If you’re considering a quality assurance inspector job, then you’re looking into an extremely rewarding field of work that requires you to show a great deal of responsibility, professionalism, and focus. The success of a manufacturing company may depend largely on how well you are verifying their products and processes. Even the equipment used to solve crimes may be certified by you!
A quality assurance inspector job description can tell you a lot about this field. Some quality assurance inspector jobs require you to be on a manufacturing line, inspecting products as they come down the line in order to make sure that the given product satisfies all the quality inspection points. You may even observe the workers on the line to ensure that they are complying with quality control procedures and safety requirements. You might inspect shipping records to determine if the size and weight of shipments are accurate, or even inspect jets!
Getting a bit more technical, you might inspect critical electronic instruments, gauges, and equipment for use in assembly lines, hospitals, or scientific labs. It’s your attention to perfection that will ensure their success! There are also opportunities for quality assurance jobs in scientific fields such as chemistry, biology, forensics, and nuclear physics.
Just as there are many types of quality assurance inspector jobs, there are also many levels of qualifications and various training requirements. As a basic line inspector, you may be able to work your way up through the company from a dock worker or other general manufacturing position. More advanced quality assurance inspector jobs require two to five years of work in a manufacturing environment, and a basic understanding of incoming and outgoing shipping procedures. Some quality assurance inspector jobs require you to specialize in certain materials such as lumber, plastics, metals, or even electronic equipment. And more technical quality assurance inspector jobs may require you to have a BA in electronics or another specialized scientific field such as biology or chemistry. If you are not yet in college and want to take this approach to becoming a quality assurance inspector, then you should take as much math and science in high school as you can.
With advances in technology, it is highly likely you will need to have basic to advanced computer skills, depending on the type of quality assurance inspector job you aspire to. It is a good idea to attain familiarity with advanced computer programs or lab equipment. It may even be a good idea to enroll in an associate program at a technical or community college to get some of the hands-on experience you’ll need.
Quality assurance inspector working conditions can be varied. Depending on your field of expertise, you might even work in a forest or in a lab with chemists or nuclear technicians. Imagine having your choice of places to work, schedules, and area of the country to live in. Beware, though: Quality assurance inspector jobs in the fields of chemistry, nuclear science, and biology may require you expose yourself to hazardous toxins, mechanical equipment, or chemicals.
The job prospects for less qualified quality assurance inspectors will actually decline by 7% over the next ten years. This decline is primarily due to more automated manufacturing lines. To some degree, job prospects for general quality assurance inspectors are dependent upon fluctuations in the manufacturing industry and the movement of production jobs offshore. However, quality assurance inspector jobs for people with applied science degrees or those with a good deal of experience in a specialized field will grow by about 12% over the next ten years. This growth is due to advances in scientific research in the materials, medical, and biochemical fields.
Just as there are many opportunities to work as a quality assurance inspector, so are there varying expectations for a quality assurance inspector salary. As a general inspector, tester, or sorter, you can make anywhere from $10.00 to $18.00 an hour. Your prospects and opportunities will improve if you embrace some industrial training or certifications. More specialized and scientific quality assurance inspector jobs can pay anywhere from $14.00 to $30.00 per hour.
Quality assurance inspector jobs are not easy, and generally require you to have a great eye for detail, a willingness to embrace and endorse strict processes and policies, and to display accuracy through records and documents. A company’s continued success depends on how well you catch product defects, enforce proper safety and manufacturing procedures, and adapt quality control modifications coming from managers and company heads.
