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Quality control microbiologist skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read
Quoted experts
Stephanie Hooper Marosek Ph.D.,
Dr. Birgit Pruess Ph.D.
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical quality control microbiologist skills. We ranked the top skills for quality control microbiologists based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 10.1% of quality control microbiologist resumes contained environmental monitoring as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a quality control microbiologist needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 quality control microbiologist skills for your resume and career

1. Environmental Monitoring

Environmental monitoring is a method to manage and assess a particular environmental condition or situation. It plays an essential role in society as it affects how people can work and implement regulations and guidelines on protecting and conserving the environment to prevent further impact or damage. Other can assessment, monitoring also needs a support policy for and concrete plan for a long term effect.

Here's how quality control microbiologists use environmental monitoring:
  • Supported manufacturing filling operations and environmental monitoring.
  • Performed Environmental Monitoring of manufacturing operations facility.

2. GMP

GMP stands for Good Manufacturing Practice. It is a system that ensures that all products like food, beverages, and medicinal drugs that are produced comply with the quality standards. It helps in minimizing the risks and hazards that cannot be eliminated after the testing of final products.

Here's how quality control microbiologists use gmp:
  • Recommended and implemented in-process and laboratory improvements for compliance and GMP.
  • Managed company operations by verifying all completed documents, while following SOP and GMP regulations.

3. Lab Equipment

Here's how quality control microbiologists use lab equipment:
  • Performed routine maintenance and calibrations of lab equipment, scheduled yearly preventative maintenance of lab equipment.
  • Performed calibration, instrumentation and troubleshooting on Lab equipment.

4. Microbiology Lab

Here's how quality control microbiologists use microbiology lab:
  • Implemented and operated microbiology laboratory.
  • Calibrated and maintained Microbiology laboratory equipment; compiled and analyzed data for documentation; and prepared related reports.

5. FDA

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a division of the US Department of Health and Human Services that regulates the production and sale of food, pharmaceutical products, medical equipment, and other consumer goods, as well as veterinary medicine. The FDA is now in charge of overseeing the manufacture of products like vaccines, allergy treatments, and beauty products.

Here's how quality control microbiologists use fda:
  • Reviewed documentation in preparation for FDA inspections.
  • Conducted microbial testing of food, water, cosmetics, pharmaceutical products and raw materials using approved FDA BAM/AOAC/USP methodologies.

6. Bioburden

Here's how quality control microbiologists use bioburden:
  • Conducted Bioburden testing on new and routine products to recover native organisms and organisms not destroyed after initial sterilization.
  • Performed microbiological Bioburden testing of finished products and raw materials, In Process and Environmental Samples using aseptic technique.

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7. USP

USP, acronym for Unіԛuе Sеllіng Proposition, Unіԛuе Sеllіng Pоіnt or Unіԛuе Value Prороѕіtіоn, іѕ a fасtоr thаt dіѕtіnguіѕhеѕ a product аnd/оr ѕеrvісе from the rеѕt of thе competing brаndѕ іn the market. It ѕummаrіzеѕ thе еѕѕеnсе оf a buѕіnеѕѕ аnd therefore ѕеrvеѕ as thе guіdіng рrіnсірlе for аll mаrkеtіng еffоrtѕ.

Here's how quality control microbiologists use usp:
  • Validated methods and performed microbiological tests on raw materials, POU water and finished product under USP and EU guidance.
  • Executed sterility and stability testing of finished product following appropriate procedure requirements and USP, EU and JP guidelines.

8. ISO

Here's how quality control microbiologists use iso:
  • Performed EM of ISO Class 5, 7 and 8 areas and personnel during Aseptic Product Fills and Media Fills.
  • Practiced for aseptic manipulations at the medium risk level, and gowning in ISO 5 and ISO 7 environments.

9. Test Results

Here's how quality control microbiologists use test results:
  • Recognized atypical or out-of-specifications test results, instrument malfunctions and methodology problems and participates in the investigation to resolve and correct.
  • Maintained appropriate databases and spreadsheets to accurately report test results in compliance with current Good Laboratory and Good Documentation Practices.

10. Test Methods

Test methods are the steps in which thorough testing is conducted in a laboratory setting.

Here's how quality control microbiologists use test methods:
  • Developed filtration integrity test methods and delivered a professional presentation on sterilization filtration (American Society for Microbiology meeting 1987).
  • Evaluate data for trends and author standard operating procedures and microbiological test methods.

11. Aseptic Technique

Aseptic technique is a routine measure or series of actions used to prevent or minimize the risk of harmful microorganisms being introduced into a sterile area of the body during procedures that violate the body's natural defenses. The primary aim of the aseptic technique is to eliminate germs, that is, pathogenic microorganisms, to avoid contamination of a wound and other sensitive parts of the body, as this can lead to infection.

Here's how quality control microbiologists use aseptic technique:
  • Prevent contamination trough combined aseptic techniques.
  • Demonstrated proficient use of aseptic technique.

12. Growth Promotion

Here's how quality control microbiologists use growth promotion:
  • Performed routine and non-routine microbiological testing such as water bio burden and media growth promotion; gram staining and microbial identification.
  • Maintain microbiological cultures, and conduct growth promotion testing of microbiological media.

13. OOs

Here's how quality control microbiologists use oos:
  • Participated in investigations into EM excursions and production related OOS.
  • Served as GLP trainer for program staff resulting in reduced OOS occurrences due to technician error.

