Quality assurance manager

Alternative job titles for this role

• Quality assurance manager
• Quality control manager

Introduction

QC analysts ensure that a product adheres to a strictly defined set of quality criteria and meets the requirements of the client or customer. Quality control scientists can be found across a wide range of industries such as the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, diagnostics, medical device and biopharmaceutical industries as well as manufacturers of engineered products. They test materials and finished goods report on production quality to government agencies or company executives or recommend adjustments to the production or assembly process.

What the job involves

• Develop testing methods
• Perform inspections and tests on finished products
• Identify and troubleshoot problems
• Evaluate new technologies and methods to make recommendations regarding their use
• Write technical reports products and test processes
• Write quality control operating procedures
• Supply quality control data necessary for submission to regulatory bodies
• Inspect and analyse raw materials
• Monitor testing procedures to ensure that all tests are performed according to established protocols
• Investigate or report adverse test results
• Interpret test results, compare them to established specifications
• Identify quality problems and recommend solutions
• Ensure that lab cleanliness and safety standards are maintained

How your career can develop

An experienced quality control analyst can, with experience and further qualifications, progress to Quality Manager or senior laboratory analyst status.

Why quality control analysis matters

Skills

• Ability to keep meticulous records
• Passion for detail
• Meticulous approach to work
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to interact and communicate effectively with a wide range of people
• A systematic approach to tasks
• Excellent IT skills
• Good interpretative skills
• Critical-thinking skills
• Ability to work in teams
• Good at maths
• Knowledge of chemistry
• Mechanical aptitude

Typical employers

• Pharmaceutical companies
• Clinics
• Aerospace and aviation firms
• Food companies
• Metallurgy labs
• Food companies
• Agri-chemical companies
• Medical device manufacturers
• Regulatory authorities
  

  Typical salary

  Typical qualifications

  Science degree is usual entry point. Postgraduate qualifications are common for experienced QC analysts. Degrees in the following disciplines are common entry points:

  • • Graduate/Starting €28,000 to €55,000 for Drug Safety Associates
    • Senior PVO/Manager €50,000 to €100,000
    • Analytical chemist
    • Biochemist
    • Biomedical scientist
    • Biotechnologist
    • Clinical cytogeneticist
    • Clinical researcher
    • Community/retail pharmacist
    • Food technologist
    • Forensic scientist
    • Genetic technologist