A validation engineer is a qualified engineer who is usually in charge of the equipment, mechanics, and systems that manufacture various products. Duties of this position may vary depending on the company because there are several types of corporations that offer this career. Mathematics and science are at the foundation of this career and a validation engineer is usually extremely knowledgeable in both subjects. The minimal of a bachelor's degree is generally required to enter this profession but many validation engineers have master's or doctorate degrees in engineering. Regardless of the company, the common goal of this profession is to ensure that all equipment and systems are operating with maximum proficiency.
In addition to ensuring that the machinery is in excellent condition, a validation engineer is a leadership position that has several other duties including database entries, training services, and budgeting tasks. Data entry for this position focuses on ordering new equipment and/or scheduling repairs for existing equipment and he or she is usually directly responsible for making sure that all of the equipment is up-to-date. Training is usually provided by the validation engineer to new or existing employees because of their expertise in regards to manufacturing systems. Some companies require that this position handles the budget for machinery, equipment components, and other in-house products.
Many of these positions are required to perform maintenance on equipment including calibration, testing, and adjusting machinery. This highly technical aspect of the profession is the primary reason that most positions are required that the employee has a college degree. He or she must be able to analyze test results, administer corrections if needed, and make suggestions for improvements. Another important trait of this profession is to have enhanced problem solving abilities, which is a trait that usually improves with experience. A validation engineer is faced with daily problems with machinery, employee operation skills, and system malfunctions therefore he or she needs to be well-prepared to resolve a variety of issues.
Due to this position constantly interacting with employees and other professionals, he or she should have excellent communication skills and the ability to discuss technical data with laymen. Some companies have the validation engineer directly interact with outside buyers, sellers, and vendors, which also requires that he or she has a professional demeanor and is able to accurately discuss manufacturing systems. This is a relatively high paying career and there is extensive room for career advancement.