Industrial Engineer

Job Title: Industrial EngineerJob Description

The Industrial Engineer designs, models, and optimizes complex manufacturing and supply chain systems using data-driven methods and 3D simulation. This role captures current processes into a virtual factory, develops feasible production plans and schedules, and maintains an adaptive digital reference model to guide operational decisions and investments. The Industrial Engineer owns production line and workstation layout design, proactively identifies and resolves bottlenecks, and drives continuous improvement across manufacturing, supply chain, engineering, and quality. This position offers significant ownership over real systems and subsystems in a fast-paced, high-impact environment focused on next-generation autonomous aerospace and defense products.

Responsibilities

• Capture current manufacturing and supply chain processes, including all physical constraints, business rules, and detailed decision logic, into a 3D simulation-based virtual factory that serves as a process and operational knowledge base.

• Develop feasible production results, plans, and schedules for shop floor, warehouse, factory, and supply chain execution across relevant time ranges, ensuring that all scheduled operations are feasible with respect to resource capacity, material availability, and timelines.

• Maintain an adaptive, data-generated and data-driven virtual factory to retain an always-current digital reference model for assessing future performance of the factory and supply chain.

• Use the digital reference model to support transformation projects and investment decisions by evaluating scenarios and predicting operational outcomes.

• Own the design of new production lines and workstation layouts for both low-rate and full-rate production, leveraging a data-driven approach to optimize flow, capacity, and efficiency.

• Proactively identify high-variation processes, imbalances, and bottlenecks caused by line layout, equipment constraints, staffing levels, and other production inputs.

• Flag constraints and issues to appropriate stakeholders across Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Quality, and drive cross-functional efforts to resolution.

• Translate metrics, KPIs, and production reports into clear actions that improve line health and efficiency, focusing on cycle time, throughput rate, capacity, utilization, and first-pass yield.

• Produce and maintain detailed capacity plans, balanced line layouts, staffing allocations, and time standards for manufacturing work content.

• Conduct time studies and analyze material workflows to support line balancing, process optimization, and standard work definition.

• Apply value stream mapping, process flow analysis, and lean manufacturing principles to identify waste and implement continuous improvement initiatives.

• Collaborate across domains to drive end-to-end operational improvements for next-generation defense products as they scale in maturity and production rate.

• Work on both near-term execution tasks and longer-term strategic future-state designs for products and business lines.

• Read and interpret facility drawings, assembly drawings, technical specifications, and manufacturing procedures to inform layout, process design, and simulation models.

• Work effectively in an environment with evolving requirements and ambiguity, using data and engineering judgment to propose and implement solutions.

Essential Skills

• 8+ years of experience in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

• Industrial engineering or manufacturing engineering background with hands-on experience in production environments.

• Proficiency with industrial engineering methods such as time studies, line balancing, process improvement, and process engineering.

• Experience capturing and analyzing material workflows and process flows across manufacturing operations.

• Ability to build or work with 3D simulation-based virtual factory models or equivalent digital representations of manufacturing systems.

• Experience with discrete event simulation tools such as Plant Simulation or equivalent DES software (for example, Promodel, FlexSim, Simio, or similar).

• Alternatively, basic knowledge of object-oriented programming languages such as Python, R, C++, or similar, or experience working with large datasets using SQL or NoSQL technologies.

• Ability to read and interpret technical documentation, including facility drawings, assembly drawings, technical specifications, and manufacturing process procedures for electronics, mechanical, electromechanical assembly, system tests, and structural work.

• Strong capability to translate metrics and KPIs (cycle time, throughput, capacity, utilization, first-pass yield) into actionable improvement plans.

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in ambiguous and rapidly changing environments.

• U.S. Person status due to required access to export-controlled information or facilities.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with value stream mapping to identify waste and optimize end-to-end process flows.

• Experience with lean manufacturing, lean Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodologies.

• Familiarity with plant layout design, workstation design, and optimization of material flow within a facility.

• Experience using AutoCAD or similar tools to develop and refine plant and line layouts.

• Experience working with manufacturing processes for electronics, mechanical, and electromechanical assemblies, as well as system tests and structural work.

• Comfort working across functional domains, including Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Quality.

• Strong analytical skills and a data-driven mindset for decision-making and scenario analysis.

• Interest in next-generation defense and autonomous aerospace systems and in contributing to mission-driven work.

Work Environment

The role operates in a high-impact, fast-paced environment focused on building next-generation autonomous aerospace and defense systems. Employees typically own complete systems or subsystems early in the product lifecycle, rather than only small components, and work on prototypes that move from concept to reality in months rather than years. The work involves close collaboration with cross-functional teams in manufacturing, supply chain, engineering, and quality, using advanced digital tools such as 3D simulation, discrete event simulation platforms, and data analytics technologies. The facilities are in active development, with at least one main building complete and additional facilities still under construction, reflecting a scaling, growth-oriented environment. The culture emphasizes ownership, speed, data-driven decision-making, and continuous improvement, with an intensity more similar to a startup than traditional manufacturing settings.

Job Type & Location

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

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $50.00/hr.

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 Jun 1, 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 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500.

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 View email address on click.appcast.io 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.