Quality assurance engineers can be found in the architectural and software industries. There is a major demand for these highly educated individuals. Your main task as a quality assurance engineer will be to test a product with a computer software program. You will attempt to see how different materials will react to weather conditions and help create safe products and building structures. Maybe you have thought, “How do I become a quality assurance engineer?” If you have wondered this, then you can gain experience by shadowing a quality assurance engineer for a day to find out what his or her daily challenges are.
What’s it like to be a quality assurance engineer?
When you become a quality assurance engineer, you will be entrusted with the task of making sure that products meet certain quality standards of your company. More importantly, you will also have to make sure that products meet legal safety standards. You will have the sole responsibility of making sure that a product passes certain tests. When you are promoted to the position of a quality assurance engineer, you typically do not have a supervisor. Many engineers aspire to become this type of engineer due to the immense freedom and independence that they have. When you become a quality assurance engineer, you will also be able to create your own schedule. You will be able to test products at your own leisure.
Education Requirements
It is recommended that you have a master’s degree or Ph.D. in engineering in order to become this type of engineer. It is also helpful if you have a certificate completed that relates to legal compliance issues. Companies now want to see that engineers have a strong understanding of the legal issues that companies face in creating and marketing products to the public. When you are pursuing a four-year degree in college, it is helpful for you to obtain an internship in the quality assurance department of a corporation. This will allow you to see the daily tasks of a quality assurance engineer and to find a mentor in the field. You may also want to do research for a professor who specializes in teaching courses that relate to quality assurance testing.
Salary & How to Get a Job
According to the BLS, the typical salary of a quality assurance engineer is about $119,000. The best way to become a quality assurance engineer is to work as an entry-level engineer for a corporation. You should try to impress your supervisor in a company if you want to become a quality assurance engineer. You may also want to take on unassigned projects to show that you have great initiative and want to eventually become a quality assurance engineer for a company.
You can typically find job opportunities in this field through job placement agencies or word of mouth. It is also easy to find out about job opportunities in this field if you already work for a major corporation that develops products or is involved in architecture. You can pursue a career as a QA engineer in a variety of industries. Whether you want to work in architecture or health care, there is always a demand for engineers who can test products and ensure that they meet regulatory guidelines.
A QA engineer enjoys solving complex problems and is a valuable asset for any company. A QA engineer helps a company to ultimately limit its liability. A QA engineer has the ability to develop new products for a company that will also be safe for use by members of the public.