How to hire a quality control specialist

How to hire a quality control specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step quality control specialist 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 specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new quality control specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a quality control specialist do?

Post a quality control specialist job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   The quality control specialist 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

   Hiring the perfect quality control specialist also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

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

   Type of Quality Control Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Quality Control Specialist		$15-36
   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... Show more	$30-61
   Lead Quality Control	Lead quality control agents are manufacturing professionals who are responsible for supervising and coordinating the activities of workers to meet the required quality standards of finished products. These professionals are required to review the calibration of manufacturing equipment to ensure they perform correctly and on time... Show more	$31-52

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • GMP
   • Patients
   • Customer Service
   • Corrective Action
   • FDA
   • Product Quality
   • Excellent Interpersonal
   • Quality Standards
   • Laboratory Equipment
   • PowerPoint
   • Qc Testing
   • Continuous Improvement
   • Data Entry
   • Quality System

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage office and run daily operations.
   • Coordinate and manage the document change process and maintain current revisions via a SharePoint web-base document management server.
   • Manage the quality control aspect of transferring client projects into SAFC's cGMP highly potent API contract manufacturing facility.
   • Review and manage quality control; run searches on database to scan for errors, generate reports and apply corrections accordingly.
   • Lead CAPA investigations, visit suppliers to assess suitability/compliance.
   • Ensure strict adherence to EPA, OSHA, and FAA safety and environmental guidelines.

   More quality control specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your quality control specialist job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A quality control specialist salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a quality control specialist in Arizona may be lower than in Maryland, and an entry-level quality control specialist usually earns less than a senior-level quality control specialist. Additionally, a quality control specialist with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average quality control specialist salary

   $49,281yearly

   $23.69 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level quality control specialist salary

   $32,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 25, 2025

   Average quality control specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Maryland	$74,454	$36
   2	New York	$66,868	$32
   3	Massachusetts	$60,187	$29
   4	North Carolina	$58,554	$28
   5	Georgia	$54,866	$26
   6	California	$54,692	$26
   7	Ohio	$48,606	$23
   8	New Jersey	$47,277	$23
   9	Pennsylvania	$47,240	$23
   10	Alabama	$47,103	$23
   11	Illinois	$44,918	$22
   12	Nebraska	$43,390	$21
   13	Washington	$43,177	$21
   14	Tennessee	$41,721	$20
   15	Texas	$41,513	$20
   16	Florida	$41,346	$20
   17	Wisconsin	$41,205	$20
   18	Arizona	$38,940	$19
   19	Oregon	$38,772	$19
   20	Colorado	$37,875	$18

   Average quality control specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$105,013	$50.49	96
   2	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$100,363	$48.25	88
   3	Varian Medical Systems	$95,663	$45.99
   4	Citi	$92,190	$44.32	8
   5	Southern California Edison	$91,670	$44.07	1
   6	Eli Lilly and Company	$85,599	$41.15	36
   7	FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies	$85,417	$41.07	14
   8	Boehringer Ingelheim	$85,328	$41.02	8
   9	AstraZeneca	$84,488	$40.62	3
   10	OraSure Technologies	$83,956	$40.36
   11	Regeneron	$82,592	$39.71	16
   12	Synechron	$82,491	$39.66	1
   13	Stanford Health Care	$81,717	$39.29	8
   14	Envestnet	$80,726	$38.81
   15	Vertex Pharmaceuticals	$80,430	$38.67	8
   16	Axalta	$79,779	$38.36
   17	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$79,710	$38.32	71
   18	Merck	$79,301	$38.13	17
   19	Entegris	$78,351	$37.67	12
   20	Gilead Sciences	$77,182	$37.11	34

4. Writing a quality control specialist job description

   A job description for a quality control specialist 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 specialist job description:

