Build the quality team your operation needs. Surf Search recruits quality assurance, quality control and quality engineering professionals for pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device employers—from individual contributors to department leaders.
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We separate the responsibilities behind the title: laboratory quality control, manufacturing support, supplier quality, systems work and team leadership. Your product, site and operating environment guide the search, so candidates understand the assignment before entering the interview process.
Agree on the responsibilities, essential experience and hiring priorities.
Define the role and the reasons a candidate would move.
Map relevant teams and approach candidates directly.
Support interviews, references and the offer through to the hire.
A neurovascular device start-up needed a director who could set direction and stay hands-on. A referral through our network led to the hire, followed by engineering searches in R&D, quality and manufacturing.
Read the San Diego case studyAnnual salary figures from our 2026 guide. Choose a city to see the roles covered for this function.
Boston · 2026 guide
Boston · 2026 guide
Boston · 2026 guide
Published annual salary figures; individual offers depend on the role, experience and compensation package. These titles represent different responsibilities and levels.
| City | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | $48,000 | $64,000 | $86,000 |
| Austin | $51,000 | $68,000 | $92,000 |
| Baltimore | $52,000 | $70,000 | $94,000 |
| Boston | $71,000 | $95,000 | $128,000 |
| Cambridge | $71,000 | $95,000 | $128,000 |
| Chicago | $52,000 | $70,000 | $94,000 |
| Cincinnati | $44,000 | $58,000 | $78,000 |
| Columbus | $45,000 | $59,000 | $80,000 |
| Dallas | $50,000 | $67,000 | $89,000 |
| Denver | $55,000 | $74,000 | $100,000 |
| Fargo | $48,000 | $64,000 | $86,000 |
| Fort Worth | $47,000 | $62,000 | $84,000 |
| Houston | $44,000 | $58,000 | $79,000 |
| Indianapolis | $46,000 | $61,000 | $82,000 |
| Irvine | $66,000 | $87,000 | $118,000 |
| Jacksonville | $47,000 | $62,000 | $83,000 |
| Los Angeles | $67,000 | $89,000 | $121,000 |
| Miami | $53,000 | $72,000 | $97,000 |
| Milwaukee | $47,000 | $62,000 | $84,000 |
| Minneapolis | $53,000 | $71,000 | $95,000 |
| New Haven | $55,000 | $75,000 | $100,000 |
| New York | $82,000 | $110,000 | $148,000 |
| Orlando | $48,000 | $64,000 | $87,000 |
| Philadelphia | $53,000 | $71,000 | $96,000 |
| Pittsburgh | $45,000 | $60,000 | $81,000 |
| Raleigh | $50,000 | $67,000 | $90,000 |
| Rochester | $51,000 | $69,000 | $93,000 |
| Salt Lake City | $50,000 | $67,000 | $89,000 |
| San Antonio | $43,000 | $57,000 | $77,000 |
| San Diego | $70,000 | $94,000 | $126,000 |
| San Francisco | $86,000 | $115,000 | $156,000 |
| San Jose | $82,000 | $110,000 | $149,000 |
| Seattle | $63,000 | $85,000 | $114,000 |
| Syracuse | $48,000 | $64,000 | $86,000 |
| City | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | $69,000 | $94,000 | $119,000 |
| Austin | $73,000 | $99,000 | $125,000 |
| Baltimore | $75,000 | $101,000 | $128,000 |
| Boston | $102,000 | $138,000 | $175,000 |
| Cambridge | $102,000 | $138,000 | $175,000 |
| Chicago | $75,000 | $102,000 | $128,000 |
| Cincinnati | $62,000 | $84,000 | $106,000 |
| Columbus | $64,000 | $87,000 | $109,000 |
| Dallas | $72,000 | $97,000 | $122,000 |
| Denver | $80,000 | $108,000 | $136,000 |
| Fargo | $69,000 | $94,000 | $119,000 |
| Fort Worth | $68,000 | $92,000 | $115,000 |
