What is a Quality Associates

We are surrounded by an ample number of manufactured products on a daily basis.

From smartphones and new vehicles to computer systems, kitchen appliances, and even medical devices, there is an abundance of products that are manufactured in factories by hard-working women and men throughout the United States that we use often.

Some of those workers are referred to as quality associates, quality control inspectors, and several other names with the word quality in them.

But what exactly does a quality associate do and why is it important?

Read on to find out.

What Does a Quality Associate Do?

Quality associates are professionals that work diligently to ensure the manufactured products and goods are produced properly and comply with industry standards while also meeting other required specifications so that they are safe and effective for the general public when we purchase them or consume them.

A quality associate plays a very important role in the manufacturing process. The people filling these positions need to have a keen eye for detail and a goal of ensuring the products are not only safe and effective but of high quality before they hit store shelves. The quality control field is designed to ensure that only functional, acceptable, and high-quality products are distributed to the public through various businesses throughout the country.

A quality associate position is part of a bigger team, normally in the manufacturing industry, which is tasked with inspecting and auditing products and the factory as a whole, to ensure that workers on the production lines are following the proper protocols to deliver high-quality and safe products.

The quality associate person must fulfill responsibility in all the different aspects of quality control. From conducting testing procedures and making necessary adjustments as required by policies, rules, and regulations, to logging their findings and implementing plans for smooth operation, the quality associate position is a very important one in the manufacturing process overall.

What is the position of QC?

A QC, also known as a quality control inspector, quality control analyst, or quality assurance inspector, is responsible for analyzing and monitoring the quality of incoming as well as outgoing products for different manufacturing companies. Quality control inspectors may be referred to at different factories under a variety of names, including quality controllers.

They are members of a team normally referred to as a control audit team that examines the processes that are used in manufacturing products as well as the operational techniques within a factory. These types of professionals work diligently to ensure that the products made at the facility in which they work are up to the standards set forth by the industry, company, and consumers. It is their job to discard any products that do not meet the correct standards while always keeping their ultimate goal in mind of saving the company money while maximizing efficiency. This also includes maintaining the loyalty of customers and the company’s reputation.

Quality controllers work hand in hand with quality auditors, which means they receive specific guidelines that they need to test for from the quality auditors. A quality controller will examine a product's appearance and test its functionality while writing an assessment to the quality auditor to receive any feedback on things that need to be corrected before a product can be sent on to the next part of the process before it's released to the public.

What is the first step in quality control?

If you or someone you know is interested in working as a quality controller, there are several steps you need to have in place and utilize on a daily basis.

You will need to have great analytic skills since you will be responsible for interpreting data that you have gathered while also being able to spot trends and be aware of any outliers. Since you will need to keep track of testing, test results, recommendations, and documentation, you must have great organizational skills.

Since you will be responsible for providing a lot of written documentation, which is very important, you need to have excellent writing skills and communication skills. Interpersonal skills are also important, since you may be tasked with training production staff on different quality systems while also working closely with them to find and adjust errors in the manufacturing process.

You must also have a keen eye for detail, so you need to be able to spot any flaws and products that can compromise their quality or safety. And finally, you need to have very good critical thinking skills to be able to identify problems, then provide new solutions to help ensure the efficiency and quality of the manufacturing process overall.

How much does a senior QA make?

According to glassdoor.com, the average pay for a senior QA analyst in a variety of different industries is between $92,000 per year and $108,000 per year. It is a very lucrative position that requires less education than training while on the job to gain years of experience in quality control assurance.