選擇這項工作完全是一個偶然；但是，我一向喜歡拆解東西再拼裝回去，藉此了解它們是怎麼運作的。

我的工作頭銜是「品管稽查員」；是有執照的飛機及發動機維修機械師。我們的工作單位乃根據《美國聯邦航空管理法規》第14條規定而成立，該法規內容121.373的部分要求所有飛機須有一持續性的分析和監督系統以確保維護飛機的有效功能。我們單位也檢查除冰和防冰、燃油儲存設施、飛機加油、待命維護、合約維護、提供重型維護、小修及大修廠商（飛機維修的各種零件）。基本上，我們監督任何提供飛行任務的人員和設備。

如要描述我一天都做哪些工作有點困難，因為每天都不一樣。通常我一週的工作包含：
一、接洽廠商與基地準備接受稽查；
二、審查廠商各種證件，確認證件與能力相符；
三、確認廠商工作手冊符合聯邦航空管理法規和公司的要求；
四、檢查訓練紀錄，確保我們的員工與廠商的員工都有適當且符合工作需求的訓練，所有訓練都有正確的記錄；
五、拜訪廠商，確認他們的工作與產品都符合公司的政策及步驟，廠商工作手冊和聯邦規定相符；
六、如監督過程中有任何缺失，就要書寫報告。

在我的工作中，我必須學習如何承擔壞的消息，如何用一種婉轉的方式告訴被稽查的人、讓他們願意接受並承認他們的錯誤，以及如何提供資源去引導廠商依照正確的步驟與政策走。很多人對我的背景一無所知，因為我不會與他們談論我的背景。很多時候人們會懷疑我的能力，正如在任何企業，當女性是其中的少數族群時，她們就必須更加努力。我通常不理會懷疑我的人，而是讓我的工作表現去說明一切。♥

譯者與作者溝通後再補充如下：
一、此工作的職稱是「國際航空公司技術操作部門的品質確保稽查員」（Quality Assurance Auditor in Technical Operations Department in a Large International Airline）。
二、通常在學校的系所是航空工程、航空機械技術，或具有飛機維修背景。
三、工作先通過面談，需具有航空法規知識、維修的經驗和FAA執照。如被雇用，還須經過一年的訓練並通過檢定考試。
四、截至2015，女性有A&P執照的機械師在美國業界大約只佔2.5%。美國女性飛機師也只有6.7%。有興趣者可參考國際航空女性的網頁：https://www.wai.org/resources/waistats。
五、作者鄭宇菁曾經在相關業界有過不少經驗，諸如在另一家航空公司擔任機械員一年，訓練師一年；在一家顧問公司擔任程序改善及實行安全管理系統等寶貴經驗。
（以上譯文經作者確認修正）

作者原文
My Job as An Air Carrier Quality Assurance Auditor
Yuu-Ching Cheng 鄭宇菁

"Choosing this field was accidental; however, I have always enjoyed taking things apart and putting them back together, and learning how things work. My job title is Quality Assurance Auditor, and I am a licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic. Our department is based upon the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations found in Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Part 121.373 of the Code requires air carriers to have a continuing analysis and surveillance system to ensure the performance and effectiveness of the air carrier’s inspection and maintenance programs. Our department also inspects deicing, fuel storage, fueling into plane, on-call maintenance, contract maintenance, heavy maintenance providers, and repair and overhaul vendors (vendors that repair piece parts that go into our airplanes). Basically, we audit anyone and any equipment that provide service to our airplanes.

It is hard to describe what I do in a day, since it varies from day to day. Most of my week consists of
(1) contacting vendors and stations to set up audits;
(2) reviewing the vendors’ certificates to ensure their certificates match their capabilities;
(3) ensuring that the vendors manuals meet the requirements in the CFR and our company requirements;
(4) reviewing training records to ensure that our employees and the vendors’ employees have the proper training for the work performed and that their training has been correctly recorded;
(5) visiting vendors to ensure that their work and products meet our company policies and procedures as well as comply with the vendors’ manuals and federal requirements; and
(6) writing reports if there are any deficiencies found during the audits.

Through my job, I had to learn how to be the bearer of bad news, how to tell others that they are wrong in a way they are willing to accept, and how to be the bridge and resource to guide vendors in following required policies and procedures. Many people do not understand  my background, and, since I don’t discuss my background with them, they might doubt my capabilities. Like any industry where females are the minority, we, women, tend to have to work harder.  I try to keep those doubted people guessing and let my work speak for itself."