Quality Control Technician Jobs in California
Quality Control Technician jobs in California are concentrated in Los Angeles, San Jose, and San Diego, where industries from aerospace and medical devices to food and beverage processing keep demand steady at every level from entry-line inspector to senior QC specialist. Employers including Northrop Grumman, Abbott Laboratories, and Dole Food Company maintain large California operations and hire quality control technicians on a consistent basis. The most in-demand specialties are incoming inspection, process validation, and FDA-regulated manufacturing quality. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Corporate Overview
Argonaut Manufacturing Services Inc. is a leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in aseptic fill-finish services for pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products. Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, Argonaut supports clients from clinical development through commercial manufacturing, with a focus on product quality, yield optimization, and reliable delivery.
Argonaut provides flexible drug product manufacturing solutions, including vial, syringe, and cartridge filling, as well as combination filling capabilities. The company also offers analytical services and short-term cGMP storage to support clients throughout the manufacturing process.
With a commitment to quality standards and hands-on client support, Argonaut works closely with customers to help ensure consistent, compliant, and efficient manufacturing while meeting critical timelines and patient needs.
Benefits and Pay RangeBenefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements.
Medical InsuranceDental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Company Paid Life Insurance 1X annual Salary
Voluntary Life Insurance
Long-Term Disability Insurance and Short-Term Disability Insurance
Flexible Spending Account and Health Saving Account
401(K) Retirement Plan
10 Days of Paid Time Off
10 Paid Holidays Annually
Position and Scope
The QC Project Manager leads and coordinates Quality Control projects and programs from initiation through completion, ensuring alignment with business objectives, customer expectations, regulatory requirements, timelines, and financial goals. The role serves as a key cross-functional liaison between QC, QA, Program Management, Finance, customers, and external partners, providing project leadership, risk and resource management, issue resolution, and performance oversight.
This role is 100% On-Site, Monday – Friday 8 hours/day (excluding lunch break). Overtime, weekends and holidays may be required. Flexible start time between 6:00am and 9:00am with a consistent schedule. Exceptions to the schedule must be approved by the manager in advance.
Responsibilities and Duties
- Lead end-to-end QC project management for complex pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical programs, including project scope, timelines, milestones, resources, risks, deliverables, testing priorities, and customer commitments.
- Serve as the primary QC project lead, coordinating activities across QC, QA, Project Management, Finance, customers, and external laboratory partners to ensure timely, compliant, and efficient execution.
- Translate customer requirements into executable testing strategies, project plans, resource requirements, regulatory deliverables, and compliance objectives.
- Manage stability programs from study initiation through testing, data review, reporting, and completion, ensuring adherence to protocols, schedules, SOPs, quality requirements, and customer commitments.
- Ensure QC testing readiness across personnel, equipment, analytical methods, documentation, and laboratory systems, while proactively identifying and resolving operational risks and resource constraints.
- Participate in root cause investigations, CAPAs, change controls, remediation efforts, and continuous improvement initiatives to strengthen quality, compliance, and operational efficiency.
- Utilize project metrics to monitor performance, identify trends and resource gaps, and provide data-driven insights to support project and business decisions.
- Partner with Finance to track project activities and billable work, assign costs to appropriate customer and GL accounts, support accurate invoicing, and reconcile financial activity with approved project scope.
- Manage project governance and executive communications, including status reporting, risks, milestones, resource and financial updates, escalations, and key decisions.
- Participate in effective customer and stakeholder relationships through clear communication, alignment on requirements and deliverables, and timely resolution of project issues.
Listed responsibilities are an essential, but not exhaustive list, of the usual duties associated with the position. Changes to individual responsibilities may occur due to business needs.
Requirements and Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in chemistry, biochemistry, biology, pharmaceutical sciences, or a related scientific discipline.
- 5+ years of experience in pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, or other GMP-regulated environments, including Quality Control experience.
- 3+ years of experience in QC project management, laboratory operations, stability management, or related project leadership.
- Demonstrated experience managing multiple concurrent projects and cross-functional teams in a regulated environment.
- Strong working knowledge of GMP, QC laboratory operations, stability programs, analytical testing, data integrity, and quality systems.
- Experience with project planning, scheduling, risk management, resource coordination, and customer deliverables.
- Experience with deviations, investigations, CAPAs, change controls, and audit/inspection readiness.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office; experience with Power BI or similar reporting tools preferred.
- Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work independently and effectively engage senior leadership and customers.
Argonaut Manufacturing Services, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. We make employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran or military status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Argonaut Manufacturing Services, Inc. complies with all applicable employment eligibility verification requirements. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Employment eligibility will be verified in accordance with applicable federal law.
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Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Quality Control Technician Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals11
- Manufacturing3
- Medical Devices3
- Technology & Software2
- Construction & Real Estate2
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in quality control technician jobs across California.
- High school diploma or associate degree in a science or technical field required
- Experience with inspection tools such as calipers, micrometers, and gauges
- Familiarity with ISO 9001, GMP, or FDA quality management standards
- Ability to read and interpret technical drawings, blueprints, and specifications
- Proficiency with quality documentation systems and nonconformance reporting
- Strong attention to detail with demonstrated ability to work in regulated environments
Quality Control Technician Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a quality control technician in California?
Most California employers require at minimum a high school diploma or GED, though an associate degree in manufacturing technology, biology, chemistry, or a related field significantly improves your chances. California has no state-issued license specific to quality control technicians, but certifications from the American Society for Quality such as the Certified Quality Inspector or Certified Quality Technician credential are widely recognized by California manufacturers. Many candidates enter through production or laboratory assistant roles at regulated manufacturers before moving into dedicated QC positions.
Which companies hire quality control technicians in California?
Employers hiring quality control technicians in California right now include Joby Aviation, Avid Bioservices, and Bachem, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. California's concentration of aerospace contractors, FDA-regulated medical device makers, and large food processing companies means quality control technician demand is distributed across a wide range of industries rather than clustered in one sector.
Which California cities have the most quality control technician jobs?
San Diego, Los Angeles, and Irvine have the most quality control technician openings in California. Los Angeles anchors demand through its aerospace, defense, and food manufacturing base, while San Jose and the surrounding South Bay draw on a dense cluster of medical device and semiconductor manufacturers, and San Diego adds pharmaceutical and biotech employers to the mix.
Are there remote quality control technician jobs in California?
Yes, but they're rare. Quality control technician work is fundamentally hands-on, requiring physical inspection of materials, equipment, and production lines, so most openings are fully on-site. About 4% of quality control technician openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, and those tend to be documentation-heavy roles such as quality systems auditing or supplier quality management rather than floor inspection positions.
How can I get hired as a quality control technician in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a production associate or laboratory aide role at a California regulated manufacturer, where you work alongside QC staff and learn inspection processes on the job. Large California food and beverage processors, contract pharmaceutical manufacturers, and medical device companies in the Los Angeles and San Diego areas regularly hire entry-level quality associates and train them on internal procedures. Completing an ASQ Certified Quality Inspector exam or a community college certificate in manufacturing quality from schools in the California Community Colleges system gives candidates a measurable edge over other applicants without direct QC experience.
Where can I find and apply to quality control technician jobs in California?
You can find and apply to quality control technician jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across industries including aerospace, medical devices, food processing, and pharmaceuticals. Search the listings to find roles that match your experience and location, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 277+ Quality Control Technician Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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