Quality Tester Recruitment
Quality Testers play a key role in identifying defects, verifying standards and supporting compliance within production and regulated environments. QAagency specialises in recruiting Quality Testers across the UK, working with businesses where consistent testing and accurate reporting are essential to product safety, performance and regulatory compliance.
Quality Tester roles are commonly found within manufacturing, FMCG, food production, engineering and regulated assembly environments. These positions are typically site-based due to their close involvement with production processes, testing activity and release decisions. Quality Testers often report into a QA Engineer, Quality Manager or Technical Manager and operate as part of a wider quality or technical team.
The role is practical and detail-focused. Quality Testers are responsible for carrying out defined tests, recording results accurately and escalating issues where products fall outside specification. In regulated environments, their work directly supports audit readiness and traceability.
Roles we recruit for within Quality Testing
We recruit across a range of testing-focused quality roles, including Quality Testers and QA Testers responsible for routine and batch testing activity.
Some roles are heavily production-facing, focused on in-process and final testing, while others sit closer to laboratories or controlled environments where documentation, sample handling and data integrity are critical.
2026 salary insight: Quality Tester roles
Based on QAagency 2026 salary benchmarking, average UK salaries for Quality Tester roles are:
Quality Tester (0–2 years experience): £28,200
Quality Tester (3–5 years experience): £33,400
Quality Tester (5–10 years experience): £38,100
Salary progression within Quality Tester roles is influenced by sector, testing complexity and regulatory exposure. Positions involving GMP environments, controlled testing processes or responsibility for batch release and documentation typically sit at the upper end of the market.
Data based on QAagency 2026 salary benchmarking.
Market and hiring trends
Demand for Quality Testers remains consistent across most manufacturing and regulated sectors, particularly where production volumes are high or regulatory oversight is increasing.
Year-on-year salary movement for junior quality roles has averaged around 3.0% to 3.5% between 2025 and 2026. Over a five-year period, junior-level quality salaries are up by approximately 14%, reflecting steady but controlled progression rather than rapid inflation.
One notable trend is the increasing expectation around data accuracy and system use. Quality Testers are now more frequently required to log results into digital quality management systems rather than relying on paper-based records. Employers are placing greater value on candidates who understand traceability, version control and basic data review.
Another trend is the link between testing roles and progression. Businesses with structured quality functions are increasingly using Quality Tester roles as an entry point into broader QA and QC careers, offering progression into QA Engineer positions for individuals who demonstrate problem-solving ability and audit awareness.
Location and salary variation
London and the South East typically offer salaries around 8–12% above the UK average for Quality Tester roles, driven by higher site costs and more complex regulated environments.
Other regions such as the Midlands and North West have seen steady five-year growth of around 13–15% at junior quality level, narrowing the gap slightly with the South. In these regions, salary differences are increasingly influenced by sector and shift patterns rather than geography alone.
Across the UK, Quality Tester salaries remain more stable than engineer or management roles. This reflects the entry-level nature of many positions, but also highlights the importance of progression routes for retention.