Quality Specialist vs. Quality Engineer: What Are the Differences?

A quality specialist and quality engineer are both responsible for ensuring that products meet certain standards. However, their roles and responsibilities differ in a few key ways. In this article, we compare and contrast the job titles quality specialist and quality engineer, including their duties, education requirements and average salaries.

What is a Quality Specialist?

A Quality Specialist is a professional who is responsible for ensuring that products or services meet the necessary standards of quality. Quality Specialist positions are found in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, and retail. Quality Specialists typically develop and implement quality control systems, conduct audits, and train other employees on quality control procedures. They also investigate customer complaints and take corrective action when necessary. Quality Specialists typically report to a Quality Manager or Director.

What is a Quality Engineer?

Quality Engineers are responsible for planning, directing and coordinating quality control systems for an organization. They develop and implement quality control policies and procedures to ensure that products meet or exceed customer expectations. Quality Engineers work closely with other members of the engineering team to design and develop products that meet quality standards. They may also be responsible for training other employees on quality control procedures and conducting audits to ensure compliance. In some cases, Quality Engineers may also be responsible for investigating customer complaints and taking corrective action to prevent future problems.

Quality Specialist vs. Quality Engineer

Here are the main differences between a quality specialist and a quality engineer.

Job Duties

Quality specialists perform a wide variety of tasks to ensure quality in their organizations. They often work with teams to develop and implement quality assurance plans, then monitor them to ensure they’re effective. In addition, quality specialists may conduct research into customer preferences and needs, which they can use to inform the development of new products or services. Quality specialists also often train employees on quality standards and provide customer service to customers with quality concerns.

Quality engineers have a more specialized role within organizations, working primarily to ensure that engineering processes are consistently high-quality. They do this by conducting quality audits of products before they go to market and identifying areas for improvement in manufacturing processes. In addition, quality engineers may develop solutions to address quality issues and create training materials for other employees.

Job Requirements

A quality specialist typically needs at least a bachelor’s degree in engineering, business administration or another relevant field. Some employers may prefer candidates with a master’s degree as well. Additionally, many quality specialists pursue certifications through organizations like the American Society for Quality (ASQ). These certifications can demonstrate to employers that a quality specialist has the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in the role.

Quality engineers often need at least a bachelor’s degree in engineering, but some employers may prefer candidates with a master’s degree. Additionally, many quality engineers are certified through the ASQ. This certification can show employers that a quality engineer is qualified to perform the duties of the role and has the necessary skills and knowledge.

Work Environment

Quality specialists work in a variety of environments, depending on the industry they’re working in. For example, if they’re working for an automotive company, they may spend most of their time in a factory setting where they can observe and document quality issues with vehicles as they occur. If they’re working for a food processing plant, they may spend more time in that environment observing and documenting quality issues with products.

Quality engineers typically work in manufacturing or production settings. They may also work in laboratories to test products before they go into production. Quality engineers often work long hours and weekends because they are responsible for ensuring that products meet customer expectations.

Skills

Both quality specialists and quality engineers use problem-solving skills to identify issues with products or services and develop solutions. They also both need to have excellent communication skills to interact with other members of their team, as well as customers or clients.

Quality specialists typically benefit from having customer service skills, as they may be the first point of contact for customers who are experiencing issues with a product or service. They also need to have strong attention to detail to properly document complaints and investigate potential causes. Quality engineers need to have in-depth knowledge of quality control methods and principles, as well as experience designing and conducting experiments. They also need to be able to analyze data to identify trends and areas for improvement.

Salary

Quality specialists earn an average salary of $60,805 per year, while quality engineers earn an average salary of $74,282 per year. The average salary for both positions may vary depending on the size of the company, the location of the job and the level of experience the employee has prior to taking the job.