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What is a quality engineer/process engineer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
James Swisher

The quality engineer/process engineer makes sure that the job gets done and that it gets done right. They do the job of the process engineer, who work on the process of transforming resources into useful products.They also do the job of the quality engineer, who makes sure that all products follow the quality standards that they design and conducts quality control tests.

The day-to-day tasks of a quality engineer/process engineer differ depending on the part of the job that they are focusing on. They could spend their day redesigning manufacturing equipment in order to improve efficiency in the manufacturing process, or designing quality tests for a product. Often, they supervise a team of other engineers as well.

Quality engineers/process engineers do a very sensitive job, so they usually need to be highly trained for it. Most have a bachelor's or a master's in some form of engineering, depending on their specialty. They could focus on chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, or any other specialization.

What general advice would you give to a quality engineer/process engineer?

James SwisherJames Swisher LinkedIn profile

Director of Continuing Education, Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers

It's truly an exciting time to be an Industrial and Systems Engineer. The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics projects demand for ISEs to grow by 10% over the next ten years, which is much faster than the rate for all occupations. Firms across a broad range of industries will continue to focus on the skills that ISEs bring to improve efficiencies, enhance quality, and lower costs. In addition, ISEs bring skills in the related fields of big data, artificial intelligence, and project management that make them extremely valuable to organizations. ISEs ability to quickly make an impact in an organization also means that their potential for promotion is very good. It's a great profession to be in.
ScoreQuality Engineer/Process EngineerUS Average
Salary
5.7

Avg. Salary $73,226

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.5

Growth rate 10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%

Asian 13.01%

Black or African American 4.72%

Hispanic or Latino 11.59%

Unknown 3.95%

White 66.56%

Gender

female 25.97%

male 74.03%

Age - 41
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 - 41
Stress level
7.5

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.3

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
5.1

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Quality engineer/process engineer career paths

Key steps to become a quality engineer/process engineer

  1. Explore quality engineer/process engineer education requirements

    Most common quality engineer/process engineer degrees

    Bachelor's

    69.9 %

    Master's

    12.6 %

    Associate

    11.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific quality engineer/process engineer skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Continuous Improvement6.76%
    Corrective Action6.63%
    Product Quality4.91%
    Sigma4.91%
    ISO4.17%
  3. Complete relevant quality engineer/process engineer training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New quality engineer/process engineers 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 engineer/process engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real quality engineer/process engineer resumes.
  4. Research quality engineer/process engineer duties and responsibilities

    • Lead and assist maintenance in resolving equipment malfunctions, troubleshoot process problems, and organize and implement preventative maintenance procedures.
    • Develop optimal DFMEA approach to increase effectiveness of the tool while reducing cost.
    • Design, implement and upgrade internal auditing system to demonstrate conformance to ISO and QS standards and the internal QMS.
    • Involve in writing SQL queries to generate tables from the database to test reports and do verification and validation of reports.
  5. Prepare your quality engineer/process engineer resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your quality engineer/process engineer 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 engineer/process engineer 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 engineer/process engineer resume templates

    Build a professional quality engineer/process engineer 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 engineer/process engineer resume.
    Quality Engineer/Process Engineer Resume
    Quality Engineer/Process Engineer Resume
    Quality Engineer/Process Engineer Resume
    Quality Engineer/Process Engineer Resume
    Quality Engineer/Process Engineer Resume
    Quality Engineer/Process Engineer Resume
    Quality Engineer/Process Engineer Resume
    Quality Engineer/Process Engineer Resume
    Quality Engineer/Process Engineer Resume
  6. Apply for quality engineer/process engineer jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a quality engineer/process engineer 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 engineer/process engineer job

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Average quality engineer/process engineer salary

The average quality engineer/process engineer salary in the United States is $73,226 per year or $35 per hour. Quality engineer/process engineer salaries range between $57,000 and $93,000 per year.

Average quality engineer/process engineer salary
$73,226 Yearly
$35.20 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do quality engineer/process engineers rate their job?

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Quality engineer/process engineer reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on May 2021
Pros

Defined Quality test procedure validated test components and planned integration tests for leading parts manufacture for industry. • Prepares and maintained important company quality control documentations such as quality manuals quality procedure, quality standards and quality assurance • Prepared the final inspection report before the dispatched for the machining process • Resolved machining department complaints, took preventive measure to prevent future complaints and clearly, documented all feedback, Mechanical Engineer for Third Party Inspection jobs in Baroda • Typically deals with several problems of the same time

Cons

Yes


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2019
Pros

Being on the field doing running inspections and learning from the technicians

Cons

Being expose to bad weather that compromise the safety of operations.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019
Pros

Schedules my co worker where to work each day and making sure the process is flowing with the machines, materials and the needed information to make the products and service come out right.

Cons

The pay grade is low keyed for the type of production we produce. Average salary is $78,540 dollars...


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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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