Career Overview
Conduct tests to determine quality of raw materials, bulk intermediate and finished products. May conduct stability sample tests.
Also Known As
- Lab Technician (Lab Tech)
- QA Auditor (Quality Assurance Auditor)
- QA Tech (Quality Assurance Technician)
- Quality Control Technician (QC Tech)
Alternate Job Titles
- Chemistry Quality Control Analyst (Chemistry QC Analyst)
- Chemistry Quality Control Technician (Chemistry QC Technician)
- Data Quality Analyst
- IT Quality Control Analyst (Information Technology Quality Control Analyst)
- Lab Analyst
- Lab Technician (Lab Tech)
- Laboratory Analyst
- Laboratory Technician (Lab Tech)
- Microbiology Lab Analyst
- Microbiology Quality Control Technician (Microbiology QC Tech)
- Performance Quality Auditor
- QA Analyst (Quality Assurance Analyst)
- QA Associate (Quality Assurance Associate)
- QA Auditor (Quality Assurance Auditor)
- QA Lab Tech (Quality Assurance Lab Technician)
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Conduct routine and non-routine analyses of in-process materials, raw materials, environmental samples, finished goods, or stability samples.
- Interpret test results, compare them to established specifications and control limits, and make recommendations on appropriateness of data for release.
- Calibrate, validate, or maintain laboratory equipment.
- Ensure that lab cleanliness and safety standards are maintained.
- Perform visual inspections of finished products.
- Complete documentation needed to support testing procedures, including data capture forms, equipment logbooks, or inventory forms.
- Compile laboratory test data and perform appropriate analyses.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Mathematics
- Production and Processing
- Chemistry
- English Language
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Quality Control Analysis
- Reading Comprehension
- Monitoring
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Near Vision
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Expression
- Oral Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Far Vision
- Flexibility of Closure
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Integrity
- Achievement Orientation
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Support
- Independence
- Working Conditions
- Recognition
- Relationships
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months
Education Details: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Experience Required: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Adobe Acrobat
- Atlassian JIRA
- C
- Extensible markup language XML
- Hypertext markup language HTML
- JavaScript
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft ASP.NET
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
Tools & Equipment
- Absorbance spectrophotometers
- Adhesion testers
- Autosamplers
- Bolt tension meters
- Coating thickness gauges
- Copy machines
- Dew point meters
- Durometers
- Dynamometers
- Flowmeters
- Fluorescence spectrophotometers
- Force gauges
- Gas chromatographs
- Gel casters
- Gel electrophoresis systems
Work Environment
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Salary & Job Market
Wages reported for the broader Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other occupational group (BLS 2024), which includes Quality Control Analysts.
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $37,310 |
| Median | $60,130 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $101,870 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 71,400
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Quality Control Systems Managers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $121,440
Validation Engineers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $101,140
Industrial Engineers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $101,140
Chemical Technicians
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $57,790
Calibration Technologists and Technicians
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: $65,040
Is This Career Right for You?
Discover your perfect career match with our free comprehensive assessment! Get personalized recommendations based on your interests, skills, and values.
Take the Free Career Assessment →
Want Personalized Guidance?
For customized career recommendations, college selection strategies, and expert application support, explore the MehtA+ Admissions Consulting Program. We help students identify the right opportunities and navigate the path to achieving their academic and career goals.
Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.