The Best Jobs for a Quality Assurance Manager

A quality assurance manager has the responsibility to ensure that a product meets specific guidelines, is compliant with all laws and is responsible for all testing of the product. Testing of the product includes inspecting and making adjustments during the development cycle to make sure the product releases as scheduled. The quality assurance manager coordinates correspondence with the client to make sure the product is meeting the client's needs as described by the initial detailed analysis. As of 2009, quality assurance managers earned a median salary of $89,116 in the United States.

Biology Big Brother: flickr.com

Quality Assurance in the Food Sector

A quality assurance manager in the food sector will have a bachelor's degree in food science or microbiology. Previous quality assurance of 5-plus years is what most companies are looking for in their candidates. Responsibilities include maintaining an established HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) plan, implementing quality assurance training programs and learning all government and industry quality assurance codes and standards. Quality assurance jobs in this field are on the rise. More companies are expanding and starting anew to meet the population increases throughout the world.

Quality Assurance in the Software Sector

Software quality assurance (SQA) managers are expected to develop and maintain a comprehensive quality assurance plan that encompasses all software and infrastructure projects. A degree in computer science is usually required, and some companies may expect specific certifications or degrees, depending on the software under development. The SQA manager works with engineers to understand the product architecture and design so that an appropriate overall test strategy for the product can be established. An important role for the SQA manager is to hire, manage and lead a team of quality assurance engineers who collectively have the skills and experience necessary to put a testing infrastructure into place and to test a project to the level of thoroughness deemed necessary.

Quality Assurance in the Biopharmaceutical Sector

Biopharmaceutical products are manufactured in several different forms; powders, creams and lotions are just a few examples. With the range of products being manufactured under a wide variance of conditions, quality control is a must for the biopharmaceutical industry. A biopharmaceutical product has eight quality dimensions to consider: performance, secondary features, durability, aesthetics, perceived quality, service, conformance and reliability. Biopharmaceutical quality assurance is focused on basic research, commercial research and standardized testing, including forensic human identification, paternity testing and food testing. A bachelor's degree to a Ph.D. is required for the management levels of quality assurance. Companies also require 5 to 10 tears of quality assurance experience. Individual companies may require specific software background and specific analytical skills, and of course, regular management skills are necessary. If you are considering a position in this field, it is a good idea to have some medical background experience and a desire to learn upcoming technology.

References

Biospace.com: Biotech and Pharmaceutical News & Jobs
Degree Directory: What Is the Typical Job Description for a Quality Assurance Manager?
Salary.com Salary Wizard: Quality Assurance Manager
The Sources of Quality in the Pharmaceutical Industry; Enrique A. Yacuzzi et al.
Society of Quality Assurance