What Is A Quality Engineer Job Description? (With Sample)

Updated 19 September 2023

Quality engineers design, develop, inspect and improve the quality standards of operational processes and manufacturing outputs. They use their knowledge of quality control systems and troubleshooting skills to implement appropriate quality measures, meet quality specifications and comply with safety regulations. By learning about the responsibilities and skills of quality engineers, you can make an informed decision about pursuing a quality engineering career. In this article, we provide the quality engineer job description, discuss the role and responsibilities of quality engineers, explore their key skills, qualifications and requirements and review a sample job description.

What Is A Quality Engineer Job Description?

A quality engineer job description is a listing a company provides that displays the qualifications, experience and skills required for a quality engineer position. It is essential for candidates to read the job description carefully to understand the requirements and prepare accordingly to increase their chances of getting shortlisted.

A quality engineer is an engineering professional specialising in the development of quality control processes to meet established quality standards. They inspect and test materials, manufacturing equipment, production processes and the resulting products to ensure these meet quality specifications. Their work responsibilities include analysing quality performance, complying with safety regulations and troubleshooting products and production issues. A quality engineer's job description also includes developing appropriate solutions for quality control issues.

Quality Engineer Role And Responsibilities

The primary roles and responsibilities of a quality engineer listed in many job descriptions are:

Determine what quality standards are and establish detailed guidelines about what to check
Create blueprints and documentation for quality assurance checking
Oversee the quality standards of the organisation's engineering and manufacturing processes
Develop, implement, audit and update quality standards and quality control systems
Investigate production and product issues and consider corrective measures to make improvements
Perform regular quality check tests for the early identification of any potential issues
Prepare detailed reports of malfunctioning equipment and defective product raw materials
Write detailed reports on the corrective actions to take to fix technical issues and production cycle issues
Ensure compliance with quality specifications by the inspection and testing of materials, equipment, processes and products at different stages
Collaborate with suppliers, managers and other personnel to meet organisational quality standards
Coordinate with the organisation's internal teams to improve product quality and meet customer requirements
Work in coordination with external technicians and quality assurance auditors
Review customer feedback and implement changes to improve products to increase customer satisfaction and build brand loyalty
Stay updated about safety and legal standards and regulations for manufacturing processes and manufactured products
Monitor and analyse production efforts to optimise them and reduce operational expenses
Gather relevant data to prepare detailed quality standard reports and submit them to the senior management

Important Skills For A Quality Engineer

In job descriptions for open positions, employers may list the following skills as requirements for quality engineers:

Mathematical skills

Quality engineers require an in-depth understanding of mathematical and statistical concepts in their work. They use various mathematical and statistical modelling techniques in their quality management and diagnostic systems to interpret and analyse essential data. They can use the results of the data analysis to modify the production processes and improve the industrial production quality.

Computer skills

It is essential for quality engineers to be proficient in quality management software and word processing software. Their work responsibilities require them to generate and analyse various reports regularly. With their technical skills, they can collaborate on these reports with other quality assurance professionals and share them with relevant stakeholders.

Creative thinking skills

By reviewing complex, multi-layered issues from a creative perspective, quality engineers may find innovative solutions for them. This may help them counter and overcome unique challenges in production processes and achieve quality outcomes efficiently. Their creative thinking abilities can also assist them in ensuring customer satisfaction and achieving business success.

Critical thinking skills

Critical thinking skills are important for quality engineers as their work involves identifying and improving problems in the production processes. When analysing processes and products, it is necessary for quality engineers to consider how the end-users might use them or benefit from them. Their role requires them to consider available facts and remain open to different ideas for promoting innovation and improving product quality.

Attention to detail skills

When quality engineers develop different quality standards and systems, it is crucial for them to pay attention to details to ensure successful implementation. By being aware of the small aspects, they can better identify problem areas and existing flaws in the production processes. This can also help them foresee where potential issues can arise and take preventive measures to prevent work disruption. If they can resolve minor problems in time, they can minimise operational redundancies or delays successfully.

Communication skills

Typically, quality engineers have regular work-related interactions with coworkers, managers, stakeholders, suppliers and customers. Excellent verbal, written and listening communication skills can help them manage these interactions successfully and collaborate well with relevant people. They can explain complex, technical quality assurance topics in understandable terms to a non-technical audience.

Teamwork skills

Their work often involves collaborating with the quality assurance team, which makes it necessary for a quality engineer to have excellent teamwork skills. They can share work responsibilities, prioritise work tasks and share relevant information related to testing processes and products. In addition, they can utilise their team members' skills, knowledge, expertise and perspectives to overcome challenges and achieve organisational quality objectives.

Time management skills

Their quality engineering role may require quality engineers to multitask and undertake various complicated projects. For that, it is necessary for them to track their time and ensure they are using it optimally. With their excellent time management skills, they can plan the work process and complete the tasks on schedule to meet delivery deadlines effectively. By doing so, they can achieve their short-term and long-term goals of maintaining quality standards.

Decision-making skills

The ability to make quick and logical decisions is essential for quality engineers. They base their decisions on available market data and use the information to find appropriate solutions for current or potential issues. Aside from knowing how to make the right decisions to overcome problems, they can also benefit from the ability to delegate the tasks to their team members based on their skill and knowledge levels.

Quality Engineer Educational Qualifications

Job descriptions for entry-level quality engineering positions require candidates to have completed a three or four-year diploma or bachelor's degree in any engineering discipline. A master's degree is usually necessary for senior quality engineering positions. Candidates can also have educational qualifications in information technology, computer science or other relevant fields.

Some job descriptions may list the Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) certification as a requirement to ensure that candidates have advanced knowledge of quality evaluation and control principles for products and services. Employers may also list other certification requirements such as Certified Software Quality Analyst (CSQA), International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB), Certified Manager of Software Quality (CMSQ) or Certified Test Engineer (CSTE).

Quality Engineer Experience Requirements

A job description for a quality engineer may list the following experience requirements:

Bachelor's or master's degree in quality, industrial or another engineering discipline
Two to five years of work experience in quality assurance, quality engineering or another relevant position
Internship experience or experience in a manufacturing environment
CSTE or ASQ certification preferred
Strong communication, interpersonal, collaboration, analytical and problem-solving skills
Excellent project management skills
Experience with using quality assurance tools and processes
Experience with operating and inspecting Coordinate Measuring Machines
Familiarity with coding, calculi and statistical analyses
Knowledge of technical documentation and testing methodologies and quality management systems

Sample Job Description Of A Quality Engineer

Some leading industries that recruit quality engineers are the technology, automotive, aviation, defence, energy, pharmaceutical and food and beverage industries. The following job description sample can give you an idea of the quality engineer job requirements:

Tech Confluence Company is looking for a methodical, talented, experienced quality engineer to join our production team.

Position: Quality Engineer

Location: Noida

Desired Profile:

Bachelor's degree and other relevant certifications
Over four years of experience in a quality assurance role
Thorough knowledge of quality assurance tools and methods
Familiar with determining quality improvement parameters relevant to the manufacturing processes

Job duties can include but may not restrict to:

Develop sampling plans
Maintain statistical process controls
Analyse test data and prepare data analysis reports
Ensure our products and procedures meet established safety and quality standards
Build quality products that address customer requirements

Please share your CV, cover letter and portfolio at hiringteam@tcc.com

Best regards,

The Hiring Team, Tech Confluence Company

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are associated with Indeed.

What Is A Quality Engineer Job Description? (With Sample)