Quality Manager Jobs in California
Quality Manager jobs in California represent one of the most active markets in the country, with demand concentrated in aerospace and defense manufacturing, life sciences and medical devices, semiconductor and electronics production, and food and beverage processing at every level from quality engineer through senior quality director. The largest hiring hubs are the Los Angeles basin, the San Francisco Bay Area, and San Diego, where established employers such as Northrop Grumman, Abbott Laboratories, and Intel maintain significant California operations that consistently need quality leadership. The most in-demand specialties are ISO and FDA compliance, supplier quality management, and process validation. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Purpose:
Primary Accountabilities:
Regional FSQA Leadership & Execution
- Lead food safety and quality execution across North America, providing oversight to regional and site FSQA teams and serving as the primary FSQA partner to regional business and Supply Chain leadership.
- Monitor significant food safety and quality risks, performance gaps and corrective actions, ensuring effective execution, follow-through and appropriate escalation.
- Lead, coach and develop FSQA personnel while strengthening food safety and quality culture, capability and accountability across the region.
Program Deployment & Capability Building
- Lead regional implementation and reinforcement of company food safety and quality programs, standards and requirements including training and capability building across applicable functions.
- Coordinate regional food safety and quality incidents, ensuring appropriate assessment, communication, escalation and corrective action in partnership with relevant stakeholders.
- Partner with Global FSQR subject-matter experts to address technical and capability needs and support development of regional or facility SOPs, protocols and other supporting documentation.
Customer, Business & Supply Chain Partnership
- Serve as the primary North America Quality Representative for customers including strategic customer relationships, audits, inquiries and quality-related issues.
- Partner with Supply Chain, Operations, Commercial, Procurement, R&D and other functions to integrate food safety and quality requirements into business activities, commercialization and change initiatives.
- Coordinate regional FSQA activities involving suppliers, third-party manufacturers, warehousing and transportation in partnership with the appropriate Global FSQR teams.
Performance & Continuous Improvement
- Drive regional FSQA performance through KPIs, scorecards, trend analysis and management reporting, providing appropriate visibility to regional leadership and Global FSQR.
- Identify systemic risks, recurring issues and improvement opportunities and drive effective corrective and preventive actions across the region.
- Manage regional FSQA resources and priorities to support business needs, strengthen execution and continuously improve food safety and quality performance.
- Other duties as assigned
Experience, Knowledge, & Skills You Bring:
- 8+ years of progressive experience in food safety, quality assurance or related food manufacturing disciplines, including demonstrated leadership responsibility.
- Strong knowledge of food safety and quality management systems, HACCP/Preventive Controls, GMPs, GFSI-recognized certification schemes and applicable U.S./Canada food regulations.
- Experience working across manufacturing, Supply Chain and cross-functional business environments.
- Demonstrated ability to lead through influence and work effectively across organizational boundaries.
- Experience managing customer quality relationships and communicating effectively with senior business leaders.
- Strong understanding of incident management, risk assessment, corrective and preventive action, and continuous improvement principles.
- Strong analytical and communication skills with the ability to translate technical issues and performance data into practical business actions.
- Demonstrated ability to coach and develop technical professionals and build effective cross-functional relationships.
What You’ll Need to Succeed:
- Passionate about a purpose driven career
- Committed to fostering inclusive environments that support employee development and well-being
- Sets clear expectations, encourages innovation, and drives continuous improvement
- Models and coaches towards transparency and integrity in decision-making
- Effectively facilitates cross-team communication and teamwork
Education & Certification:
- Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Biology, Chemistry or Life Sciences is required.
- Advanced degree preferred but not required.
- HACCP and/or Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) training strongly preferred.
- Relevant GFSI, auditing, food safety or quality certifications are beneficial.
Physical Requirements:
- Ability to sit and use the computer for extended periods of time; ability to answer phones and use a variety of office equipment; ability to lift 15 pounds and reach overhead.
Travel Requirements:
- Approximately 30-40%, including travel to company facilities, customers, and business partners as required.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or on the basis of disability.
See All 392+ Quality Manager Jobs in California
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Find Quality Manager JobsQuality Manager Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Quality Manager Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Apple10

- Burns & McDonnell6

- Jobot5

- Meta4

- Tesla4

Top Industries Hiring
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals11
- Electronics & Hardware8
- Healthcare & Medical Services8
- Consulting & Professional Services8
- Technology & Software6
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in quality manager jobs across California.
- ASQ Certified Quality Manager or Certified Quality Engineer credential strongly preferred
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, life sciences, or a related technical discipline
- Five or more years of quality management experience in a regulated California industry
- Demonstrated knowledge of ISO 9001, FDA 21 CFR, or IATF 16949 quality standards
- Experience leading internal audits, corrective action, and root cause analysis programs
- Proficiency with quality management systems software such as MasterControl or Veeva
Quality Manager Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a quality manager in California?
Most quality managers in California start with a bachelor's degree in engineering, manufacturing, or a related technical field and build several years of hands-on quality experience before stepping into a management role. California does not require a state-issued license to work as a quality manager, but professional credentials from the American Society for Quality carry significant weight with California employers, particularly in regulated industries such as medical devices, aerospace, and food manufacturing.
How much do quality managers make in California?
Quality managers in California earn a median of about $132,620 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $80,950 for the lowest 10% to over $222,020 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire quality managers in California?
Employers hiring quality managers in California right now include Apple, Burns & McDonnell, and Jobot, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. California's concentration of FDA-regulated manufacturers and aerospace primes means demand runs across both large corporations and specialized contract manufacturers throughout the state.
Which California cities have the most quality manager jobs?
The cities with the most quality manager openings in California are Los Angeles, San Diego, and Irvine. The distribution reflects California's industrial geography: the Los Angeles basin anchors aerospace and defense manufacturing, the Bay Area drives semiconductor and medical device hiring, and San Diego's life sciences corridor generates consistent demand from biotech and pharmaceutical producers.
Are there remote quality manager jobs in California?
Yes, but they're rare. Quality management work is largely on-site because the role requires physical presence on the production floor, in audit rooms, and alongside suppliers. About 25% of quality manager openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, with most remote-eligible work concentrated in quality systems documentation, supplier qualification reviews, and compliance reporting functions that don't require floor access.
How can I get hired as a quality manager in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is landing a quality inspector, quality technician, or quality engineer role first and building toward management from there. Large California manufacturers such as medical device companies in San Diego and aerospace primes in the Los Angeles area regularly hire into associate quality engineer roles that feed their management pipelines. Earning an entry-level ASQ certification and gaining familiarity with FDA or ISO documentation processes gives candidates a clear edge over those without formal credentials.
Where can I find and apply to quality manager jobs in California?
You can find and apply to quality manager jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings from employers across aerospace, life sciences, manufacturing, and food production. Find the roles that fit your experience and apply directly.
See All 392+ Quality Manager Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Quality Manager Jobs