   Quality control specialist job description example

   Quality Control Specialist (7:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.) Department/WG Module Quality Control (QC) Reports To: QC Manager FLSA Status: Non-Exempt Summary The QC Specialist is responsible for ensuring that incoming parts meet or exceed customer requirements. The incumbent also facilitates new part trials, investigates and reports defects to suppliers, processes quality documents, inputs inspection standards, reports to management on non-conformance trends, determines the department or supplier responsible for non-conformities, and requests corrective actions and containment for supplier defects. Essential Functions (To perform within this position successfully, the incumbent must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Other duties may be assigned.) Evaluate nonconforming material and report quality problems to management and relevant parties Assist in development and execution of containment and rework procedures for questionable product quality Create and process MQIRs (request for corrective actions) through the QMS system Read and interpret part drawings as defects arise to check part specifications and inform the supplier if a nonconformity is found Ensure that all non-conforming parts are entered into the SAP system and approve all inspection standards in QMS system Ensure that all inspection standards and documents are up-to-date with changes or revisions Create or update incoming inspection standards and periodic (regular) inspection schedule Perform process audits for supplier qualification or process changes Assist Manager with Initial Sample Inspection Report (ISIR) documents Schedule and facilitate trials for development parts and report results to manager and supplier Process ISIR documents for Engineering Order (EO) changes and 4M changes Claim defect parts for reimbursement, as well as 3rd party inspection invoices for overseas (Korean) parts Process chargeback claim/reclaim for quality-related lost time on production line or at Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Provide continuous improvement through cost reduction methods and improvements in overall quality, process, and design Supervisory Responsibilities: No Basic Qualifications (The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or ability preferred for this position.) Required Education & Experience: Bachelor’s Degree in technical or related field Required Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities: Critical thinking/Problem solving/Troubleshooting Skills Ability to organize time to accomplish desired results Strong Written and Verbal Communication Skills Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Good Presentation Skills Proficient mechanical inclination Preferred Education & Experience: Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or Engineering Technology Knowledge of Quality processes in manufacturing Experience in automotive manufacturing Certificates, Licenses, and Registrations: None Working Conditions: Normal Working Hours: 7:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Overtime as needed 50% office, 50% production floor Traversing around production floor Domestic and international travel Travel to OEM occasionally Lifting 20-30 lbs. Company DescriptionWho is Hyundai MOBIS?
   
   Hyundai MOBIS forms the parts and service arm for South Korean automakers Hyundai Motor Company, Genesis Motors, and Kia Motors. The company offers chassis, cockpit, and front-end modules; safety products, including airbags, headlights, anti-lock brake systems, and electronic stability control products; steering parts; multimedia systems; UVO systems; injection-molded plastic parts, such as instrument panels, carriers, and bumpers; and steel wheel rims and decks. It also supplies after-sales service parts for vehicles. Concentrating its resources on after-sales parts, module parts manufacture, and parts export, Hyundai MOBIS has firmly established its position as one of the leading auto parts specialist companies in the world.
   
   Hyundai MOBIS’s Module Division, of which MOBIS Alabama, LLC is part, has supplied the three major modules, chassis module, cockpit module, and front-end module, to automakers in the just-in-sequence (JIS) system. Participating in the initial stages of a new vehicle development process, Hyundai MOBIS performs research and development of auto-parts, taking into account the specifications for modules, including designing and testing for production applications. Through system integration of modularization, Hyundai MOBIS is contributing to increased competitiveness and in-sequence processing, reducing total weight and the number of parts needed. This allows for easier assembly, effective inventory control, and cost reduction.
   
   Who is MOBIS Alabama?
   
   Established in 2002 and operating on nearly 83 acres in Montgomery, Alabama, MOBIS Alabama, LLC is the largest Tier 1 supplier to both Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA) and KIA Motor Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG). With a commitment to quality, we pride ourselves on providing state-of-the-art Modules, Assemblies, and genuine Hyundai and KIA after-service parts. We hold both the ISO14001 and IATF16949 Certifications for Environmental Management and Quality Management.
   
   Our process begins in the sprawling 600,000 square-foot Plastics plant where we use injection molding to produce front and rear bumpers, instrument panel frames, and after-service parts. Our bumpers are molded and painted in-house. Bumpers for HMMA are also assembled in-house before transfer to HMMA for final assembly, while bumpers for KMMG are sent to our sister plant in Georgia for assembly. After molding, instrument panel frames move to the Module plant next door where we prepare them to receive additional parts to form a complete Cockpit (dashboard) assembly. Also in the Module building are our front and rear Chassis (vehicle suspension) assembly lines. Here, parts from Tier 2 and 3 suppliers are assembled into completed Chassis modules which are transported to nearby HMMA for final vehicle assembly.
   
   Our Redistribution Center (RDC) supplies genuine Hyundai and KIA after-service parts to dealerships, auto parts stores, and other parts distribution centers. We receive parts from suppliers globally which are distributed across North America to satisfy our customers’ demand for high-quality automotive parts.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find quality control specialists for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any quality control specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level quality control specialists with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting quality control specialists requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 specialist

   Once you have selected a candidate for the quality control specialist position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize 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.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

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