Quality engineering technician

Quality engineering technicians work with quality engineers or managers to analyse and solve quality problems and improve productivity. They examine machines for imperfections and inspect products to make sure they meet the standards. They also provide personnel with training in inspection techniques and prepare inspection plans.

Excludes people performing the evaluation of the production process.

Quality engineering technicians typically do the following tasks:

• Conduct tests, inspections, and audits to identify defects or issues in products and services.
• Collect and analyze data to identify trends and areas for improvement.
• Prepare reports on the results of tests, inspections, and audits to communicate findings to quality engineers and management.
• Assist in the development and implementation of quality control processes and procedures.
• Work with other departments, such as engineering and manufacturing, to identify and resolve quality issues.
• Maintain quality control equipment and ensure that it is in good working order.
• Train and educate employees on quality control processes and procedures.

The following job titles also refer to quality engineering technician:

quality expert
quality technologist
quality technology specialist
quality technology expert
quality technician
quality specialist

Quality engineering technicians usually work in a manufacturing or production environment. They may work in a laboratory or on a production floor, depending on the type of organization they work for. They may need to wear protective gear, such as gloves and safety glasses, when working with certain products or equipment. Quality engineering technicians typically work full-time and may need to work evenings or weekends to meet project deadlines.

A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required to become a quality engineering technician. Some employers may prefer candidates with an associate’s degree in a relevant field, such as quality assurance or engineering technology. On-the-job training is typically provided, and certification in quality control or quality assurance may be beneficial for career advancement. Strong attention to detail, analytical skills, and communication skills are essential for success in this role.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Quality engineering technician is a Skill level 3 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to quality engineering technician.

material testing technician
avionics inspector
fire safety tester
rolling stock engine inspector
motor vehicle engine inspector

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of quality engineering technician. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of quality engineering technician with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

quality engineer
quality services manager
calculation engineer
maintenance and repair engineer
industrial quality manager

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of quality engineering technician.

• Quality assurance procedures: The procedures to inspect a product or system to ensure that it is according to specifications and requirements.
• Quality standards: The national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.
• Quality assurance methodologies: Quality assurance principles, standard requirements, and the set of processes and activities used for measuring, controlling and ensuring the quality of products and processes.
• Test procedures: The methods for producing results in science or engineering, such as physical tests, chemical tests, or statistical tests.

These skills are necessary for the role of quality engineering technician.

