Industrial Engineer, Manpower
Ford Motor Company · Chicago, IL
- Level
- Engineer
- Team
- Industrial
- Base pay
- $72k–$121k
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 5+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- Recently
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level industrial role at Ford Motor Company (industrial) in Chicago, IL. In this key position, you will drive manufacturing excellence by ensuring the optimal utilization of labor and other production inputs.
- They ask for
- 5+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- Time studies, Plant layout
- Base pay
- $72k–$121k
- Day to day
- some off-shift / weekend coverage
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Industrial Engineer roles in Illinois: typical posted base $80k–$120k. This one lists $72k–$121k.
Median of the low and high ends of 11 live postings that list pay, out of 19 industrial engineer openings in Illinois, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Illinois plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 18 other live industrial postings in Illinois.
- Base pay
- In line with similar roles
- Experience asked
- More than usual (5+ vs 4+)
Typical $80k–$120k, from 10 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 4+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Plant layout 58%
- Lean 47%
- ✓ Time studies 47%
- Six Sigma 37%
- Automation 37%
- AutoCAD 37%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Industrial team at Ford Motor Company
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is it more layout and capacity work, or time studies and standard work?
- How does off-shift and weekend coverage work?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
Full description from Ford Motor CompanyAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
We are the movers of the world and the makers of the future. We get up every day, roll up our sleeves and build a better world -- together. At Ford, we’re all a part of something bigger than ourselves. Are you ready to change the way the world moves?
As part of our Manufacturing team, you’ll help build the world-class, state-of-the-art smart vehicles we're known for. In our plants around the world, we’re constantly developing new technologies and processes to further increase our efficiency. You'll get the satisfaction of making great products people use and love.
In this position...
In this key position, you will drive manufacturing excellence by ensuring the optimal utilization of labor and other production inputs. This will involve the analysis of production and non-production operations and the development of new or improved methods and standards.
What you'll do...
- •Drive development and/or installation of direct and indirect labor standards and methods
- •Track labor, manpower utilization and line balancing
- •Conduct job ergonomics evaluations
- •Analyze problem process constraints and conduct equipment cycle time analysis
- •Analyze plant methods and standards
- •Prepare cost estimates of new or revised methods and standards
- •Review proposed changes in plant layout, processes, material handling, routing, etc.
- •Conduct time and motion/MODAPTS studies and review employee proposals and suggestions
- •Develop cycle line layouts for current and future models using ACAD
- •Lead the identification of labor efficiency opportunities to support the plant’s Cost Operating System
- •Lead workstation methodization and cycle-time improvement projects
- •Develop cost saving project proposals and write projects
- •Interface with production supervision and the UAW to settle job disputes
- •Assist production in planning labor allocations for mix, line speed changes, etc.
- •Perform a weekly roll analysis to balance the work group on-roll number to support the RTO and desired absenteeism coverage percentage
- •Analyze the Versatility and Training Dashboard to develop weekly training plans to increase the versatility in the General Utility classification and on critical/non-critical operations
- •Support the daily and weekly Manpower meetings to identify/ reduce over-manning, and that hourly training completed per the plan
- •Daily interface with the salary production team members to review training plan results from the previous day/crew
- •Daily interface with hourly employees to set training expectations and to review and document training progress
- •Weekly report out to Plant Senior Management on the progress of the previous
- •Must be able to work all shifts required
You'll have...
- •Bachelor’s degree in engineering OR a Bachelor’s degree with 3-5 years of related experience
Even better, you may have...
- •Bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering or industrial management
- •At least 3 years of related experience
- •MODAPTS certification
- •GSPAS knowledge
- •3 or more years’ experience with Microsoft Office to include; Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!
As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:
- •Immediate medical, dental, and prescription drug coverage
- •Flexible family care, parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up childcare and more
- •Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
- •Vehicle discount program for employees and family members, and management leases
- •Tuition assistance
- •Established and active employee resource groups
- •Paid time off for individual and team community service
- •A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
- •Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time
This position is a salary grade 6 and ranges from $72,480-121,440
This position is a salary grade 7 and ranges from $84,480-141,360
This position is a salary grade 8 and ranges from $96,720-162,120
For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/GSR
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.
