Industrial Engineer (Automotive Industry)

INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER – AUTOMOTIVE (EXPAT)
Location: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

A leading Tier-1 automotive manufacturing project in Saudi Arabia is seeking an experienced Industrial Engineer to support industrialisation, ramp-up, and high-volume series production.
This role is shop-floor driven, with primary responsibility for assembly operations, and exposure to injection moulding and robotic plastic painting in a high-volume OEM environment.

ROLE PURPOSE
To optimise manufacturing operations by engineering efficient production systems that improve productivity, capacity, cost, and quality, while meeting OEM standards from SOP onward.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
Minimum Requirements
BEng / BSc in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or
Mechanical Engineering with strong IE exposure
3–8 years’ experience as an Industrial Engineer in automotive manufacturing
Tier-1 and high-volume production experience preferred
Strong exposure to assembly operations (essential)
Experience with injection moulding and/or plastic component manufacturing
Experience in automation-supported production lines
MTM / time studies, line balancing, and manpower optimisation
Strong data analysis skills (Excel, MES, ERP)
Solid understanding of Lean Manufacturing principles

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Industrial Engineering & Manufacturing System Design
Design and optimise plant layouts, material flow, and workstations
Define manpower requirements, takt times, and line balancing
Support new line installations, expansions, and reconfigurations
Provide IE input during program launches and transfers
Methods, Time Studies & Standard Work
Conduct time & motion studies (MTM preferred)
Develop and maintain standard work instructions and line balance charts
Identify and eliminate non-value-added activities using Lean tools
Support ergonomic assessments and workstation improvements
Capacity Planning & Productivity
Analyse capacity, bottlenecks, and equipment utilisation
Support volume ramp-ups and long-term capacity planning
Ensure production lines meet OEM volume and quality targets

Cost, Lean & Continuous Improvement
Lead Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, and CI initiatives
Drive labour efficiency, throughput, and OEE improvement
Support automation, make-vs-buy, and CAPEX justification
Data Analysis & Reporting
Analyse production and labour data
Develop KPIs, dashboards, and performance reports
Provide fact-based recommendations to management

Cross-Functional Collaboration
Work closely with Production, Process, Quality, Maintenance & Automation
Support training and continuous improvement culture
Participate in OEM and internal audits

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Cycle time adherence & improvement
Labour productivity (UPH)
Line balance efficiency
OEE improvement
Capacity utilisation vs demand
Successful program launch & stabilisation

EXPATRIATE REQUIREMENTS
Willingness to relocate to Saudi Arabia long-term
Valid passport and ability to obtain Saudi work visa / Iqama
Willingness to travel internationally if required
Flexibility to work extended hours or shifts based on operational demands

APPLICATION NOTES
Only applicants meeting the minimum requirements will be contacted
If you have not been contacted within 30 days, please consider your application unsuccessful
Salary package will be market-related and based on qualifications and experience