Within an organization, all the departments are interconnected with each other. Amongst all the departments, quality management plays a vital role, which directly impacts business performance.
If a product fails to meet the quality standards, then it impacts the business sales and customer satisfaction levels as well. Ensuring your organization has a rigorous quality process that helps smooth business flow? Hiring a quality control inspector smoothens the work process.
Who is a Quality Control Inspector?
A “Quality Control Inspector” monitors the quality aspects of incoming raw materials to the organization and the products that are ready to be shipped. They also ensure that manufactured products meet the specified quality standards set by the organization before being sent to customers.
The quality control inspector’s job role involves analyzing the measurements, conducting tests, and monitoring the production phase. They are engaged in various domains, from food to electronics to automobiles to clothing. They sort out the items that fail to meet the quality standards and enhance the production process to reduce the chances of failure.
Responsibilities and Duties
The responsibilities of a Quality Control Inspector vary from one industry to another, but there are a few common responsibilities irrespective of the domain. Let’s take a look at them:
- Carry out quality assessment measures of all the products ready to be shipped and incoming raw materials
- Take a thorough look at the plans, specifications, and blueprints to understand the product requirements
- Reject all the incoming raw materials that fail to meet quality expectations and report the issue to the concerned department at the earliest
- Resolving quality-related issues and adhering to deadlines
- Providing training to the quality assurance team
- Design an efficient design protocol that can be used across all domain
- Prepare documentation of the inspection process, which includes detailed reports and performance records
- Recommend improvement measures to the production process to ensure quality control standards are met
- Guide the production team about the quality control issues to enhance the quality of the product
- Monitor customer satisfaction levels
- Monitor the production phase at various levels
Quality Control Inspector Requirements
Education
Educational requirements for the quality control inspector job role depend on the industry you are working. Here is a list of educational requirements that one must possess to get into this role:
- They must have a high school diploma or any equivalent education
- Having a bachelor’s degree can expand your job horizons and earning potentiality as well
- Real-time experience in the same domain is preferred
- Excellent documentation and presentation skills
- Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office
- Profound knowledge of quality control standards
Certification
The job role of a quality control inspector doesn’t need any certification to have a progressive career in the domain. But having one will surely demonstrate your professionalism and competency at the workplace. Candidates aspiring to grow in this domain can take computer-based exams at recognized exam centers. The International Association of Six Sigma Certification (IASSC) provides various globally recognized Lean Six Sigma certifications such as Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt Certification, and Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt.
Skills
To successfully pursue a career as a quality control inspector, one needs a combination of soft skills, technical skills, and certain qualities:
- Communication
Quality control inspectors possess proficient written and verbal communication skills to find their requirements. At times, they may have to write protocols to the concerned department.
- Organizational skills
The quality control inspector should possess strong organizational skills to perform product reviews and inspections.
- Physical strength
Quality control inspectors must be capable enough to stand for a longer duration. They must be able to lift heavy and different types of machinery for inspection purposes.
- Technical skills
The quality control inspectors should possess strong knowledge of the type of equipment and computer programs used adhering to the safety guidelines of the organization. They must also know technical documents, manuals, and blueprints so as to ensure products meet quality standards.
- Training skills
The quality control inspectors may need to train their employees for some specific processes and procedures. They must be capable enough to train the employees regarding how to prevent flaws and work towards a smoother workflow.
- Attention to detail
A quality control inspector should be vigilant enough to identify the variances in products to meet specific standards. They must be aware of changes made to the processes and functions.
- Math skills
Having a basic knowledge of math is essential in measuring and calculating specifications during product development.
Quality Control Inspector- Work Environment
The job roles of a quality control inspector entirely depend on the industry and organization size. The work routine/work environment of a quality control inspector has various aspects in common some might work regular hours, and others might work extra hours as per the production deadline concerned.
List of industries providing quality control inspector job roles:
- Food production
- Chemical and apparel industries
- Furniture manufacturer
- Appliance manufacturer
- Electronic manufacturing industry
- Pharmaceutical company
Job Outlook
Quality Control Inspector job roles hold about 574,000 job roles in 2018.
The below table shows the largest employers of quality control:
| Manufacturing | 62% |
| Administrative and support services | 10% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 9% |
| Wholesale trade | 6% |
Salary Outlook
United States
The average salary of a quality control inspector in the United States is $45,041 and falls between the range of $39,350 and $51,792.
Let’s a look at the top 10 Quality control inspectors in the United States
| Country | Average Salary |
| Wyoming | $56,775 |
| North Dakota | $55,191 |
| Washington | $52,975 |
| Kanas | $51,501 |
| Louisiana | $50,411 |
| New Mexico | $48,145 |
| Alaska | $47,871 |
| Texas | $46,835 |
| West Virginia | $46,456 |
| Oklahoma | $44,831 |
United Arab Emirates
The average salary of a Quality Control Inspector in the United Arab Emirates is around AED 3,800/month.
Salaries by location
| State | Average Salary |
| Dubai | AED 3,668/month |
| Abu Dhabi | AED 3,790/month |
| Sharjah | AED 3,716/month |
Conclusion
With experience, Quality Control Inspectors can progress in the field as a trainer, team leaders, and supervisors. They may also progress into more extensive roles in quality management domains such as production management, technical sales, or auditing management systems.
Regardless of technological advancement in quality control-related organizations, the concept of automation is not always a substitute for personal inspection. There are certain situations wherein personal inspection is of utmost essential testing the smell, appearance, product performance, fabric, and taste of the product. The automation process comes explicitly when there is a need for inspecting elements related to size, thickness, or width. Aspiring and experienced Quality Control Inspectors can future-proof their careers with industry-recognized quality management courses that aid in their career development.
Some of the popular certification courses that quality control inspector professionals can take up are:
