What does a quality assurance engineering manager do?
Quality Assurance Engineering Managers require up to five years in any related field and one to three years of supervisory experience, and a healthy and developed set of skills including math, leadership, and crucial thinking. Those who choose this career option can expect an annual salary between $80K and $141K. Their responsibilities involve the development and safeguarding of quality standards for production companies and staff management, production process oversight, data analysis, and strategy planning to ensure higher product quality.
Quality assurance engineering manager responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real quality assurance engineering manager resumes:
- Lead the company to Boeing D1-9000 and AS9100 certification.
- Achieve API 6FD fire testing approval for check valve product line.
- Manage initial USDA regulatory visits, working collaboratively with USDA inspectors leading audit preparation and follow-up activities and reports.
- Develop teams for the supplier quality program for compliance to ISO and FDA regulations including supplier selection, evaluation and maintenance.
- Prepare and maintain PPAP, APQP, control plan, PFMEAS and other OEM require documentation.
- Discover, report, complete risk mitigation, and resolve a key characteristic test failure using SPC analysis.
- Provide GCP oversight and auditing of contract services (clinical laboratories, core laboratories and data management).
- Modify SDLC so QA are involved from inception phase instead of QA becoming involve when feature are marked complete.
- Encourage the usage of ISO 9001 and 9002 and QS 9000 standards and procedures at all suppliers as best practice.
- Represent the QA department to senior management and champion QA best practices in accordance to the company's SDLC processes.
- Utilize basic statistical tools (e.g., SPC, variation, stability, control) to analyze for trends or issues.
- Implement quality system for AS9100 certification.
- Interface directly with FDA in formulating regulatory procedures for newly test medical devices and subsequent reporting procedures and format.
- Redesign QA job responsibilities, increasing oversight of critical manufacturing process and fulfilling FDA commitment without increasing head count.
- Review all regulatory and oversight audits conduct by external parties and assure that all deficiencies and/or recommendations are addressed and implement.
Quality assurance engineering manager skills and personality traits
We calculated that 9% of Quality Assurance Engineering Managers are proficient in Corrective Action, Continuous Improvement, and Java. They’re also known for soft skills such as Interpersonal skills, Leadership skills, and Time-management skills.
We break down the percentage of Quality Assurance Engineering Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Corrective Action, 9%
Facilitated meetings toward containment, implemented increased periodic testing, and verified corrective action in facility to eliminate potential contamination source.
- Continuous Improvement, 7%
Address and resolve audit observations as a continuous improvement initiate and alignment to compliance regulations and industry standards.
- Java, 6%
Directed SQA planning, development & product test execution for J2ME products and Java Device Test Suite.
- Sigma, 5%
Guided the Design Assurance team in all issues regarding production quality standards and product testing/usability and analysis using Six Sigma tools.
- ISO, 5%
Coordinated extensive internal audits to maintain periodic ISO and Automotive Standard certifications.
- Lean Six Sigma, 5%
Used initiative to promote significant Lean Six Sigma company-wide training initiative with local college.
