Career Outlook

Product safety and effectiveness play critical roles in the food, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Products in these industries must conform to an ever-growing list of regulations that protect the safety of consumers. The International Organization for Standardization publishes 1100 new standards every year, and product and process compliance managers must know how to meet all that apply. Furthermore, insuring the quality and safety of these products makes good business sense, as reflected in the emergence of business management strategies like Six Sigma®, designed to eliminate defects and errors in manufacturing. The FDA states, "Both good manufacturing practice and good business practice require a robust quality system."

Northwestern developed the Master of Science in Quality Assurance and Regulatory Science program in direct response to demand from these regulated industries, which promise to be among the chief employers of MQARS graduates. Some graduates of the program will remain with their current employers, advancing to positions of increased responsibility. The program also gives working scientists the tools they need to conduct clinical trials or to assume managerial positions.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics highlighted demand for ISO compliance managers in a 2002 report on new and emerging occupations. Salaries and projected job growth vary according the industry served. Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing ranks as one of the fastest growing manufacturing industries, with an expected 24 percent increase in jobs from 2006 to 2016. In 2006 median annual earnings of pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing mangers was $111,070. The American Society for Quality posts jobs in several areas of quality assurance. Managerial positions in specific areas of quality assurance can be found on sites such as BlueSkySearch.com for the food industry, or Medzilla.com for work in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals or health care.