Quality Engineer job description: Skills and responsibilities

With engineering jobs increasing in demand, Quality Engineering is more important than ever. Even the smallest defect that can ripple through production, which is why so many companies rely on skilled Quality Engineers to keep everything compliant. 

If you’re curious about the quality engineer job description, the skills you’ll need, and the quality engineer career path ahead of you, this guide will break down the role and the opportunities you can expect.

What is a Quality Engineer?

A Quality Engineer ensures that products, processes and systems meet stringent regulatory standards. Rather than only inspecting the final output. Quality Engineers participate from early development through to delivery, ensuring quality is built in at every stage.

In a Quality Engineering job, you’ll collaborate with manufacturing, R&D, test, supply chain and leadership teams, acting as the link between operational reality and customer expectations.

Typical responsibilities of a Quality Engineer include:

• Auditing processes and ensuring compliance
• Maintaining quality management systems
• Overseeing inspection and test processes
• Managing non-conformances and corrective actions
• Supporting external audits and customer reviews
• Driving improvements across production and engineering teams

Duties in a Quality Engineer job description

While focusses differ depending on sector, you’ll find a clear set of duties in a Quality Engineer job description. Here’s a look at what you can expect to see:

Auditing processes and ensuring compliance

Quality Engineers plan and conduct internal audits across processes, product lines and departments. This confirms alignment with standards such as ISO 9001, AS9100, TS 16949 or customer-specific requirements.

Overseeing inspection and test activities

Depending on the product, this may involve:

• Reviewing inspection methods and sampling plans (e.g. SPC, AQL)
• Validating ATE (Automated Test Equipment) programmes and test coverage
• Checking in-process and final assemblies against specification
• Approving inspection reports and documentation

The goal is to catch issues at the earliest stage and ensure production outputs match approved specifications.

Managing non-conformances and CAPA

A key part of the role is identifying problems, reporting them accurately, and leading corrective and preventive action:

• Root cause investigation (e.g. 5 Whys, Fichbone FMEA)
• Structured problem-solving (e.g. 8D, PDCA)
• Monitoring long-term effectiveness of actions

This prevents repeated failures and improves overall reliability.

Supporting external audits and customer interaction

Quality Engineers prepare documentation, host auditors, respond to findings, and support customer quality requirements, PPAP/FAI (where relevant). This is crucial for organisations operating in tightly regulated sectors.

Maintaining documentation and QMS records

Quality Engineers manage and update:

• Procedures, works instructions, process flows
• Audit reports, quality plans, inspection records
• Change control and traceability documentation

Accurate documentation is essential for certification, complaince, and risk management. .

Driving continuous improvement initiatives

Using Lean and Six Sigma methodologies, trend monitoring, and process reviews, Quality Engineers identify inefficiencies and waste, working with teams to eliminate them.

Cross-functional collaboration

Quality Engineers often act as problem-solvers between engineering, production, test, and supply chain teams. Strong communication and a collaborative mindset are essential to influence improvements without enforcement.

Key skills in a Quality Engineer job description

The strongest Quality Engineer job descriptions highlight a mixture of technical expertise and interpersonal strengths. These are the skills and behaviours that often separate good Quality job candidates from exceptional ones:

Technical skills

• Understanding of quality standards (e.g. ISO900, etc)
• Ability to read technical drawings and specifications
• Knowledge of inspection methods, measurement tools, and test processes
• Experience with non-conformance systems and CAPA, audit programmes
• Analytical thinking and basic statistical/SPC, data interpretation
• Familiarity with tools like FMEA, PPAP, MSA (Measurement Systems Analysis)

Soft skills

• Clear presentation of findings
• Writing structured and concise reports
• Influencing teams without conflict
• Communicating confidently with technicians, engineers, managers and customers
• A detail-orientated and methodical mindset
• Ability to keep calm when solving fast-moving issues

Typical requirements for Quality Engineer jobs

So, what do employers look for when hiring for Quality Engineer roles? While this can vary by industry, having the following requirements under your belt will go a long way:

Education

• Degree, HNC/HND or equivalent in engineering, manufacturing, electronics or similar
• In some cases, practical experience in a regulated industry may substitute formal qualifications

Experience

• Quality assurance, inspection, or auditing experience within manufacturing or high-reliability sectors
• Familiarity with ISO or aerospace-grade standards
• Hands-on exposure to NCRs, audits, CAPA, and QMS maintenance

Desirable certifications

• Internal Auditor or Lead Auditor training
• Training in sector-specific standards
• Lean/Six Sigma (Green or Black Belt) in process improvement

Where can the Quality Engineer career path take you?

One of the attractions of a Quality Engineer career path is how many directions it can take you. Many people start in roles such as Quality Technician, Inspector or Graduate Quality Engineer, then move into more senior or specialised positions as they gain experience.

If you’re thinking strategically about your Quality Engineer career, it’s worth looking at roles that expose you to audits, customer interaction, and cross-functional projects early on. These are often the experiences hiring managers look for when recruiting at senior level.

Common steps on the quality engineering career path include:

• Quality Engineer: owning specific product lines, processes, or customer accounts
• Senior / Lead Quality Engineer: guide larger product portfolios and mentoring others, shape quality strategy
• Supplier Quality Engineer (SQE): focussing on supplier performance, audits and incoming materials
• NPI / Project Quality Engineer: embedded in new product development teams to build quality into designs
• Quality Manager / Head of Quality: leading the quality function, shaping strategy, and managing certification and customer approvals

Is a Quality Engineering career right for you?

If you enjoy problem-solving, have an eye for detail, and like the idea of playing a key role in how products are made, a career as a Quality Engineer can be hugely rewarding. Quality roles are also in high demand. While organisations may cut back on some projects, the need to maintain certifications and meet regulatory requirements will always be there.

Engineers who enjoy this path tend to:

• Like investigating issues and getting to the root cause
• Prefer structured, evidence-based decision making
• Enjoy working with people across different teams
• Want a role where you can see tangible improvements from your work
• Be motivated by making products safer, more reliable, and more compliant

Explore Quality Engineer jobs with Redline 

At Redline Group, we’ve been building world-class engineering and technical teams since 1982. Our consultants are industry specialists, working closely with employers across electronics, aerospace, defence, space, and wider technology sectors to fill critical quality engineer jobs and related roles.

If you’re ready to take the next step in your career, explore our latest Quality Engineer jobs and wider technical engineering opportunities today.