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What is a quality control-associate scientist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. William Collier Ph.D.

Quality control associate scientists are the last line of defense between the public and defective products. These analysts are employed in nearly every manufacturing industry and ensure that all consumer goods meet production standards.

A quality control (QC) associate scientist can be responsible for a large variety of tasks and the specifics of the job vary from industry to industry. Typical tasks of a QC associate scientist might include testing various product attributes, tracking production procedures to ensure guidelines are followed, and accurately logging and reporting any defects found in the product.

The education requirements for quality control associate scientists vary widely depending on the employer's field of manufacture. For example, QC associate scientists in the bioscience industry are usually expected to hold at least a bachelor's degree in chemistry. However, some companies call for much more lenient qualifications, and it is sometimes possible to become a QC associate scientist with no more than a high school diploma or GED.

With an average entry-level salary of about $55,000 annually, the QC associate scientist career is a valuable opportunity for newcomers to the labor force.

What general advice would you give to a quality control-associate scientist?

Dr. William Collier Ph.D.Dr. William Collier Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Professor of Chemistry, Oral Roberts University

Know where you want to go, and head in that direction. Be open to a lot of different starting positions; you are young and can change at this point in your career reasonably quickly. In short, if an exciting job comes up, it is not exactly what you are looking for, but you need a job. You might be surprised to find out what you do and do not like about it. You can always change a few years down the line. Work hard, be honest, treat others right, be a team person, and leave excellent impressions of yourself. You will live happier, and be surprised at how far your reputation (for good or ill) will travel. Verbal references to your work skill, talent, and work behavior can carry more weight than a resume.
ScoreQuality Control-Associate ScientistUS Average
Salary
6.1

Avg. Salary $77,890

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
5.6

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.3
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.03%

Asian 16.80%

Black or African American 8.59%

Hispanic or Latino 15.32%

Unknown 6.02%

White 52.24%

Gender

female 50.97%

male 49.03%

Age - 35
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 35
Stress level
5.6

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.5

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.4

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Quality control-associate scientist career paths

Key steps to become a quality control-associate scientist

  1. Explore quality control-associate scientist education requirements

    Most common quality control-associate scientist degrees

    Bachelor's

    80.3 %

    Master's

    15.1 %

    Certificate

    2.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific quality control-associate scientist skills

    SkillsPercentages
    QC15.73%
    Continuous Improvement5.97%
    Test Methods5.43%
    GMP4.97%
    HPLC4.92%
  3. Complete relevant quality control-associate scientist training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New quality control-associate scientists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a quality control-associate scientist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real quality control-associate scientist resumes.
  4. Research quality control-associate scientist duties and responsibilities

    • SAP, Trackwise and outlook manage.
    • Initiate documentation of components and record all testing upon their completion according to USP and EP, in compliance with FDA.
    • Perform laboratory investigations for OOS results.
    • Research, identify, purchase & biotinylate specific commercial MMP antibodies for use in in-house ELISA's.
  5. Prepare your quality control-associate scientist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your quality control-associate scientist resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a quality control-associate scientist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable quality control-associate scientist resume templates

    Build a professional quality control-associate scientist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your quality control-associate scientist resume.
    Quality Control-Associate Scientist Resume
    Quality Control-Associate Scientist Resume
    Quality Control-Associate Scientist Resume
    Quality Control-Associate Scientist Resume
    Quality Control-Associate Scientist Resume
    Quality Control-Associate Scientist Resume
    Quality Control-Associate Scientist Resume
    Quality Control-Associate Scientist Resume
    Quality Control-Associate Scientist Resume
  6. Apply for quality control-associate scientist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a quality control-associate scientist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first quality control-associate scientist job

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Average quality control-associate scientist salary

The average quality control-associate scientist salary in the United States is $77,890 per year or $37 per hour. Quality control-associate scientist salaries range between $52,000 and $115,000 per year.

Average quality control-associate scientist salary
$77,890 Yearly
$37.45 hourly

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Quality control-associate scientist reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019
Pros

Ingenuity and the fast paced environment while critical thinking to solve the problems.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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