Key Takeaways

  • 75% of U.S. employers use automated applicant tracking systems to screen resumes before a human reviews them (Harvard Business School & Accenture, 2021)
  • The most common ATS failures are missing keywords, incompatible formatting, and incorrect file types
  • ResumeGeni scores your resume across 8 parsing layers — modeled on the same steps enterprise ATS platforms like Workday, Greenhouse, and Taleo use to evaluate candidates

How ATS Resume Scoring Works

Applicant tracking systems parse your resume into structured data — extracting your name, contact info, work history, skills, and education — then score how well that data matches the job requirements. Many ATS rejections happen because the parser couldn't extract critical fields, not because the candidate wasn't qualified.

LayerWhat It ChecksWhy It Matters
Document extractionFile format, encoding, readabilityCorrupted or image-only PDFs fail immediately
Layout analysisTables, columns, headers, footersMulti-column layouts break field extraction
Section detectionExperience, education, skills headingsNon-standard headings cause sections to be missed
Field mappingName, email, phone, dates, titlesMissing contact info is a common cause of immediate rejection
Keyword matchingJob-specific terms, skills, certificationsKeyword overlap affects recruiter search visibility and ATS scoring
Chronology checkDate ordering, gap detectionReverse-chronological order is expected by most ATS
QuantificationMetrics, numbers, measurable outcomesQuantified achievements help human reviewers and some scoring models
Confidence scoringOverall parse quality and completenessLow-confidence parses get deprioritized in results

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ResumeGeni free?
Yes. ResumeGeni is currently in beta — ATS analysis, scoring, and initial improvement suggestions are free with no signup required. Full guidance and saved reports may require a free account.
What file formats are supported?
PDF, DOCX, DOC, TXT, RTF, ODT, and Apple Pages. PDF and DOCX are recommended for best ATS compatibility.
How is the ATS score calculated?
Your resume is processed through an 8-layer parsing pipeline that extracts structured data the same way enterprise ATS platforms do. The score reflects how completely and accurately your resume can be parsed, plus how well your content matches common ATS ranking criteria.
Can ATS read PDF resumes?
Yes, but not all PDFs are equal. Text-based PDFs parse well. Image-only PDFs (scanned documents) and PDFs with complex tables or multi-column layouts often fail ATS parsing. Our analyzer will flag these issues.
How do I improve my ATS score?
Focus on three areas: use a clean single-column format, include keywords from the job description naturally in your experience bullets, and ensure all sections (contact, experience, education, skills) use standard headings.

ATS Guides & Resources

Built by engineers with 12 years of experience building enterprise hiring technology at ZipRecruiter. Last updated .

Senior Quality Engineer

Willowinnovations · Mountain View, CA

Willow is a platform for products that help improve the lives and health of women. We are a mission-driven team of experienced inventors, mothers, and fathers dedicated to making a difference in women’s lives. The Willow™ Wearable Breast Pump, selected as one of TIME's 25 Best Inventions in 2017 and 2018 CES Innovation Award for Wearable Technologies, is the first solution in our platform.

Job Overview:

The Senior Quality Engineer will participate in the implementation and maintenance of QSR (21 CFR 820) and ISO 13485: 2016 quality systems and qualification activities of Willow Innovations medical breast pump products and non-medical consumer products in support of the Company’s development, manufacturing, quality, regulatory, and clinical affairs efforts. In addition, this position will support the development and implementation of quality systems, quality/reliability engineering disciplines, and compliance activities.

 

Roles & Responsibilities | What you'll do:

1. Drive Design Assurance in Product Development

  • Ensure compliance with design control requirements (ISO 13485, FDA 21 CFR Part 820, EU MDR, and Health Canada regulations) throughout the product lifecycle.
  • Partner with R&D and cross-functional teams to implement risk-based approaches to product design.
  • Develop and maintain Design History Files (DHF) to support regulatory submissions and audits.

2. Conduct Risk Management Activities

  • Lead Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) for design, process, and usability risks.
  • Ensure compliance with ISO 14971 risk management requirements.
  • Facilitate risk assessments and collaborate with cross-functional teams to mitigate potential hazards.

3. Develop and Execute Verification & Validation (V&V) Plans

  • Define test strategies, acceptance criteria, and protocols for design verification and validation.
  • Review and approve test reports and data analysis to ensure compliance with regulatory standards.
  • Maintain traceability from user needs to design inputs, outputs, and validation results.

4. Ensure Compliance with Regulatory & Quality Standards

  • Support internal and external audits related to design assurance and regulatory compliance.
  • Ensure documentation aligns with FDA QMSR, EU MDR, ISO 13485, IEC 62304 (Software),  IEC 60601 (Safety), IEC 62366 (Usability),Health Canada MDR (SOR/98-282), and ISO 10993-1 Biocompatibility, FDA/EU/UK Food Safe Regulations, UL WERCSmart, REACH & RoHS.

5. Support Design Transfer & Manufacturing Readiness

  • Collaborate with manufacturing and suppliers to ensure design for manufacturability (DFM) and process validation.
  • Define quality control plans and inspection criteria for new products.
  • Conduct supplier quality assessments and ensure compliance with component specifications.

6. Drive Continuous Improvement in Quality Systems

  • Identify opportunities to enhance design control processes and documentation.
  • Develop and refine standard operating procedures (SOPs) for design assurance activities. 

 

Experience | What you'll bring:

  • Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or a related field.
  • Experience: Minimum 10 years in medical device quality engineering with a focus on design assurance.
  • Regulatory Knowledge: Strong understanding of ISO 13485, FDA 21 CFR Part 820 & Part 11, EU MDR, ISO 14971 (Risk Management), ISO 10993-1 Biocompatibility, FDA/EU/UK Food Safe Regulations, WERCSmart, RoHS compliance.
  • Technical Skills: Experience with risk management tools (FMEA, Hazard Analysis), design verification/validation, and statistical methods.
  • Software Skills: Proficiency in MS Office, Quality Management Systems (QMS), and statistical tools (Minitab, Tableau).
  • Soft Skills: Strong analytical, problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
  • Physical abilities:
    • Ability to work in an office setting, collaborating with R&D and manufacturing teams.

Occasional travel may be required for supplier audits, manufacturing support, or regulatory interactions. This is a hybrid role based in Mountain View, CA. The salary range for this position is $180,000-$200,000/year depending on experience.

Willow is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, disability, or Veteran status.