Industrial Engineer - Fairfax
Job Description
The Role The Industrial Engineer role is an individual contributor responsible for leading complex industrial engineering projects that improve safety, quality, productivity, and cost performance in a high-volume manufacturing environment. This position serves as a technical expert for standardized work, line balance, and labor standards, and provides thought leadership for continuous improvement across the plant. The role partners closely with Production, Maintenance, Quality, Materials, and Launch teams to design and execute solutions that enable stable operations and future program readiness. The role is expected to independently scope work, influence stakeholders, and mentor less experienced engineers. What You’ll Do Lead design, validation, and maintenance of labor standards, standardized work, and line balance to support safe, efficient, and ergonomic operations. Own complex productivity and headcount optimization initiatives from concept through implementation, including business case development and benefit tracking. Translate product and process changes into robust industrial engineering solutions, including operation readiness, model changeover, and launch support. Analyze manufacturing performance data (throughput, productivity, absenteeism, constraints) to identify systemic issues and drive data-based corrective actions. Partner with cross-functional teams (Production, Quality, Maintenance, Materials, Ergonomics, Safety) to define, prioritize, and execute continuous improvement projects. Provide technical coaching and informal leadership to early-career industrial engineers and other salaried partners on IE methods, tools, and GM standards. Ensure all methods and improvements comply with GM safety, ergonomic, quality, and labor standards, and are documented in required systems and standard work. Your Skills & Abilities Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a closely related field. 2+ years of industrial engineering experience in a high-volume manufacturing environment (automotive or similar discrete assembly preferred). Demonstrated expertise in core IE methods: time study and work measurement, line balancing, standardized work development, capacity analysis, and layout fundamentals. Proven experience leading cross-functional projects that deliver measurable productivity, quality, or cost improvements. Proficiency with industrial engineering and analytical tools (e.g., time study/standards systems, line balance/throughput tools, CAD for layout, and data analysis/visualization tools). Strong ability to interpret and apply ergonomic and safety requirements within process and workstation design. Demonstrated skill in communicating technical information clearly to both leadership and hourly teams, including development of clear documentation and presentations. Ability to spend significant time in the manufacturing environment, including walking long distances, climbing stairs, and wearing required personal protective equipment. What Will Give You A Competitive Edge Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Research, Business Administration, or related field. Experience in automotive assembly or other complex, mixed-model manufacturing operations. Hands-on experience with GM or equivalent systems for labor standards, standardized work, and manufacturing data (e.g., APS/line balancing tools, time data systems, production reporting, CAD-based layout tools). Demonstrated success leading large-scale productivity programs, model launches, or major process changes with multi-functional teams. Working knowledge of Global Manufacturing System (GMS) or comparable lean manufacturing systems, including standardized work, problem solving, and waste elimination. Experience mentoring or coaching other engineers, co-ops, or interns in IE methods and tools. Strong financial acumen related to labor cost, headcount planning, and investment justification. GM does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role. Do not apply for this role if you will need GM immigration sponsorship now or in the future. This includes direct company sponsorship, entry of GM as the immigration employer of record on a government form, and any work authorization requiring a written submission or other immigration support from the company (e.g., H1-B, OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, TN, J-1, etc). This role is categorized as onsite. This means the selected candidate is expected to report to a specific location on a full-time basis. This job may be eligible for relocation benefits. About GM Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.
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