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What is a test/quality engineer and how to become one
A quality engineer is in charge of generating a strategic plan to improve the organization's processes and increase output. Test/Quality Engineers are employed in industries that deal with the automobile, transportation, textile, and industrial equipment.
Their job is to monitor, test, and report on the quality of products to reflect efficiency, reliability, and performance. They may also be required to inspect raw materials, components, mechanical systems, or final products. The quality engineer tests systems and procedures to ensure they meet the necessary standards and creates quality and safety documentation. They identify technical issues and address them.
Essential skills that a quality engineer must possess include problem-solving skills, computer skills, and analytical skills. To be a Test/Quality Engineer, you need a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related field. If you have a certification in Quality Assurance, it is an added advantage. You must also have experience with testing procedures and Quality Management Systems (QMS).
What general advice would you give to a test/quality engineer?
Brian Glas
Assistant Professor of Computer Science, Union University
Gain different perspectives: Spend time with people in other roles that your job interacts with, and gain a solid understanding of how they view things; this is most valuable for career progression and understanding of how your work fits into the big picture.
Avg. Salary $79,167
Avg. Salary $59,228
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%
Asian 11.99%
Black or African American 6.24%
Hispanic or Latino 8.82%
Unknown 4.70%
White 67.73%
Genderfemale 22.92%
male 77.08%
Age - 43American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 43Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is intermediate
7 - challenging
Work life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
Test/quality engineer career paths
Key steps to become a test/quality engineer
Explore test/quality engineer education requirements
Start to develop specific test/quality engineer skills
Skills Percentages Java 9.16% QA 8.02% Jira 5.72% C++ 5.50% Qa Testing 4.72% Complete relevant test/quality engineer training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New test/quality 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 test/quality engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real test/quality engineer resumes.Research test/quality engineer duties and responsibilities
- Involve in identifying and executing regression test scenarios.
- Perform basic level programming in VB.NET and XML.
- Report bugs through JIRA and prepare bug status reports.
- Set up functional test stations for Cisco routers and switches NPI.
Prepare your test/quality engineer resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your test/quality engineer resume.
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Choose from 10+ customizable test/quality engineer resume templates
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Apply for test/quality engineer jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a test/quality engineer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first test/quality engineer job
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Average test/quality engineer salary
The average test/quality engineer salary in the United States is $79,167 per year or $38 per hour. Test/quality engineer salaries range between $61,000 and $102,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do test/quality engineers rate their job?
Test/quality engineer reviews
Some things you test can be really picky to pass. It's likely they will always fail the first time. Some test seem to always pass and seek insufficient. I always look at productivity but also efficiency. So if not necessary by customer and always passes I can't see why a part of the test he removed especially if another part of the test will fail if it does. Options I am always open to.
being delayed
Low pay structure as compared to the efforts put in.
Updated January 8, 2025
