How to hire a quality control inspector

How to hire a quality control inspector, step by step

Here's a step-by-step quality control inspector hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a quality control inspector job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new quality control inspector
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a quality control inspector do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The quality control inspector hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a quality control inspector to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a quality control inspector that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of quality control inspectors.

   Type of Quality Control Inspector	Description	Hourly rate
   Quality Control Inspector	Quality control inspectors examine products and materials for defects or deviations from specifications.	$12-22
   Inspector General	An inspector general is responsible for doing audit reports and inspections to ensure that no possible fraud, misconduct, corruption, or power abuse in the government or private sector occurs. Their role is to monitor and inspect the agencies' effectiveness, assess possible mismanagement of a company, and improve the economy... Show more	$14-35
   Quality Assurance Technician	Quality assurance is an essential part of a company that offers products and services. It is critical that the company's output remains consistent and up to par with community standards... Show more	$12-28

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Calipers
   • Magnetic Particle
   • Quality Products
   • Micrometers
   • Safety Standards
   • Quality Standards
   • ISO
   • Inspection Procedures
   • QA
   • Inspection Results
   • Engineering Drawings
   • CMM
   • Inspection Reports
   • Corrective Action

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Coordinate joint surveys with SATORP inspectors and manage clearance of all issue active LBE and NCR.
   • Conduct measurements and verify critical dimensions using micrometers, calipers, measuring tape, protractors and other calibrate instruments.
   • Measure dimensions of products to verify conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments including rulers, calipers, gauges and micrometers.
   • Use of the RF scanner to receive merchandises to their proper locations in a measure time.
   • Fill items correctly while tracking inventory using RF scan gun; manually correct product counts in system.
   • Complete lab checks on cook and raw pork products, as well as part of the HACCP team.

   More quality control inspector duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your quality control inspector job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A quality control inspector can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, quality control inspectors' average salary in tennessee is 49% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level quality control inspectors 47% less than senior-level quality control inspectors.
   • Certifications. A quality control inspector with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a quality control inspector's salary.

   Average quality control inspector salary

   $35,018yearly

   $16.84 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level quality control inspector salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average quality control inspector salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Colorado	$41,528	$20
   2	California	$41,100	$20
   3	Minnesota	$39,741	$19
   4	Arizona	$36,312	$17
   5	Kansas	$35,968	$17
   6	Utah	$35,860	$17
   7	New York	$35,857	$17
   8	Missouri	$35,842	$17
   9	Pennsylvania	$35,350	$17
   10	Oklahoma	$35,102	$17
   11	Illinois	$34,773	$17
   12	Ohio	$34,743	$17
   13	Indiana	$34,201	$16
   14	Texas	$34,144	$16
   15	Florida	$33,743	$16
   16	Nebraska	$32,074	$15
   17	Georgia	$30,691	$15
   18	Alabama	$28,560	$14
   19	Tennessee	$27,618	$13

   Average quality control inspector salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Los Alamos National Laboratory	$61,502	$29.57	32
   2	Battelle	$60,148	$28.92	5
   3	Westinghouse Appliances Australia	$56,295	$27.06	16
   4	Schneider Electric Industrial Services	$54,669	$26.28	15
   5	ABB	$52,349	$25.17	32
   6	Schlumberger	$52,105	$25.05
   7	Integra LifeSciences	$51,637	$24.83	10
   8	BD	$50,936	$24.49	14
   9	Baker Hughes	$50,935	$24.49	5
   10	Amphenol	$50,499	$24.28	19
   11	General Electric	$49,709	$23.90	165
   12	Teledyne Technologies Incorporated	$47,157	$22.67	14
   13	Meridian Bioscience	$47,150	$22.67	1
   14	Sanmina	$47,046	$22.62	29
   15	ResMed	$46,802	$22.50	1
   16	Oceaneering	$46,691	$22.45	7
   17	Steel Dynamics	$46,405	$22.31	2
   18	Globus Medical	$46,280	$22.25	33
   19	GPAC	$46,239	$22.23
   20	Sunrise Systems	$46,222	$22.22	1

4. Writing a quality control inspector job description

   A job description for a quality control inspector role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a quality control inspector job description:

   Quality control inspector job description example

   Job DescriptionAcara Solutions is looking for a Quality Inspector for our client in the Mahwah, NJ area
   
   Responsible for the daily inspection of a variety of restorative dental products utilizing manual and automated inspection equipment along with visual inspection using a microscope. Coducts final inspection in accordance with established procedure and is authorized to release product for distribution and also to reject product that does not meet specification requirements.
   
   Inspects and tests during in-process operations in accordance with established in-process inspection requirments.
   
   Performs end product final inspection and releases conforming product to the shipping department for distribution to customers.
   In combination with inspection activities, performs packaging and labeling operations. Perfoms receiving (incoming) inspection operations in accordance with established incoming inspection requirements. Performs visual & functional inspections and utilizes various insection equipment such as hand measuring tools and Zeiss Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM). Performs Equipment (CMM) scheduled TPM and Calibration Follow FIFO to ensure On-Time Delivery Supports the Danaher Business System (DBS) through the identification and analysis of quality issues and develops/implements countermeasures in cooperation with production. Participates in +QDIP daily reviews in QC and other production cells as necessary. Trains and coaches Production Operators in QC inspection techniques and methods along with product specific inspection requirements.
   Pay Rate: $20/hr.
   3rd shift---10.00pm to 6am
   
   Required Skills / Qualifications: Collaboration Continuous Learning
   Preferred Skills / Qualifications:Team WorkSound Analytical Skills
   
   Aleron companies (Acara Solutions, Aleron Shared Resources, Broadleaf Results, Lume Strategies, TalentRise, Viaduct, and Aleron's strategic partner, SDI) are Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, genetic information, sex, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis. The Aleron companies welcome and encourage applications from diverse candidates, including people with disabilities. Accommodations are available upon request for applicants taking part in all aspects of the selection process.
   Applicants for this position must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This position does not meet the employment requirements for individuals with F-1 OPT STEM work authorization status.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find quality control inspectors for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your quality control inspector job on Zippia to find and recruit quality control inspector candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with quality control inspector candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new quality control inspector

   Once you've selected the best quality control inspector candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new quality control inspector. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a quality control inspector?