Quality assurance (QA) is a critical part of any pharmaceutical team. These professionals examine work for accuracy and consistency, ensuring every output meets the required standards. It’s a position that’s all about precision. If you want to thrive in the field, then certain capabilities are essential. Here’s a look at what it takes to be a great quality assurance specialist.  

Industry Knowledge  

On the technical side of the equation, QA specialists need a significant amount of industry knowledge. Not only does this include an understanding of various quality standards, but also familiarity with applicable state and federal regulations.  

As part of a quality assurance team, you don’t just review outcomes to ensure they align with your employer’s requirements; you also check outputs against government standards. This ensures consistency and full compliance, both of which are vital to a pharmaceutical company’s success.  

Additionally, knowledge of documentation requirements is also critical. Often, this is associated with remaining compliant, though it can encompass other facets, as well.  

Attention-to-Detail  

QA teams have to be detail-oriented. It’s their job to ensure that tasks and projects are completed correctly and that all outputs fall within set standards.  

Further, if quantitative analysis is involved, attention-to-detail is also a must. It ensures that any conclusions you draw are correct, as even a slight deviation in a process could harm your work outcome.  

Communication  

Communication is paramount for nearly all professionals. The ability to express yourself well – both verbally and in writing – gives you the ability to share information with greater ease, including with individuals who may not be as scientifically savvy.  

Collaboration  

Typically, a QA specialist is part of a larger team. They need to work efficiently with those around them, sharing insights whenever the need arises to elevate the group’s work.  

Often, this requires high emotional intelligence. With that, you can assess your interactions with others, enabling you to adapt your approach if necessary. That way, you can enhance overall effectiveness, achieve higher productivity levels, and improve the quality of everyone’s work.  

Problem-Solving  

QA isn’t just about identifying potential issues; Frequently, you’re also tasked with determining where a misstep may have occurred. Problem-solving skills are crucial for these activities. It allows you to examine a scenario, theorize about potential shortcomings or errors, and ultimately track down mistakes or issues that need addressing.  

Time Management  

Many QA specialists have incredibly tight deadlines to accomplish their work. Without time management skills, you may struggle to handle your responsibilities within the timeframe you are given. In turn, that can hinder projects or lead to missed deadlines, which certainly isn’t ideal.  

The ability to block out and manage your time effectively is, in the end, critical for your success. Whether that involves creating mechanisms to keep you on task or a natural inclination toward efficiency is less relevant than the outcome.  

Find Work as a QA Specialist 

Ultimately, all of the skills above are essential for QA professionals. If you would like to learn more about what it takes to get your quality assurance career headed in the right direction or are interested in QA specialist opportunities, the skilled team at Alpha Consulting can help. Contact us to speak with one of our recruiters today.