14. Water Samples

Here's how quality control microbiologists use water samples:
  • Led microbiological testing on purified water samples.
  • Collected Microbial, LAL, and TOC water samples from every WFI/Purified water port in the facility.

15. QC Microbiology

Here's how quality control microbiologists use qc microbiology:
  • Served as QC Microbiology representative during audits.
  • Reviewed corrective and preventative Action (CAPA) plans as the SME for QC Microbiology.
top-skills

What skills help Quality Control Microbiologists find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on quality control microbiologist resumes?

Stephanie Hooper Marosek Ph.D.Stephanie Hooper Marosek Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Chair, Associate Professor, Methodist University

Skills that make recent chemistry graduates stand out are research experience, internships, part-time work in labs, and hands-on familiarity with certain types of preparation, techniques, and analysis equipment. Most jobs in the field of chemistry are for analysts, so the ability to understand and perform certain methods and analyze/interpret data is a valuable skill.

What soft skills should all quality control microbiologists possess?

Dr. Birgit Pruess Ph.D.

Professor, North Dakota State University

Soft skills seem more important today than hard skills. I disagree with that. In the end, the job still needs to get done, and that requires technical skills. Among the soft skills, the ability to communicate and work as a team probably stands out. You need to communicate with your direct supervisor and coworkers, and permanent misunderstandings and conflict just wear everybody down. You may also be asked to present your work at a larger meeting or conference. Written communication is important too. You will have to record data and write reports. Possible write lengthy papers. Listening is part of communication as well, not just talking. If you don't listen to your supervisor, you may not understand the instructions and get yourself into trouble when you do something differently that invalidates the data. Make sure you list previous activities and accomplishments in these areas. Pick recommenders that can comment on these activities (see above).

What hard/technical skills are most important for quality control microbiologists?

Dr. Birgit Pruess Ph.D.

Professor, North Dakota State University

For a microbiologist, it is certainly important to know how to work sterile. To protect yourself and your experiment. General bacterial growth and/or virus propagation is often a minimum as well. PCR skills are asked in most workplaces, often as qPCR. This also requires precise pipetting skills. Making solutions and media can be important, though you can get lucky, and your company purchases them ready to go. If the job is with bacteria, microscope skills have gained importance once more. That includes fluorescence and highly advanced methods. Data analysis is crucial for every experiment. You may get lucky and are just asked to turn your data in. More likely than not, you will have to analyze them first. Make sure you have good computational and statistical skills. Bioinformatics can be useful these days as well, which gets us into Big Data. Mention if you have expertise in that area.

What quality control microbiologist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dennis Province Ph.D.Dennis Province Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Professor, Harding University

In the field of science, it is always a good idea to have all the skills that you can get. If you want to work in a microbiology lab, you should think about learning some chemistry or statistics. Important work never stays in one tiny corner of science; it bridges many fields and so should your skill set. People skills are also very important. Can you talk to people and communicate and listen to new ideas?
A gap year usually implies finding work as a research technician before applying to graduate or professional school. If this is the case, one question that employers and graduate programs have about their applicants are about their fitness: can they withstand the rigor at the next level? A recent graduate needs to show evidence that they are responsible and timely. The gap year should be filled with activities that show this.

What type of skills will young quality control microbiologists need?

Dr. Katherine Galloway Ph.D.Dr. Katherine Galloway Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Instructor, Nicholls State University

Graduates will need a variety of technical skills. In biology, skills such as having lab experience and experience with statistical analyses and GIS are very valuable. If interested in education, being able to adapt and gain experience with online teaching will be important as well. Graduates will also need to communicate to employers that they can be independent and problem solve/critically think on their own, which also ties into work/volunteer experience that highlights your leadership skills.

What technical skills for a quality control microbiologist stand out to employers?

Max Haggblom Ph.D.Max Haggblom Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Distinguished Professor and Chair, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

For microbiologists it is important to have broad laboratory skills, microbiological technique of course, but also proficiency in biochemical and molecular assays. Knowledge in the use of relevant lab instrumentation, such as PCR. The ability to analyze and interpret data is a must, as are strong writing and presentation skills. Critical thinking and the ability to troubleshoot experimental methods as well as analytical instrumentation are important.

List of quality control microbiologist skills to add to your resume

Quality control microbiologist skills

The most important skills for a quality control microbiologist resume and required skills for a quality control microbiologist to have include:

  • Environmental Monitoring
  • GMP
  • Lab Equipment
  • Microbiology Lab
  • FDA
  • Bioburden
  • USP
  • ISO
  • Test Results
  • Test Methods
  • Aseptic Technique
  • Growth Promotion
  • OOs
  • Water Samples
  • QC Microbiology
  • Corrective Action
  • R
  • Clean Rooms
  • Qc Testing
  • Microbial Identification
  • OQ
  • CAPA
  • Method Validation
  • QA
  • GLP
  • Data Entry
  • Bacterial Endotoxin
  • Microorganisms
  • Pharmaceutical Industry
  • Biological Indicators
  • Media Preparation
  • GDP
  • Gram Stains
  • Cleaning Validation
  • PCR
  • WFI
  • Vitek
  • Water Systems
  • Yeast
  • API
  • Microbial Limits
  • In-Process Samples
  • CFR
  • Laboratory Investigations
  • TrackWise
  • Environmental Samples
  • Autoclaves
  • DI

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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