Quality Assurance Specialist
Design or plan protocols for equipment or processes to produce products meeting internal and external purity, safety, and quality requirements.
Annual openings
438
BLS median wage
$109,750
Typical education
Bachelor's degree
10-year growth
+11%
Career requirements
What does this career require?
The education, credentials, and on-the-job competencies Colorado employers expect for this role.
Typical education
Bachelor's degree
Credential requirement
No specific credential listed yet
Credential detail
No credential is required. Some manufactured goods must meet special quality requirements, such as Aerospace Manufacturing meeting AS 9100 Certification standards. In those cases, those certifications will be valued.
Work experience
No previous work experience is required. However, jobs as a technician can help you gain experience for this job.
Employer competency information
- Feedback from employers identified the following competencies as being critical to success: Effective communication with peers when a problem is found, the ability to read blueprints, and the use of hand and precision tools.
Is this work a fit?
What the work actually feels like
How people in this career tend to spend their time, the interests it draws on, and a look at a typical day.
Work style
- With kids/peopleOccasionally
- On a computerOccasionally
- Outdoors / on-siteOccasionally
- With your handsOccasionally
Interests it draws on
- Engineering and Science
- Engineering
Automation exposure
Moderate exposure
Some routine tasks may shift as tools improve, but the role is likely to adapt.
A typical day
- Study product characteristics or customer requirements to determine validation objectives and standards.
- Analyze validation test data to determine whether systems or processes have met validation criteria or to identify root causes of production problems.
- Develop validation master plans, process flow diagrams, test cases, or standard operating procedures.
- Prepare detailed reports or design statements, based on results of validation and qualification tests or reviews of procedures and protocols.
- Maintain validation test equipment.
- Conduct validation or qualification tests of new or existing processes, equipment, or software in accordance with internal protocols or external standards.