Quality assurance specialists prevent your company from delivering less-than-perfect products by monitoring production and carrying out product tests. They also address specific customer complaints and enact plans to improve product quality in the future. They may be called upon to address company management if they notice a fundamental production flaw.
Proactive removal of defective products combined with responsiveness to consumer feedback is characteristic of the best quality assurance specialists. They must have close attention to detail and the ability to communicate results in written reports. Your quality assurance specialist job description should emphasize these qualities.
A background in math and mechanics can prove to be a major asset in this field. Your hire should also have the physical stamina to perform tests on a daily basis. Start writing the quality assurance specialist job description that will generate the most qualified responses by using the example below.
Quality Assurance Specialist Job Summary
Do you value customer service and take pride in delivering a top-notch product? Do you love working with others to find solutions? A position as a quality assurance specialist is your opportunity to ensure that consumers are buying the best possible goods on the market. Technical skills and attention to detail are very important in this career, but so is effective communication, so you can be sure there’s never a dull moment. From carrying out surprise quality checks to making suggestions to management about how to make products safer to fielding customer feedback, a job in quality assurance is your chance to do a job well done every day.
Job Responsibilities
- Perform micro quality checks on individual products and macro checks on machinery on a daily basis or as needed
- Apply quality assurance procedures to all steps of the manufacturing process: raw materials, manufacturing equipment, prototypes and finished products
- Compile daily, monthly and annual reports on overall quality and recommendations for improvement, and deliver them to management
- Predict and evaluate customer complaints, and respond to them by improving the quality of products on the market
- Study applicable safety and quality standards legislation, and ensure consistent, complete compliance in every department across the range of products
- Coordinate closely with the production department to schedule routine quality checks, communicate the results and ensure compliance with feedback
- Understand what a normal test result should be, and make judgement calls concerning re-testing if the initial result is suspect
- Lead internal audits and validations to uncover inefficiencies and flaws, and provide meaningful suggestions for improving ineffective practices
Job Skills & Qualifications
Reqiured:
- Associate degree in a field related to the industry
- Experience utilizing written technical procedures
- Leadership, communication, analysis and decision-making skills
Preferred:
- Bachelor’s degree in a field related to the industry
- Experience with documentation software
- Three years of experience in a similar role
Quality Assurance Specialist Job Responsibilities
A useful quality assurance specialist job description will include a list of responsibilities. This section should give prospective applicants a clear idea of what this position entails. Describe several routine tasks to present what the daily agenda of a quality assurance specialist involves. You may also want to point out the larger contributions of these specialists to the good reputation and overall success of the company.
A bulleted list can make it easier for jobseekers reviewing a quality assurance specialist job description to determine whether this position suits their skill set. Start each line with an action verb and keep this list to a manageable length, ideally no more than eight points. After reading this list, a prospective applicant should comprehend the nature of a quality assurance specialist position and know whether they want to learn more about this job offering.
Consider the following examples of quality assurance specialist job responsibilities:
- Maintain quality standards for manufactured goods in accordance with federal and industry-standard regulations
- Participate in risk assessment and perform internal audits and inspections to collect and analyze production data
- Produce and revise quality assurance programs to maintain daily monitoring and oversight, and train employees in using these programs
- Develop testing protocols and quality improvement initiatives
- Produce, complete and organize compliance documentation
Quality Assurance Specialist Job Specifications
The job qualifications and skills section is another important part of a quality assurance specialist job description. Exact standards can significantly reduce the number of resumes you receive from candidates who do not meet the requirements for a quality assurance specialist role.
You may want to consider specifying the extent of past experience or level of education an applicant should possess in order to be a competitive candidate for this position. If you are willing to be flexible regarding these requirements, consider breaking this section up into minimum and preferred requirements. This can prevent the description from ruling out applicants who may not have all of your preferred requirements but excel in other areas.
If you are uncertain where to set the bar for a quality assurance specialist position, you might consider talking with managers or other senior employees in related departments. Getting everyone on the same page can help to ensure that the quality assurance specialist job description you post is likely to attract the best candidates to your company.
Here are a few examples of quality assurance specialist job specifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in related field, or a minimum of three years of experience in a regulatory role
- Ability to work as part of a team using verbal and written communication skills
- Proficiency with product testing, database and office software
- Attention to detail