologies and tools for structured problem solving.
• Experience working on or supporting advanced manufacturing technologies such as automation, robotics, or autonomous systems.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams including engineering, production, quality, supply chain, and operations.
• Strong communication skills to present layout concepts, improvement proposals, and data-driven recommendations to stakeholders.
• Interest in mission-driven work related to advanced technology and defense-oriented manufacturing.

Work Environment

The role is based at a large, rapidly expanding manufacturing campus in Ohio that focuses on building aircraft, autonomous systems, and related advanced technologies. This is not a small engineering office or a mature automotive plant with fully established processes; instead, it is a high-impact, fast-paced environment where operations, layouts, and standards are still being built and refined. Employees work closely with engineering, production, and operations teams on the manufacturing floor, contributing directly to how lines are designed, ramped, and scaled. The culture emphasizes speed, ownership, and adaptability, with a focus on individuals who can work independently, move quickly, and thrive in a "hyperscale and fast" setting. You can expect exposure to cutting-edge technologies that combine advanced manufacturing, AI, autonomy, robotics, drones, sensors, software, and modern defense systems. Many team members own complete systems or subsystems rather than small, isolated tasks, and they help establish new production lines, processes, and manufacturing standards from the ground up. The environment offers significant career growth opportunities as the operation expands, enabling progression into leadership or specialized technical roles across industrial engineering, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, production, test engineering, and operations. The overall atmosphere is more akin to a startup than a traditional manufacturer, with a strong emphasis on mission-driven work and solving complex national security challenges through modern engineering and production methods. Specific shift structures, hours, and dress code expectations are aligned with a hands-on manufacturing setting and are communicated by the site leadership.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Ashville, OH.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $53.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Ashville,OH.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 7, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.