Pretoria: Industrial Engineer (Automotive Industry)- Saudi Arabia posted by Professional Appointments

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