Quality assurance or QA jobs exist in industries that deal with the development, manufacture, and delivery or sale of products, merchandize, or services. Some examples of these are pharmaceuticals, electronics, chemicals, food manufacturing, automobiles, aerospace, building supplies and materials, and many more. The specific tasks vary by company and industry, but the responsibilities and functions for most of them are generally the same-quality maintenance, reliability, and safety of the goods or services.
On the frontline of QA work are the quality assurance specialists whose responsibilities also include finding out how and where defective products and services originated and how these can be remedied immediately. A team of quality assurance people is headed by a quality assurance manager who makes sure that these findings are documented and methods or other forms of technical remedy is set forth to fix the problem.
Individuals who wish to go into QA employment will be equipped with the knowledge in properly testing and inspecting their line of products or services following a standard of frequency, stages, and steps. Depending on the product or service being tested and inspected, these may undergo one or more stages and steps. A set criterion for food, for example, may include various stages and steps for quantity, taste, ingredients, color, safety, and packaging. For materials, durability, performance, and physical quality may form part of the criterion. These same products may also be tested under a variety of simulated conditions like temperatures and water immersion.
A QA career is a good prospect for people who are interested in this kind of job. One must understand the qualities of an individual who would wish to build a career as a QA professional. They must be naturally inquisitive and observant, detail-oriented, have good communication and analytical skills, and be good with statistics, data-gathering and interpretation. Advancement through the ranks of the quality assurance field normally occurs after years of being exposed to and learning from the QA work like most jobs do as well as the necessary academic background.
There are QA opportunities for people who have the qualities and basic understanding of the functions and responsibilities involved in the work. New graduates also have the chance to apply for this kind of job specifically for the position of quality assurance specialists. There are some instances also that QA people cross over from one industry to another as a career choice. This is where some specific tasks change. On the other hand, some people originally from the production side of the company make it easier to apply and transition from their work because of their acquired understanding of production which is always useful in QA jobs.
QA Employment Requirements
For applicants who want QA employment, a business-related course and good statistical or mathematical skills are needed, but those who graduated with a bachelor's degree in engineering or quality or reliability technology from selected colleges or universities will have an advantage. This is because interpretation of statistics, data, and graphs are part of the usual QA process. Additionally, QA specialists will be in demand as part of the cost-production strategies of companies, especially in the manufacturing industry.
Quality assurance managers may also carry a similar bachelor's degree, but a master's degree also for quality or reliability technology is most preferred by employers. Most QA managers either began in QA jobs as engineers, statisticians working in coordination with QA, or as QA specialists.
A few QA managers also have doctoral degrees to aid them in their QA career while some may go into independent consultancy work after several years of working with a company. Some who choose to stay in their current companies may also become part of the management team. The annual median salary of QA managers in 2006 was at $71,683. While for electronics software development QA specialists, the salary was from $41,860 to 64,285. Since QA work varies by actual tasks, annual salaries are also determined by industry type, size of company or organization, and location.
Since QA opportunities abound in most companies and industries, an applicant also has a chance to apply where his or her interest lies, for instance, in an electronics company where this work is also in demand. For more job vacancies, check out QAQCCrossing.com as well and find your dream job. With all the helpful options available, finding the perfect QA job will be so much easier and quicker. At QAQCCrossing.com, there is a one-day FREE trial to begin your job search, so sign up now!