| Houston | $63,000 | $85,000 | $108,000 |
| Indianapolis | $66,000 | $89,000 | $112,000 |
| Irvine | $94,000 | $127,000 | $160,000 |
| Jacksonville | $67,000 | $90,000 | $114,000 |
| Los Angeles | $96,000 | $130,000 | $164,000 |
| Miami | $77,000 | $104,000 | $132,000 |
| Milwaukee | $67,000 | $90,000 | $114,000 |
| Minneapolis | $76,000 | $103,000 | $129,000 |
| New Haven | $80,000 | $108,000 | $136,000 |
| New York | $118,000 | $160,000 | $202,000 |
| Orlando | $70,000 | $95,000 | $119,000 |
| Philadelphia | $76,000 | $103,000 | $130,000 |
| Pittsburgh | $64,000 | $87,000 | $110,000 |
| Raleigh | $72,000 | $98,000 | $123,000 |
| Rochester | $74,000 | $100,000 | $126,000 |
| Salt Lake City | $72,000 | $97,000 | $123,000 |
| San Antonio | $61,000 | $83,000 | $105,000 |
| San Diego | $100,000 | $136,000 | $172,000 |
| San Francisco | $124,000 | $168,000 | $213,000 |
| San Jose | $119,000 | $161,000 | $203,000 |
| Seattle | $92,000 | $124,000 | $156,000 |
| Syracuse | $69,000 | $94,000 | $118,000 |
| City | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | $108,000 | $168,000 | $249,000 |
| Austin | $113,000 | $178,000 | $261,000 |
| Baltimore | $116,000 | $182,000 | $267,000 |
| Boston | $159,000 | $249,000 | $366,000 |
| Cambridge | $159,000 | $249,000 | $366,000 |
| Chicago | $116,000 | $183,000 | $269,000 |
| Cincinnati | $97,000 | $152,000 | $224,000 |
| Columbus | $100,000 | $156,000 | $230,000 |
| Dallas | $111,000 | $174,000 | $256,000 |
| Denver | $124,000 | $194,000 | $286,000 |
| Fargo | $107,000 | $168,000 | $248,000 |
| Fort Worth | $105,000 | $164,000 | $242,000 |
| Houston | $98,000 | $154,000 | $227,000 |
| Indianapolis | $103,000 | $161,000 | $237,000 |
| Irvine | $146,000 | $229,000 | $337,000 |
| Jacksonville | $104,000 | $163,000 | $239,000 |
| Los Angeles | $150,000 | $235,000 | $345,000 |
| Miami | $120,000 | $187,000 | $277,000 |
| Milwaukee | $104,000 | $163,000 | $240,000 |
| Minneapolis | $118,000 | $184,000 | $271,000 |
| New Haven | $125,000 | $194,000 | $287,000 |
| New York | $184,000 | $288,000 | $423,000 |
| Orlando | $108,000 | $170,000 | $250,000 |
| Philadelphia | $119,000 | $186,000 | $274,000 |
| Pittsburgh | $101,000 | $158,000 | $232,000 |
| Raleigh | $112,000 | $176,000 | $258,000 |
| Rochester | $115,000 | $180,000 | $265,000 |
| Salt Lake City | $111,000 | $175,000 | $257,000 |
| San Antonio | $96,000 | $150,000 | $220,000 |
| San Diego | $156,000 | $244,000 | $360,000 |
| San Francisco | $193,000 | $304,000 | $446,000 |
| San Jose | $185,000 | $289,000 | $426,000 |
| Seattle | $142,000 | $223,000 | $328,000 |
| Syracuse | $107,000 | $167,000 | $248,000 |
What to know before starting a search.
Yes. We recruit quality assurance, quality control and quality engineering roles. We distinguish the work involved at intake, including laboratory, manufacturing, supplier and systems responsibilities.
Yes. For leadership searches, we discuss the size and structure of the team, the site or business responsibilities, and how much hands-on work the role requires.
Yes. After a San Diego medical device engineering leadership placement, we helped recruit across R&D, quality and manufacturing. We can discuss the order and scope of related hires with your team.
The guide has different roles for biotechnology QC analysts, medical device quality engineers and pharmaceutical quality management directors. Use the matching role in the salary guide section; those titles represent different levels and responsibilities.
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