How to hire an associate project engineer

How to hire an associate project engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step associate project engineer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an associate project engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new associate project engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an associate project engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The associate project engineer hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an associate project engineer to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an associate project engineer that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of associate project engineers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Associate Project Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Associate Project Engineer	Chemical engineers apply the principles of chemistry, biology, physics, and math to solve problems that involve the production or use of chemicals, fuel, drugs, food, and many other products. They design processes and equipment for large-scale manufacturing, plan and test production methods and byproducts treatment, and direct facility operations.	$30-50
   Mechanical Engineering Internship	One of the primary responsibilities in a mechanical engineering internship is to follow directives from engineers and managers while gaining practical experience. There are instances when an intern must take part in crafting various materials under the supervision of a more experienced colleague, produce reports and paperwork, operate tools and devices, and provide assistance should anyone need... Show more	$15-25
   Engineer	Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects... Show more	$31-62

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Project Management
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • CAD
   • Cost Estimates
   • Test Results
   • Capital Projects
   • FDA
   • Project Scope
   • PET
   • Engineering Drawings
   • Engineering Projects
   • OSHA
   • Project Documentation
   • Solidworks

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the design of RF microwave ferrite components and respective magnetic circuitries.
   • Manage project portfolio costs, and budgets by ABC accounting, also manage BOM and component costs.
   • Manage custom product design & generate all require documentation for both customer and manufacturing groups using AutoCAD rel.
   • Implement OSHA safety requirements and GMP standards into new and pre-existing lab and process areas.
   • Design work execute on SolidWorks - PDMWorks system.
   • Function as a liaison between Packard, other Delphi divisions and OEM customers.

   More associate project engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your associate project engineer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An associate project engineer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for an associate project engineer in Delaware may be lower than in New Mexico, and an entry-level associate project engineer usually earns less than a senior-level associate project engineer. Additionally, an associate project engineer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average associate project engineer salary

   $81,795yearly

   $39.32 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level associate project engineer salary

   $64,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average associate project engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Mexico	$97,677	$47
   2	California	$94,533	$45
   3	New Jersey	$90,011	$43
   4	Texas	$87,079	$42
   5	Nebraska	$85,288	$41
   6	Massachusetts	$84,366	$41
   7	Missouri	$83,924	$40
   8	Washington	$81,601	$39
   9	Illinois	$78,076	$38
   10	Oregon	$75,410	$36
   11	New York	$74,814	$36
   12	Georgia	$74,501	$36
   13	Pennsylvania	$74,118	$36
   14	Indiana	$74,027	$36
   15	North Carolina	$72,574	$35
   16	Ohio	$70,316	$34
   17	Wisconsin	$69,051	$33

   Average associate project engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	CITGO Petroleum	$99,451	$47.81
   2	Ameresco	$95,836	$46.08	16
   3	Stryker	$92,942	$44.68	24
   4	Tesla	$89,852	$43.20	155
   5	Duquesne Light Company	$88,014	$42.31	2
   6	Allison Transmission	$87,121	$41.89	4
   7	New York Power Authority	$85,899	$41.30	3
   8	Accenture	$83,165	$39.98	21
   9	Pratt & Whitney	$81,661	$39.26	2
   10	Teleflex	$81,558	$39.21	11
   11	Raytheon Technologies	$81,009	$38.95	175
   12	L3Harris	$80,889	$38.89	91
   13	Burns & McDonnell	$80,579	$38.74	110
   14	Globus Medical	$80,083	$38.50	49
   15	Veolia Water Tech	$79,918	$38.42	22
   16	ABB	$79,529	$38.24	104
   17	Clever Devices	$79,027	$37.99
   18	Ball	$78,952	$37.96	2
   19	Wsp USA Buildings Inc.	$78,597	$37.79	136
   20	Howard L. Zimmerman Architects, P.C.	$78,577	$37.78

4. Writing an associate project engineer job description

   A good associate project engineer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an associate project engineer job description:

   Associate project engineer job description example

   Open Systems International, Inc. (OSI), An AspenTech Business, is a fast-paced, growing, high technology company, headquartered in Medina, Minnesota. As a world leader in the Operations Technology (OT) field, OSI develops and supplies state-of-the-art energy management, optimization and control software solutions to energy utility companies worldwide.
   The Role
   In this position, you will design and deliver OSI's control systems and provide ongoing customer support to ensure reliable performance and world-class customer satisfaction. As an Associate Project Engineer, your responsibilities will include
   
   Your Impact
   Design, plan, integrate, test and commission hardware and software requirements on customer systems. Provide technical sales support of state-of-the-art power systems applications for real-time control systems, including sales presentations and product demonstrations. Define project requirements through customer communication and communicate the requirements to other departments as necessary. Provide networking and system/application design. Perform hardware, software and system installation, integration and testing for projects. Customize system, hardware and network configuration based on customer requirements. Provide customer support and assistance per contract maintenance and warranty. Assist in creating training materials and project documentation as needed.
   
   What You'll Need
   Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, Systems Engineering or related field and internship experience required. Basic knowledge of computer programming; introduction to C programming at minimum. Basic knowledge of computer architectures, networking, databases, and operating systems. Ability and flexibility to travel to domestic and international customer site
   
   Soft Skills Required
   Excellent organization, interpersonal and verbal and written communication skills Strong commitment to providing superior customer service Ability to work on several projects in parallel in a fast-paced environment Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find associate project engineers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your associate project engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit associate project engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit associate project engineers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new associate project engineer

   Once you've decided on a perfect associate project engineer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new associate project engineer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an associate project engineer?