Quality Control Inspector
A Quality Control Inspector evaluates products and materials for defects to ensure they meet specific manufacturing standards. This role is vital in various industries, particularly in manufacturing, where inspectors assess both parts and completed items, using a variety of inspection methods including stress tests and data monitoring. Most inspectors work in industrial environments, such as factories and production plants, and may also be found in laboratory settings within industries like pharmaceuticals.
To succeed, individuals in this role typically require a high school diploma, with no prior work experience needed, although moderate on-the-job training is common. Quality Control Inspectors are detail-oriented and possess strong deductive reasoning skills, making them adept at spotting discrepancies in products and processes. Although the field is projected to see a decline in job availability, it currently employs over 595,000 people in the U.S. The median earnings for these inspectors are approximately $45,850 annually. This occupation attracts a diverse range of individuals, emphasizing the importance of quality assurance in production and manufacturing processes.
Quality Control Inspector
Snapshot
Career Cluster(s): Government & Public Administration, Manufacturing, Transportation, Distribution & Logistics
Interests: Testing and inspecting, analysis, manufacturing processes, production processes, industrial engineering
Earnings (Yearly Median): $45,850 per year, $22.04 per hour (2023)
Employment & Outlook: -4 percent (Decline)
Entry-Level Education High school diploma or equivalent
Related Work Experience None
On-the-job-Training Moderate-term on-the-job training
Overview
Sphere of Work. Quality control inspectors evaluate products and materials for errors and defects to ensure they meet the manufacturer’s specifications. Quality inspectors play a crucial role in automated manufacturing systems, providing firsthand human intervention in an otherwise highly mechanized process. In addition to removing all defective products prior to resale, quality control specialists may also be responsible for recommending changes to production processes to prevent further errors and disruptions to the workflow.
Work Environment. The majority of quality control inspectors work in manufacturing facilities. They test and inspect the parts that will be assembled into manufactured and salable items or the completed products themselves, depending on their particular industry of employment. For example, some inspectors may be responsible for evaluating materials such as lumber or petroleum products, while others may be responsible for testing electronic equipment, automobiles, or furniture prior to their sale. The mode of inspection varies from position to position as well. Some quality control inspectors may conduct stress tests or other analyses on the actual physical parts, while others may monitor various kinds of production data.
Occupation Interest. Quality control typically attracts individuals who thrive in tasks related to deductive reasoning and who are perceptive to errors and problems in continuity and production. Quality inspectors also possess a keen eye for detail and the ability to spot discrepancies in both the products and processes. The position of quality inspector attracts people of all ages and from a variety of professional and educational backgrounds.
A Day in the Life—Duties and Responsibilities. Quality control inspectors must be familiar with all aspects of the products and manufacturing processes they inspect. Some quality control inspectors travel between several different facilities, inspecting the same processes and goods on a rotating basis. Some quality control inspectors may be required to review new production specifications frequently, depending on how often their employing organization changes their product line or production methods.
Inspection of materials and goods is the main duty of quality control inspectors. Inspectors may either survey each manufactured item or take frequent samples of the manufactured goods to gauge the quality of its construction and adherence to specifications. Reoccurring errors on production lines are often the result of malfunctioning equipment.
Quality control inspectors have the final say in the rejection of items they deem to be poor quality or unsuitable for sale. Inspectors must record data to track how much inventory was lost and detail the cause.
Inspectors are customarily required to report their findings to other members of an organization’s staff. The frequency and form of these presentations vary from industry to industry. Manufacturers of artisan and specialty products may review quality control findings for every single production run, while companies and factories that assemble or create a large volume of product may only require weekly to bimonthly reporting, depending on the frequency of errors.
General Inspectors (609.684-010). General Inspectors inspect materials and products, such as sheet stock, auto body or engine parts, dental instruments, machine shop parts, and metal castings for conformance to specifications. They compare the product with a parts list or with a sample model of the product to ensure that the piece was assembled correctly.
Work Environment
Immediate Physical Environment. The work environment for quality control inspectors varies from industrial and manufacturing settings to administrative settings.
Plant Environment. Quality control inspectors work primarily in industrial settings, such as factories and production plants, where they can review the completed products as well as the equipment and processes used. Quality control inspectors employed by the pharmaceutical industry may also work in laboratory settings where they test and evaluate the safety of medications.
Human Environment. Quality control inspectors do not typically interact with coworkers extensively on a daily basis, as their primary focus is placed on the production process and the systems related to it. Their occasional presentation of findings and suggestions for improvement do, however, require extensive and clear communication with plant managers and industrial engineers.
Technological Environment. Quality inspectors utilize a variety of different use technologies, ranging from data-tracking tools to desktop-publishing software. The production technologies and equipment used in the manufacturing process vary in complexity according to an inspector’s realm of industry.
Education, Training, and Advancement
High School/Secondary. High school students can prepare for a career as a quality control inspector with coursework in engineering, algebra, calculus, geometry, physics, and introductory computer science. Drafting, mapping, and traditional art classes can also serve as important precursors for careers related to industrial design. English composition coursework prepares students for many of the reporting elements of the role.
Postsecondary. Job openings for quality control inspectors in supply, mechanical, and manufacturing industries do not traditionally require postsecondary education. However, a college degree may be required for inspectors working in more complex industries, such as medical and pharmaceutical labs, digital engineering, and food processing. While some colleges offer degree and certificate programs in quality control management, they are rare. Aspiring quality control inspectors interested in these fields should consider earning a degree in food sciences and technology or industrial engineering.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), more than 595,000 people were employed as quality control inspectors in 2022, with the field projected to shrink by 23,000 by 2032.
Related Occupations
− Construction & Building Inspector
− Inspector & Compliance Officer
− Nuclear Quality Control Inspector
Bibliography
"Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers." O*NET OnLine, 6 Aug. 2024, www.onetonline.org/link/summary/51-9061.00. Accessed 23 Aug. 2024.
"Quality Control Inspectors." US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 3 Apr. 2024, www.bls.gov/ooh/production/quality-control-inspectors.htm. Accessed 23 Aug. 2024.