10 of the Best Types of Quality Engineer Jobs in 2026

Discover some great types of Quality Engineer jobs that are hiring now.

High Paying Quality Engineer Jobs

• Quality Engineer Manager

  Salary range: $92,000 - $131,000

  Managers supervise a team of people; they establish goals, assign tasks, and measure progress. The specific responsibilities of someone in a management position will vary based on the company and industry they work in, but their primary responsibilities remain largely the same. Managers monitor the accomplishments of their staff, focusing on the overall goals of the department. They work with Human Resources to determine and address staffing needs, coordinate and delegate responsibilities, check employee performance, and provide additional training and direction when necessary.

• Senior Quality Engineer

  Salary range: $88,500 - $120,000

  The qualifications that you need to become a senior quality engineer include at least a bachelor’s degree and technical skills. You can start this career by earning a degree in engineering. The engineering discipline that you choose depends on the industry in which you wish to work. For example, a manufacturing quality engineer should study industrial and mechanical engineering. Some employers prefer to hire master’s degree holders or candidates with more than four years of relevant job experience who have passed their professional engineering (PE) exams. The American Society of Quality offers professional certification in several different areas, including quality engineering.

• Entry Level Quality Engineer

  Salary range: $72,000 - $93,000

  Entry-level jobs are positions that do not require any previous experience in the role. Most entry-level jobs are aimed at high school or college graduates as a starting point for a future career goal. A college student may have majored in their ideal career field, but will still need to start in an entry-level position to train in a real-world environment. Some students move from internships into entry-level jobs, but most entry-level jobs do not expect a candidate to have any prior employment or on-site training.

• Quality Engineer Internship

  Salary range: $72,000 - $93,000

  An Internship is a position within your desired field that pays little or no money but offers you the opportunity to gain real-world experience. This may set you apart for your future job search. Generally, Internships are almost expected by employers on an entry-level candidate’s resume. You are much more of an asset to an employer if you have some work experience.

• Quality Engineer Co Op

  Salary range: $72,000 - $93,000

  The qualifications you need for a Co-Op job depend on the application requirements at your school and the organization where you want to work. You must be an officially enrolled student at your college or university, and GPA and credit hour requirements are typical. Some companies prefer Co-Op students whose major aligns with the industry. You must have strong communication skills and a willingness to learn and practice a variety of new tasks and job duties. Your responsibilities are to apply your learning to your Co-Op work experience and be a punctual and motivated employee.

• Quality Engineer Full Time

  Salary range: $72,000 - $93,000

  Full-time employment hours are generally determined by the employer. There is no single universal definition; however, various laws and policies govern different types of eligibility and statuses. For example, the Fair Labor Standards Act does not define full-time employment but does require overtime pay after 40 hours of work in a workweek for non-exempt employees. The Affordable Care Act, in determining Applicable Large Employers, defines full-time employees as those working an average of at least 30 hours per week, or 130 hours a month. The H-1B Visa Program defines full-time as 40 hours per week, normally, and in no event would less than 35 hours per week be considered to be full-time employment. In practice, full-time employment is typically between 32 and 40 hours per week.

• Quality Engineer On Call

  Salary range: $72,000 - $93,000

  When most people think of on-call jobs, medical professionals and first responders typically come to mind. For first responders, like firefighters and EMTs, on-call usually means you are sleeping at the station, ready to wake up and respond to a call quickly. Medical workers, on the other hand, may work a more traditional on-call schedule. While some nurses and doctors may sleep at the hospital, especially during their residency, you may also have an on-call shift where you can leave and go home, potentially never actually coming back. If you want a career as a nurse or doctor but do not like this unpredictability, rest assured that the chance of having on-call shifts decreases as you gain seniority and advanced qualifications. Repair workers like electricians may also work on-call. You may occasionally find on-call jobs in retail or customer service sectors, but this is not as common.

• Quality Engineer Per Diem

  Salary range: $72,000 - $93,000

  Per diem jobs are short-term positions which are paid by the day. The most common per diem job opportunities are in the medical field, including positions in nursing, hospice, pediatrics, and midwifery. Phlebotomists, operating (OR) assistants, and pharmacists may also work on a per diem basis. Per diem employees are often contracted to work as admissions coordinators, recreation coordinators, and assistants.

• Junior Quality Engineer

  Salary range: $48,500 - $80,000

  Junior Quality Engineer is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Junior Quality Engineer jobs pay between $48,500 (25th percentile) and $80,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Junior Quality Engineer job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Trainee Quality Engineer

  Salary range: $52,000 - $74,500

  The requirements to get a trainee job vary by industry. In some, such as architecture or accounting, you must graduate from an accredited college program before you can begin work. Other industries, such as retail, manufacturing, or telemarketing, may require only a high school diploma or a GED certificate to begin a training program. No matter what profession you are interested in, you should have strong verbal and written communication and an interest in continuing the career.