Quality Assurance for Pharmaceutical
Pharmaceutical manufacturing operates within highly regulated environments where quality assurance is critical to patient safety, product integrity and regulatory compliance. QAagency specialises in recruiting Quality Assurance professionals for pharmaceutical businesses across the UK, supporting organisations involved in drug manufacture, packaging, testing and distribution.
Quality Assurance roles within pharmaceuticals are typically site-based and closely aligned with production, validation and regulatory affairs teams. Responsibilities often include batch record review, deviation management, change control and audit preparation, with strict adherence to GMP and MHRA requirements. Accuracy, documentation discipline and regulatory awareness are essential, as quality decisions directly affect product release and supply continuity.
In most pharmaceutical settings, QA professionals report into a Quality Manager, Qualified Person support function or Head of Quality. Roles range from operational QA support on the shop floor through to senior positions with authority over compliance strategy, inspections and regulatory interaction.
Roles we recruit for within pharmaceutical QA
We recruit across a range of quality-focused roles within pharmaceutical environments, including QA Officers and Quality Technicians supporting batch documentation and in-process compliance, QA Engineers managing deviations and CAPAs, Senior QA professionals overseeing GMP systems and audits and Quality Managers or Heads of Quality responsible for site compliance and regulatory readiness.
Many of these roles operate within GMP, GDP and ISO-based frameworks, with regular interaction with the MHRA and third-party auditors.
2026 salary insight: pharmaceutical quality assurance roles
Based on QAagency 2026 salary benchmarking, average UK salaries for pharmaceutical QA roles are:
QA Officer or Quality Technician (0–2 years experience): £32,400
QA Engineer (3–5 years experience): £42,800
Senior QA Engineer (5–10 years experience): £52,900
Quality Manager or Head of Quality: £68,700
Salary progression within pharmaceutical QA is strongly influenced by regulatory exposure, inspection experience and responsibility for batch release, deviation ownership and authority-facing activity. Candidates with experience supporting MHRA inspections or working within licensed manufacturing environments typically sit at the higher end of the market.
Market and hiring trends in pharmaceutical QA
Demand for pharmaceutical QA professionals has remained consistently strong through 2025 and into 2026, driven by ongoing regulatory scrutiny, product complexity and supply chain resilience requirements. Many organisations have expanded QA teams to strengthen inspection readiness and reduce dependency on reactive compliance measures.
Year on year salary growth from 2025 to 2026 has typically ranged between 4.8% and 5.4%, with the strongest increases seen at senior and management level. Over the past five years, senior pharmaceutical QA salaries have increased by approximately 21%, reflecting increased regulatory pressure and accountability.
Employers are placing growing emphasis on candidates who can operate confidently during regulatory inspections, manage complex deviations and communicate effectively with both operational teams and external authorities. Experience across multiple dosage forms or licensed activities continues to command a salary premium.
Location and salary variation
London and the South East continue to offer the highest salaries for pharmaceutical QA roles, particularly within licensed manufacturing sites and corporate quality functions. However, strong pharmaceutical hubs in the Midlands, North West and East of England have seen average QA salaries rise by around 18% over the past five years.
Roles involving direct MHRA interaction or Qualified Person support responsibilities show less regional variation, as regulatory expertise remains in short supply nationally. Candidates with inspection experience are consistently able to command higher salaries regardless of location.