• Inspect quality of products: Use various techniques to ensure the product quality is respecting the quality standards and specifications. Oversee defects, packaging and sendbacks of products to different production departments.
• Ensure compliance with legal requirements: Guarantee compliance with established and applicable standards and legal requirements such as specifications, policies, standards or law for the goal that organisations aspire to achieve in their efforts.
• Set quality assurance objectives: Define quality assurance targets and procedures and see to their maintenance and continued improvement by reviewing targets, protocols, supplies, processes, equipment and technologies for quality standards.
• Record test data: Record data which has been identified specifically during preceding tests in order to verify that outputs of the test produce specific results or to review the reaction of the subject under exceptional or unusual input.
• Undertake inspections: Undertake safety inspections in areas of concern to identify and report potential hazards or security breaches; take measures to maximise safety standards.
• Perform test run: Perform tests putting a system, machine, tool or other equipment through a series of actions under actual operating conditions in order to assess its reliability and suitability to realise its tasks, and adjust settings accordingly.
• Ensure compliance with company regulations: Guarantee that employees’ activities follow company regulations, as implemented through client and corporate guidelines, directives, policies and programmes.
• Report test findings: Report test results with a focus on findings and recommendations, differentiating results by levels of severity. Include relevant information from the test plan and outline the test methodologies, using metrics, tables, and visual methods to clarify where needed.
• Oversee quality control: Monitor and assure the quality of the provided goods or services by overseeing that all the factors of the production meet quality requirements. Supervise product inspection and testing.
• Execute software tests: Perform tests to ensure that a software product will perform flawlessly under the specified customer requirements, using specialised software tools. Apply software testing techniques and tools in order to identify software defects (bugs) and malfunctions.
• Conduct performance tests: Conduct experimental, environmental and operational tests on models, prototypes or on the systems and equipment itself in order to test their strength and capabilities under normal and extreme conditions.
• Write inspection reports: Write the results and conclusions of the inspection in a clear and intelligible way. Log the inspection’s processes such as contact, outcome, and steps taken.
• Inspect material: Select material for inspection and check the conformity of that material according to set specifications and regulations.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of quality engineering technician. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Materials science: Field of science and engineering that researches new materials on the basis of their structure, properties, synthesis, and performance for a variety of purposes, including increasing fire resistance of construction materials.
• Non-destructive testing: The techniques used to assess the characteristics of materials, products and systems without causing damage, such as ultrasonic, radiographic, and remote visual inspection and testing.
• Statistics: The study of statistical theory, methods and practices such as collection, organisation, analysis, interpretation and presentation of data. It deals with all aspects of data including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments in order to forecast and plan work-related activities.
• Electronics: The functioning of electronic circuit boards, processors, chips, and computer hardware and software, including programming and applications. Apply this knowledge to ensure electronic equipment runs smoothly.
• Database quality standards: Techniques and methods of estimation and evaluation of system quality and overall database quality, as well as the set quality standards and regulations.
• Electricity: Understand the principles of electricity and electrical power circuits, as well as the associated risks.
• Mechanics: Theoretical and practical applications of the science studying the action of displacements and forces on physical bodies to the development of machinery and mechanical devices.
• Automation technology: Set of technologies that make a process, system, or apparatus operate automatically through the use of control systems.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of quality engineering technician. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Create solutions to problems: Solve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising information to evaluate current practice and generate new understandings about practice.
• Provide technical documentation: Prepare documentation for existing and upcoming products or services, describing their functionality and composition in such a way that it is understandable for a wide audience without technical background and compliant with defined requirements and standards. Keep documentation up to date.
• Ensure compliance with environmental legislation: Monitor activities and perform tasks ensuring compliance with standards involving environmental protection and sustainability, and amend activities in the case of changes in environmental legislation. Ensure that the processes are compliant with environment regulations and best practices.
• Perform laboratory tests: Carry out tests in a laboratory to produce reliable and precise data to support scientific research and product testing.
• Perform product testing: Test processed workpieces or products for basic faults.
• Apply statistical analysis techniques: Use models (descriptive or inferential statistics) and techniques (data mining or machine learning) for statistical analysis and ICT tools to analyse data, uncover correlations and forecast trends.
• Perform physical stress tests on models: Perform tests on products’ models to analyse the ability of products to endure temperature, loads, motion, vibration and other factors.
• Develop material testing procedures: Develop testing protocols in collaboration with engineers and scientists to enable a variety of analyses such as environmental, chemical, physical, thermal, structural, resistance or surface analyses on a wide range of materials such as metals, ceramics or plastics.
• Read standard blueprints: Read and comprehend standard blueprints, machine, and process drawings.
• Analyse test data: Interpret and analyse data collected during testing in order to formulate conclusions, new insights or solutions.
• Communicate test results to other departments: Communicate testing information such as testing schedules, samples testing statistics and test results, to the relevant departments.
• Maintain test equipment: Maintain equipment used for testing the quality of systems and products.
• Manage chemical testing procedures: Manage the procedures to be used in chemical testing by designing them and conducting tests accordingly.
• Support implementation of quality management systems: Advocate the introduction of new business processes to help achieve quality standards, such as the improvement of the organisational structure or the development of new procedures in case of quality defects.
• Apply health and safety standards: Adhere to standards of hygiene and safety established by respective authorities.
• Manage manufacturing documentation: Manage the reports and technical documentation such as Standard Operating Procedures or logbooks, by writing and reviewing them, capturing and eliminating any deviation and ambiguity.
• Train employees: Lead and guide employees through a process in which they are taught the necessary skills for the perspective job. Organise activities aimed at introducing the work and systems or improving the performance of individuals and groups in organisational settings.

3119 – Physical and engineering science technicians not elsewhere classified

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References

1. Quality engineering technician – ESCO
2. Quality Engineering Technician Job Description – Jooble
3. Featured image: Photo by ThisisEngineering RAEng on Unsplash