Industrial Engineering is the application of techniques and principles to the improvement, design, and installation of systems that involve people, materials, information, energy and equipment to provide efficient production of goods and services. To evaluate and work with these systems, knowledge and skills in the mathematical, physical, and social sciences are required. Industrial engineering activities form a bridge between management goals and operational performance. The industrial engineers are more concerned with increasing productivity through the management of people, methods of business organization, and technology than the engineers in other specialties, who generally work more with products or processes.

Industrial engineers are employed in multidisciplinary teams, and are usually concerned with the planning, installation, control and improvement of production activities. Such activities may include manufacturing, product innovation, provision of services, transportation, and organizational information flow. Industrial Engineers may seek employment in organizations such as government, manufacturing industry, research and consulting institutions, health care units, banks, insurance and utility companies.