Management Engineer - Business Optimization

At Duke Health, we're driven by a commitment to compassionate care that changes the lives of patients, their loved ones, and the greater community. No matter where your talents lie, join us and discover how we can advance health together.

About Duke University Hospital

Pursue your passion for caring with Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina, which is consistently ranked among the best in the United States. The largest of the four Duke Healthhospitals with 1062 patient beds, it features comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic facilities, including a regional emergency/trauma center, an endo-surgery center, and more.

Work arrangement - On-site Hock/Duke South 

General Description of the Job Class

Support workforce planning, labor analytics, productivity management, staffing optimization, and operational decision support activities for Duke Health.

This position will focus on advanced analytics, workforce modeling, staffing tool development, benchmarking, and performance improvement initiatives to support operational leaders across Duke Health. The Management Engineer will serve as a technical resource for workforce management, labor budgeting, staffing and scheduling optimization, and external benchmarking activities, providing actionable insights that improve workforce efficiency and support data-driven decision making. The position will partner closely with nursing, operations, finance, human resources, and executive leadership to develop analytical solutions that enhance labor stewardship and operational performance.

Duties and Responsibilities of this Level

Operational and Analytics Support

• Lead the development, validation, and maintenance of workforce analytics, productivity reporting, and labor management tools.
• Develop automated reporting solutions, analytical models, and workforce management tools.
• Leverage SQL, data visualization platforms, and analytical software to improve data accessibility and usability.
• Design and maintain dashboards, scorecards, and decision-support tools that assist leaders with staffing and scheduling decisions.
• Perform advanced quantitative analyses to identify workforce trends, labor optimization opportunities, and operational risks.
• Identify opportunities to automate manual reporting and analytical processes.
• Translate complex analytical findings into actionable recommendations for operational and executive leaders.
• Support annual budgeting, workforce planning, vacancy management, and labor target development.

Workforce Planning Support

• Develop and maintain staffing models and workforce planning methodologies.
• Evaluate staffing patterns, workload indicators, and productivity measures to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Provide analytical support for workforce management initiatives and labor-related strategic priorities.

Benchmarking and Performance Improvement

• Support Vizient workforce and operational benchmarking activities.
• Analyze benchmark results and identify meaningful performance improvement opportunities.
• Partner with operational leaders to develop action plans based on benchmarking and workforce performance findings.
• Apply performance improvement methodologies to improve efficiency, resource utilization, and operational outcomes.

Project Management and Operational Support

• Support strategic workforce, labor management, and operational improvement initiatives across Duke Health.
• Develop project plans, timelines, metrics, and reporting mechanisms for assigned initiatives.
• Facilitate collaboration among operations, nursing, finance, human resources, and executive stakeholders.
• Present analyses, recommendations, and project outcomes to operational and senior leadership teams.

Required Qualifications at this Level

Education

Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering or related field.

Experience

Minimum of 4 years of related experience. Experience can be supplemented with Master's degree with a Masters being equivalent to two year of experience. Or, with 2 years of Duke ME I experience

Degrees, Licensure, and/or Certification

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong analytical, quantitative, and problem-solving skills.
• Advanced proficiency with SQL and data analysis tools.
• Experience with Tableau, Power BI, or other data visualization tools.
• Knowledge of labor productivity, workforce planning, staffing models, and healthcare operations.
• Ability to develop analytical models and decision-support tools.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present complex information to operational and executive leaders.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and work effectively with interdisciplinary teams.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy and integrity.