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Industrial Engineer

Engineering

Design, develop, test, and evaluate integrated systems for managing industrial production processes, including human work factors, quality control, inventory control, logistics and material flow, cost analysis, and production coordination.

Mechanical Engineering

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Estimate production costs, cost saving methods, and the effects of product design changes on expenditures for management review, action, and control.
  2. 2Plan and establish sequence of operations to fabricate and assemble parts or products and to promote efficient utilization.
  3. 3Analyze statistical data and product specifications to determine standards and establish quality and reliability objectives of finished product.
  4. 4Confer with clients, vendors, staff, and management personnel regarding purchases, product and production specifications, manufacturing capabilities, or project status.
  5. 5Communicate with management and user personnel to develop production and design standards.
  6. 6Evaluate precision and accuracy of production and testing equipment and engineering drawings to formulate corrective action plan.
  7. 7Recommend methods for improving utilization of personnel, material, and utilities.
  8. 8Record or oversee recording of information to ensure currency of engineering drawings and documentation of production problems.
  9. 9Draft and design layout of equipment, materials, and workspace to illustrate maximum efficiency using drafting tools and computer.
  10. 10Direct workers engaged in product measurement, inspection, and testing activities to ensure quality control and reliability.
  11. 11Develop manufacturing methods, labor utilization standards, and cost analysis systems to promote efficient staff and facility utilization.
  12. 12Review production schedules, engineering specifications, orders, and related information to obtain knowledge of manufacturing methods, procedures, and activities.
  13. 13Complete production reports, purchase orders, and material, tool, and equipment lists.
  14. 14Implement methods and procedures for disposition of discrepant material and defective or damaged parts, and assess cost and responsibility.
  15. 15Coordinate and implement quality control objectives, activities, or procedures to resolve production problems, maximize product reliability, or minimize costs.
  16. 16Apply statistical methods and perform mathematical calculations to determine manufacturing processes, staff requirements, and production standards.
  17. 17Study operations sequence, material flow, functional statements, organization charts, and project information to determine worker functions and responsibilities.
  18. 18Regulate and alter workflow schedules according to established manufacturing sequences and lead times to expedite production operations.
  19. 19Formulate sampling procedures and designs and develop forms and instructions for recording, evaluating, and reporting quality and reliability data.
  20. 20Schedule deliveries based on production forecasts, material substitutions, storage and handling facilities, and maintenance requirements.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • SQE
  • Engineer
  • QC Expert
  • Metrologist
  • QA Engineer
  • QC Engineer
  • Factory Expert
  • Field Engineer
  • Plant Engineer
  • Factory Engineer

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. Typical entry

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

PhysicsDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional MathematicsDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Design & Technology (RBT)Draws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
InventionDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Mechanical Engineering StudiesDraws directly on Production and Processing — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Engineering and Technology88%

    PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Production and Processing86%

    Design & Technology (RBT)Mechanical Engineering Studies

  • Mechanical84%

    Mechanical Engineering StudiesPhysicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Design82%

    Visual Art (PSV)Technical Comm. GraphicsEngineering Drawing

  • English Language79%

    English

  • Mathematics78%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Leading or coordinating othersVery high
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Time spent sittingMost of the time
  • Time spent standingA little
  • Time walking or movingA little

Where this job is heading

Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.

  • Assess systems to identify and quantify risk factors.

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

32%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Growing role in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.

On Malaysia's official shortage list

TalentCorp and ILMIA's Critical Occupations List — evidence of a real hiring shortage in Malaysia right now.

Industrial and Production Engineers · Shortage indicators met: 7/12

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Mechanical Engineer

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Matriculation

One or two years, heavily subsidised with allowance. Competitive, quota-based entry.

12–24 months

Related careers

If this interests you, these are worth a look too.

About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Industrial Engineers

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue