Can Agents Work?

Jobs / Science and research / 19-4099.01

Quality Control Analysts

Conduct tests to determine quality of raw materials, bulk intermediate and finished products. May conduct stability sample tests.

US jobs
73,910 (SOC 19-4099 group, "Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other")
Median wage
$62,280 a year
Job family
Science and research

Can agents do the work of quality control analysts?

We read the evidence for the whole job family, Science and research: Some tasks (no change in 12 months)

Agents complete 20% or more of the tasks (or projects) on a direct benchmark.

Evidence: CORE-Bench, declared solved.

0% of this occupation's work, by O*NET work activities, is measured by a direct benchmark (figures for the SOC 19-4099 group).

  • 11%Analyze environmental or geospatial dataNot measured
  • 9%Create visual designs or displaysNot measured
  • 5%Evaluate the quality or accuracy of dataNot measured
  • 5%Test characteristics of materials or productsNot measured
  • 5%Maintain operational recordsNot measured
  • 5%Collect environmental or biological samplesNot measured
  • 4%Present research or technical informationNot measured
  • 4%Adjust equipment to ensure adequate performanceNot measured

Benchmarks for the job family

These cover work in science and research, not always this occupation's tasks.

Direct evidence

Work benchmarks mapped primary to this family. They set the step when they report how many tasks agents complete.

  • CORE-Benchby Princeton UniversityTask level · CORE-Bench-Hard accuracy (public test set)
    95.5%Claude Code + Claude Opus 4.5 (after manual regrading) · 3 Dec 2025
    Solved

Also relevant

These benchmarks cover part of this family's work, or have no result yet. They do not set its step.

Typical tasks

From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.

  • Conduct routine and non-routine analyses of in-process materials, raw materials, environmental samples, finished goods, or stability samples.
  • Interpret test results, compare them to established specifications and control limits, and make recommendations on appropriateness of data for release.
  • Calibrate, validate, or maintain laboratory equipment.
  • Ensure that lab cleanliness and safety standards are maintained.
  • Perform visual inspections of finished products.
  • Complete documentation needed to support testing procedures, including data capture forms, equipment logbooks, or inventory forms.
  • Compile laboratory test data and perform appropriate analyses.
  • Identify and troubleshoot equipment problems.
  • Write technical reports or documentation, such as deviation reports, testing protocols, and trend analyses.
  • Investigate or report questionable test results.
  • Monitor testing procedures to ensure that all tests are performed according to established item specifications, standard test methods, or protocols.
  • Identify quality problems and recommend solutions.
Other job titles for this occupation (41)

Lab Analyst · Lab Technician (Lab Tech) · Laboratory Analyst · Microbiology Lab Analyst · QA Auditor (Quality Assurance Auditor) · QA Lab Tech (Quality Assurance Lab Technician) · QA Tech (Quality Assurance Technician) · Quality Control Analyst (QC Analyst) · Quality Control Lab Technician (QC Lab Tech) · Quality Control Technician (QC Tech) · Chemistry Quality Control Analyst (Chemistry QC Analyst) · Chemistry Quality Control Technician (Chemistry QC Technician) · Data Quality Analyst · IT Quality Control Analyst (Information Technology Quality Control Analyst) · Laboratory Technician (Lab Tech) · Microbiology Quality Control Technician (Microbiology QC Tech) · Performance Quality Auditor · QA Analyst (Quality Assurance Analyst) · QA Associate (Quality Assurance Associate) · QA Lab Tech (Quality Assurance Laboratory Technician) · QA Specialist (Quality Assurance Specialist) · QA Testing Analyst (Quality Assurance Testing Analyst) · QC Clerk (Quality Control Clerk) · QC Lab Analyst (Quality Control Laboratory Analyst) · QC Microbiology Analyst (Quality Control Microbiology Analyst) · Quality Analyst · Quality Assurance Coordinator (QA Coordinator) · Quality Auditor · Quality Control Associate (QC Associate) · Quality Control Auditor (QC Auditor) · Quality Control Checker (QC Checker) · Quality Control Expert (QC Expert) · Quality Control Specialist (QC Specialist) · Quality Control Tester (QC Tester) · Quality Controller · Quality Coordinator · Quality Improvement Analyst · Quality Improvement Specialist · Quality Process Auditor · Quality Specialist · Quality Systems Specialist