Occupations/17-2112.02
Validation Engineers
Design or plan protocols for equipment or processes to produce products meeting internal and external purity, safety, and quality requirements.
Usually a four-year bachelor’s degree.
AI automation risk
69%
Higher automation risk
Human characteristics
45%
Balanced human and task mix
Task orientation
53%
Mixed exposure
A day in this job
- Mostly routine
Develop validation master plans, process flow diagrams, test cases, or standard operating procedures.
- Task
Study product characteristics or customer requirements to determine validation objectives and standards.
- Task
Analyze validation test data to determine whether systems or processes have met validation criteria or to identify root causes of production problems.
The tasks we can read here lean routine. That sits next to the AI risk rank — it is not a forecast that the job disappears.
Core tasks
- 01Study product characteristics or customer requirements to determine validation objectives and standards.
- 02Analyze validation test data to determine whether systems or processes have met validation criteria or to identify root causes of production problems.
- 03Develop validation master plans, process flow diagrams, test cases, or standard operating procedures.
- 04Prepare detailed reports or design statements, based on results of validation and qualification tests or reviews of procedures and protocols.
- 05Maintain validation test equipment.
- 06Conduct validation or qualification tests of new or existing processes, equipment, or software in accordance with internal protocols or external standards.
Model drivers (O*NET 1–5)
- Repeating same tasks3.60
- Degree of automation1.89
- Time sitting3.95
- Originality (ability)3.00
- Conflict situations3.10
- Hands-on objects/tools2.25
- Outdoors / weather1.60
- Disease exposure1.20
- Decision freedom4.15
Top abilities
- Written Expression4.12
- Written Comprehension4.12
- Deductive Reasoning4.12
- Problem Sensitivity4.00
- Oral Expression4.00
- Oral Comprehension4.00
- Inductive Reasoning4.00
- Near Vision3.88
Essential skills
- Reading Comprehension4.12
- Active Listening3.88
- Writing4.00
- Speaking4.00
- Mathematics3.12
- Science3.75
- Critical Thinking4.00
- Active Learning3.25
- Learning Strategies3.00
- Monitoring3.88
CIP matches
Schools offering related programs
12 of 63 shown
Earnings are College Scorecard medians for that program, 1 and 2 years after completion. A dash means the Department suppressed the cell or the campus is not in the field file.
| Institution | Program | Tuition | Admit | Grad 6-yr | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit | Systems Engineering 14.2701 | $68,200 | 12% | 92% | 1 yr $122,038 2 yr $106,421 Master's · CIP 14.27 |
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Atlanta, GA · Public | Systems Engineering 14.2701 | $11,800 | 17% | 91% | 1 yr $114,223 2 yr $100,075 Master's · CIP 14.27 |
University of Kansas Lawrence, KS · Public | Engineering/Industrial Management 15.1501 | $11,400 | 88% | 67% | 1 yr $107,535 2 yr $106,421 Master's · CIP 15.15 |
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI · Public | Systems Engineering 14.2701 | $17,700 | 18% | 93% | 1 yr $104,935 2 yr $116,354 Master's · CIP 14.27 |
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus University Park, PA · Public | Systems Engineering 14.2701 | $19,600 | 55% | 86% | 1 yr $101,221 2 yr $99,291 Master's · CIP 14.27 |
City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College Chicago, IL · Public | Industrial Engineering 14.3501 | $4,600 | 100% | 27% | 1 yr $90,146 2 yr $79,849 Bachelor's · CIP 14.35 |
Stanford University Stanford, CA · Private nonprofit | Engineering/Industrial Management 15.1501 | $62,400 | 4% | 96% | 1 yr $86,867 2 yr $92,632 Bachelor's · CIP 15.15 |
University of Florida Gainesville, FL · Public | Systems Engineering 14.2701 | $6,400 | 23% | 89% | 1 yr $75,603 2 yr $74,279 Bachelor's · CIP 14.27 |
Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH · Public | Industrial Engineering 14.3501 | $12,800 | 53% | 83% | 1 yr $75,413 2 yr $75,667 Bachelor's · CIP 14.35 |
Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN · Public | Industrial Engineering 14.3501 | $10,000 | 53% | 83% | 1 yr $73,128 2 yr $70,057 Bachelor's · CIP 14.35 |
University of Massachusetts-Amherst Amherst, MA · Public | Industrial Engineering 14.3501 | $17,400 | 64% | 83% | 1 yr $72,587 2 yr $69,338 Bachelor's · CIP 14.35 |
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA · Public | Systems Engineering 14.2701 | $15,200 | 57% | 86% | 1 yr $72,357 2 yr $74,576 Bachelor's · CIP 14.27 |