Validation Engineers
Design or plan protocols for equipment or processes to produce products meeting internal and external purity, safety, and quality requirements.
Also called: Cloud Site Reliability Engineer, Corporate Quality Engineer, Electrical Reliability Engineer, Engineer, Equipment Engineer, Equipment Validation Engineer
Median pay
$102,440
Pay for the broader BLS group “Industrial Engineers”
Pay range (10th–90th)
$74,370 – $159,860
People employed
365,740
Whole BLS group
Holland code
ICR
Investigative · Conventional · Realistic
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Validation Engineers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, for the broader group “Industrial Engineers”.
What validation engineers do
- 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.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
Knowledge
- Engineering and Technology
- Production and Processing
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mathematics
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Intellectual Curiosity
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
- A certification can help.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from validation engineers
- Quality Control Systems Managers85% · group pay
- Materials Scientists82% · —
- Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers81% · —
- Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians80% · —
- Food Scientists and Technologists79% · —
Change into validation engineers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Quality Control Systems Managers85% · $126,060
- Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers81% · $104,300
- Materials Scientists80% · $117,790
- Food Scientists and Technologists79% · $88,720
- Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians78% · $66,120
Majors that lead here
- Systems Engineering
- Industrial Engineering
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Engineering/Industrial Management
- Packaging Science
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.