Most quality assurance engineering managers use their skills in "corrective action," "continuous improvement," and "java" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential quality assurance engineering manager responsibilities here:
Interpersonal skills. One of the key soft skills for a quality assurance engineering manager to have is interpersonal skills. You can see how this relates to what quality assurance engineering managers do because "industrial production managers must have excellent communication skills to work well other managers and with staff." Additionally, a quality assurance engineering manager resume shows how quality assurance engineering managers use interpersonal skills: "demonstrate proven leadership ability and excellent interpersonal skills while mentoring and teaching the team effective problem solving. "
Leadership skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling quality assurance engineering manager duties is leadership skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "to keep the production process running smoothly, industrial production managers must motivate and direct employees." According to a quality assurance engineering manager resume, here's how quality assurance engineering managers can utilize leadership skills in their job responsibilities: "provided leadership to the newly formed supplier quality assurance organization. "
Problem-solving skills. A big part of what quality assurance engineering managers do relies on "problem-solving skills." You can see how essential it is to quality assurance engineering manager responsibilities because "production managers must identify and address problems that arise." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical quality assurance engineering manager tasks: "negotiated liability for product quality concerns with suppliers and assisted in corrective action plans and provided recommendations for resolution. "
See the full list of quality assurance engineering manager skills
The three companies that hire the most quality assurance engineering managers are:
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Quality assurance engineering manager vs. Director of quality
In the manufacturing industry, a director of quality is primarily in charge of spearheading and overseeing the daily operations in a quality assurance department. They work to ensure that products adhere to the company's quality standards and industry regulations by conducting research and assessments, developing quality test systems, and reviewing reports. As a director of quality, they have the authority to make significant decisions, establish protocols and guidelines, set objectives and timelines, and implement rules and policies, creating new ones as necessary.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a quality assurance engineering manager are more likely to require skills like "java," "test procedures," "scrum," and "dod." On the other hand, a job as a director of quality requires skills like "healthcare," "quality improvement," "patients," and "oversight." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Directors of quality tend to make the most money working in the finance industry, where they earn an average salary of $155,704. In contrast, quality assurance engineering managers make the biggest average salary, $131,506, in the technology industry.On average, directors of quality reach higher levels of education than quality assurance engineering managers. Directors of quality are 9.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 1.3% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Quality assurance engineering manager vs. Quality lead
A quality assurance (QA) lead is responsible for organizing and managing the testing of products prior to its release. Your duties will include defining testing standards and strategies, establishing formal QA processes, and overseeing all aspects of QA, such as using best practices and establishing metrics. Additionally, you are responsible for supervising and mentoring QA team members, and developing and implementing scripts, test cases, and procedures. You are also responsible for managing off quality products and developing and institutionalizing ISO complaints.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, quality assurance engineering manager responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "java," "quality management system," "as9100," and "scrum." Meanwhile, a quality lead has duties that require skills in areas such as "project management," "management system," "customer service," and "quality system." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Quality leads earn a lower average salary than quality assurance engineering managers. But quality leads earn the highest pay in the health care industry, with an average salary of $92,715. Additionally, quality assurance engineering managers earn the highest salaries in the technology with average pay of $131,506 annually.quality leads earn similar levels of education than quality assurance engineering managers in general. They're 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Quality assurance engineering manager vs. Quality supervisor
A quality supervisor is an individual who manages and implements the quality assurance and control systems of a company to ensure the proper execution of products and customer satisfaction. Quality supervisors oversee a team of quality control analysts and train them on the latest product standards. They must make sure that customers are pleased with the finished product by communicating with them and setting realistic expectations. Quality supervisors must also provide reports on quality metrics to the other members of the management team.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a quality assurance engineering manager is likely to be skilled in "java," "quality management system," "test procedures," and "scrum," while a typical quality supervisor is skilled in "food safety," "quality procedures," "management system," and "gmp."
Quality supervisors earn the highest salary when working in the automotive industry, where they receive an average salary of $73,685. Comparatively, quality assurance engineering managers have the highest earning potential in the technology industry, with an average salary of $131,506.Most quality supervisors achieve a similar degree level compared to quality assurance engineering managers. For example, they're 2.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Quality assurance engineering manager vs. Manager, quality engineer
A quality engineer manager is in charge of designing and developing quality control procedures, ensuring all products and operations meet the company's standards. Their responsibilities revolve around performing research and analysis to identify business needs, assessing existing quality control methods to identify areas needing improvements, and providing solutions on issues and concerns. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the workforce to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between quality assurance engineering managers and managers, quality engineer, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a quality assurance engineering manager might have more use for skills like "test procedures," "scrum," "dod," and "software development." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of managers, quality engineer require skills like "quality engineering," "qa," "aerospace," and "data analysis. "
The technology industry tends to pay the highest salaries for managers, quality engineer, with average annual pay of $124,149. Comparatively, the highest quality assurance engineering manager annual salary comes from the technology industry.The average resume of managers, quality engineer showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to quality assurance engineering managers. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 3.0% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.3%.Types of quality assurance engineering manager
Updated January 8, 2025
