I’m an Industrial Engineer who enjoys the work I do, but I’m looking to leave my company for another job. I’m having a hard time finding positions at other companies that sound similar to what I do now, so I’m trying to determine if 1) my role at my current company exists at other companies, or something similar and 2) if they do exist, what is the title of that position.

I have a degree in Industrial Engineering, Certified Six Sigma Black Belt accreditation from ASQ, a Lean Practicitioner certification, and have 9 years of experience at my current company. My first 7 years were spent as a Process Engineer fire-fighting problems with the 2 manufacturing lines I was responsible for, running scrap reduction projects, qualifying new equipment, and transferring new products from R&D into manufacturing. To be perfectly honest, I hated this work and the pressures associated with it (I was responsible for 2 very problematic product lines). For the past 2 years, I have been in a role with the title Industrial Engineer with a focus primarily on part setup and part management in our ERP system. In my current role I am responsible for setting up/maintaining BOMs and routings for new and existing parts, ensuring products are costed appropriately, analyzing data trends, etc. Basically, my group and I are responsible for all things relating to part setup and movement through our ERP system. I work almost exclusively behind a desk, with the exception of occasionally performing a time study on the manufacturing floor to establish or update standard labor times, or seeing a process in order to correctly set up a routing. I work from home 2 days per week, and other members of my group work completely remote, which I love. My only complaint is that there is very little opportunity for career progression in my department at my company (a career ladder exists, but promotions occur when leadership “feels” that you deserve it). I am very good at what I do and don’t feel that I am valued appropriately, which is why I am looking at other opportunities. Based on my explanation of my current job, does this sound similar to a role at your companies, and if so, what is this role titled? I would also be interested if any IEs have jobs that are similar in the sense that it is mostly, if not exclusively, desk work, without “process engineering” responsibilities.

Thanks in advance for your input!