◆ Data & Analytics

What a data quality analyst
really does.

21 tasks, each one witnessed by the sources that watched the job — and behind every one, a prompt you can use tonight.

21evidenced tasks
14,600in the US (2025)
$52,130median pay / year
6systems it runs on
See the 21 tasks ↓Open in the atlasThe full career map →
This is what one task looks like here
Inspect foodstuffs, chemicals, and additives
Inspect the incoming batch of canned sauces for foreign matter, pH, an…2 sources agree

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The work, task by task

21 tasks
Hands on the work13
Operate laboratory testing equipment+
Run the moisture balance, chromatography, and microbial assays on the three allergen-prone samples this morning, follow SOPs, verify instrument calibration before each run, save raw data and summary tables, and hand results to the lab manager for certification by 3pm.
jdonet2 agree
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Supervise other food science technicians.+
Join the morning shift, assign four technicians to sample prep, review their calibration checks, oversee homogenization and labeling of 24 samples, ensure chain-of-custody forms are completed, and sign off on the daily supervisor log before lunch.
jdonet2 agree
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Maintain laboratory stock+
Take physical inventory of reagents and consumables, note lot numbers, expiry dates and minimum reorder levels in the stock ledger, flag items below threshold and generate a purchase requisition for procurement by Wednesday.
escojd2 agree
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Use laboratory equipment to examine organic substances such as bodily fluids, medicines, plants and food+
Run the prescribed assays on the provided samples, record instrument settings and calibration logs, report qualitative and quantitative findings for each bodily fluid, medicine and plant extract in the lab report template before the end of my shift.
escoonet2 agree
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Compute moisture or salt content, percentages of ingredients, formulas, or other product factors, using mathematical and chemical procedures.+
Calculate moisture and salt percentages for the batch using the submitted wet and dry weights and titration results, document the formulas and assumptions used, and deliver the final composition sheet to production control today.
onet
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Prepare or incubate slides with cell cultures.+
Prepare and incubate the slides with the assigned cell cultures, note incubation times and conditions, photograph representative fields after 24 and 48 hours and upload images with observation notes to the central lab record at the end of the run.
onet
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Mix, blend, or cultivate ingredients to make reagents or to manufacture food or beverage products.+
Prepare the reagent batch sheet for the new buffer run, record measured lot numbers and weights, verify calibration stickers on the balance, and flag any out-of-spec ingredient before the production chemist signs off today.
onet
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Prepare charts, presentations, and reports+
Compile the weekly data quality dashboard: pull latest assay yields, error rates, and calibration exceptions, create three charts showing trend, and draft the two-slide summary for Friday's lab review.
jd
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Watch and assess5
Keep the record1
Work with people1
Keep it safe1

What the work runs on

named inside the evidenced tasks
17 tasksMicrosoft Excellogs sample readings, test results, and calibration records for traceability and analysisOpen its task library → 9 tasksMicrosoft Worddrafts the formal technical report and nonconformance noticesOpen its task library →
2 tasksSAPlinks samples to production batch data and inventory for follow-up testing
2 tasksMicrosoft PowerPointbuilds the training slides and step-by-step visuals for hands-on instruction
1 taskMicrosoft Outlooksends the completed log to the maintenance lead and documents communication
1 taskSASprocess and validate analytical results, run statistical checks, and flag outliers for reporting
Browse every evidenced software task →

The same task, four heights

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ExecuteDo today's task, with fewer mistakesyou are here → ImproveMake it easy for the next person to acceptin the atlas → DecideWork out the right move when it is unclearin the atlas → BecomeLearn the pattern so it stops coming backin the atlas →

Can AI actually do this job?

the honest answer

It can

where it genuinely helps
  • Explain the theory behind the work
  • Draft, tidy and structure your writing
  • Rehearse a hard conversation before you have it
  • Build a study plan that fits your gaps

It cannot

where it stops, completely
  • Be in the room where a data quality analyst actually works
  • Carry the responsibility when the call is wrong — that weight stays yours
  • Notice what no one wrote down: the hesitation, the thing left unsaid
  • Live with the outcome

What the work pays

two countries, two different measures

United States

this exact occupation · BLS 2025
  • $52,130 a year — the middle: half earn more, half earn less
  • The lowest tenth earn near $39,820; the top tenth near $78,820
  • 14,600 people employed in this occupation

Where the evidence lives

open any of it yourself
O*NETThe US Department of Labor's own record of this job11 of these tasks ESCOThe European skills and occupations register5 of these tasks Job descriptionsReal postings, in the wild13 of these tasks US Bureau of Labor StatisticsPay and employment, by occupation2025 figures UK NOS IMPQI116Carry out testing in food and drink operationsnational standard UK NOS IMPPD117Develop food and drink test samplesnational standard

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Questions people actually ask

You spend most of your day collecting and preparing samples, operating laboratory testing equipment, and recording detailed test data. That includes measuring ingredients, monitoring temperature, and running assays on food, plant, or bodily-fluid samples.

You also compile and analyze results in Excel or SAS, prepare reports and PowerPoint slides, and check that products meet safety standards. Expect hands-on time in the lab plus desk time entering data, writing reports, and answering Outlook emails.

You’ll use Microsoft Excel for data tables, formulas, and charts; Word for written reports; PowerPoint for presentations; and Outlook for communication. Many labs use SAP for inventory and sample tracking and SAS for advanced analysis.

Those systems match the job tasks: Excel and SAS for computing moisture/salt content and analyzing test results, SAP to maintain lab stock, and PowerPoint/Word to compile reports and presentations.

Employers usually want at least an associate or bachelor’s degree in food science, biology, chemistry, or a lab-related field because you’ll operate lab equipment and prepare cultures. Courses in analytical chemistry, microbiology, and statistics are directly useful.

Hands-on experience counting samples, using lab instruments, and familiarity with Excel and SAP helps. Short certifications or internships in a food lab can also get your foot in the door.

A lab technician focuses on running tests and maintaining equipment; a data quality analyst spends more time checking data accuracy, compiling results, and analyzing trends in Excel or SAS. Both handle samples and lab work, but the analyst role blends bench work with data reporting.

A food scientist often designs experiments and product formulas; the analyst ensures the test data from those experiments are accurate and that products meet safety standards.

Yes, but be cautious. Use AI to draft reports, summarize test results, or generate charts from cleaned Excel data—always check every number against the source. Never let AI alter raw lab data or replace final quality checks.

Keep a clear audit trail: retain original test records, document any AI-generated changes, and have a qualified person verify results before releasing reports or making compliance decisions.