Quality Control Analysts
Conduct tests to determine quality of raw materials, bulk intermediate and finished products. May conduct stability sample tests.
$62,280 a year (for the broader BLS group this job sits in).
of the working time. Estimate.
- 53%
- 0%
- 47%
Measured, from Anthropic's usage data (2025). Counts help on part of a task.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 0%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 19%. Today's estimate: 25%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 26 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perform validations or transfers of analytical methods in accordance with applicable policies or guidelines.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 15% | 3.1 work days6.7 h to 1.7 work weeks | Stays with people | |
| Develop and qualify new testing methods.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 11% | 1.7 work weeks1.7 work days to 1.2 work months | Stays with people | |
| Conduct routine and non-routine analyses of in-process materials, raw materials, environmental samples, finished goods, or stability samples.Done daily by most who do it. | 9% | 1.7 h25 min to 5 h | Stays with people | |
| Participate in out-of-specification and failure investigations and recommend corrective actions.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 7% | 5 h1.7 h to 2.1 work days | 15%Half by Jun 2027 | |
| Supply quality control data necessary for regulatory submissions.Done daily by most who do it. | 6% | 3.3 h50 min to 1.3 work days | 25%Half by Mar 2027 | |
| Compile laboratory test data and perform appropriate analyses.Done daily by most who do it. AI observed on this task. | 6% | 1.3 h25 min to 3.3 h | 77%Half by now | |
| Investigate or report questionable test results.Done daily by most who do it. | 4% | 2.5 h50 min to 6.7 h | 46%Half by Oct 2026 | |
| Identify quality problems and recommend solutions.Done daily by most who do it. | 4% | 1.7 h38 min to 5 h | 66%Half by now | |
| Write technical reports or documentation, such as deviation reports, testing protocols, and trend analyses.Done daily by most who do it. | 4% | 3.3 h50 min to 1.3 work days | 25%Half by Mar 2027 | |
| Prepare or review required method transfer documentation including technical transfer protocols or reports.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 3% | 5 h2.5 h to 1.7 work days | 20%Half by Feb 2027 | |
| Identify and troubleshoot equipment problems.Done daily by most who do it. | 3% | 1.3 h25 min to 4.2 h | Stays with people | |
| Interpret test results, compare them to established specifications and control limits, and make recommendations on appropriateness of data for release.Done daily by most who do it. | 3% | 38 min13 min to 1.7 h | 95%Half by now |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
- Quality Control Systems Managers32% now, 81% by 2028
- Validation Engineers14% now, 63% by 2028
- Industrial Engineers16% now, 94% by 2028
- Chemical Technicians10% now, 20% by 2028
- Calibration Technologists and Technicians17% now, 55% by 2028
- Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians12% now, 62% by 2028
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025). Counts are for the broader BLS group this job sits in.
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025). Counts are for the broader BLS group this job sits in.