Industrial engineering technicians typically do the following:

• Suggest revisions to methods of operation, material handling, or equipment layout
• Interpret engineering drawings, schematic diagrams, and formulas
• Confer with management or engineering staff to determine quality and reliability standards
• Recommend changes to production standards in order to achieve the best quality within the limits of the capabilities of the equipment
• Help plan work assignments, taking into account workers' performance, the capabilities of machines, and production schedules
• Prepare charts, graphs, and diagrams to illustrate workflow, routing, floor layouts, how materials are handled, and how machines are used
• Collect data to assist in process improvement activities

Industrial engineering technicians study the time and steps workers take to do a task (time and motion studies). To set reasonable production rates, they consider how workers perform operations such as maintenance, production, and service.

They also observe workers to make sure that equipment is being used and maintained according to quality assurance standards. They then evaluate the resulting data to recommend or justify changes to the operations or to the standards for improving quality and efficiency.

Industrial engineering technicians' versatility allows them to be useful in a variety of projects. For example, they work in supply chain management to help businesses minimize inventory costs, in quality assurance to help businesses keep their customers satisfied, and in the growing field of project management to control costs and maximize efficiencies.

Industrial engineering technicians generally work in teams under the supervision of industrial engineers.