How to hire an automation application engineer

How to hire an automation application engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step automation application 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 automation application engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new automation application engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The automation application 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

   An automation application engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, automation application engineers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents automation application engineer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Automation Application Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Automation Application Engineer	Software developers are the creative minds behind computer programs. Some develop the applications that allow people to do specific tasks on a computer or another device... Show more	$31-59
   SQL Server Developer	A structured query language (SQL) server developer is a specialist who is tasked to develop and maintain systems to store, organize, and access databases. With their experience in data architect and management, SQL server developers can develop and scale SQL databases based on the needs of their organization... Show more	$34-54
   Lead Developer	A lead developer is responsible for creating software programs and applications, following the client and the business's software quality standards and design specifications. Lead developers assist a team of developers in implementing strategic procedures, managing system codes, debugging applications, running diagnostic tests, and troubleshooting defects to ensure its smooth performance... Show more	$39-77

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Technical Support
   • JavaScript
   • Windows
   • HVAC
   • PLC
   • PowerShell
   • Application Development
   • TCP/IP
   • Technical Issues
   • Customer Specifications
   • HTML
   • Debugging
   • DNS
   • Virtualization

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage key engineering projects, including automation system update, security system founding, ISO system establishment.
   • Manage PowerShell deployment automation code to accommodate complex project requirements and fixes.
   • Deliver a fully functional customer facing J2EE application while managing a team of developers.
   • Coordinate the PLC and MMI/MIS software programs for different jobs.
   • Interface daily with OEM customer, dealership and end-use customer developing win-win solutions.
   • Leverage knowledge of AD/GPO, DNS, networking, to troubleshoot packaging and application problems.

   More automation application engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your automation application engineer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An automation application 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 automation application engineer in Kansas may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level automation application engineer usually earns less than a senior-level automation application engineer. Additionally, an automation application 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 automation application engineer salary

   $90,280yearly

   $43.40 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level automation application engineer salary

   $65,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average automation application engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$103,587	$50
   2	Arizona	$99,460	$48
   3	Utah	$99,019	$48
   4	New York	$93,163	$45
   5	District of Columbia	$92,342	$44
   6	Massachusetts	$90,994	$44
   7	Colorado	$89,461	$43
   8	Connecticut	$89,050	$43
   9	Delaware	$88,435	$43
   10	Virginia	$86,961	$42
   11	New Jersey	$85,991	$41
   12	Georgia	$82,321	$40
   13	Texas	$81,743	$39
   14	Minnesota	$78,635	$38
   15	Florida	$78,273	$38
   16	Ohio	$77,232	$37
   17	Pennsylvania	$75,795	$36
   18	North Carolina	$75,180	$36
   19	Illinois	$74,278	$36

   Average automation application engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Citi	$122,467	$58.88	21
   2	EOG Resources	$119,382	$57.40	1
   3	Renesas Electronics	$104,592	$50.28	2
   4	Infineon Technologies	$103,350	$49.69
   5	Arrow Electronics	$100,387	$48.26	1
   6	Randstad North America, Inc.	$98,131	$47.18	10
   7	Air Products	$96,902	$46.59
   8	TD Bank	$96,272	$46.28
   9	Ginkgo Bioworks	$95,691	$46.01
   10	Automation	$95,321	$45.83
   11	General Electric	$94,856	$45.60	7
   12	READY Robotics	$94,538	$45.45
   13	Trane	$94,242	$45.31	5
   14	Crown Equipment	$93,944	$45.17	7
   15	Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories	$93,387	$44.90	38
   16	Air Force One	$93,238	$44.83
   17	Xylem	$93,045	$44.73
   18	Oportun	$92,872	$44.65
   19	Wells Fargo	$92,321	$44.39
   20	JR Automation	$91,817	$44.14

4. Writing an automation application engineer job description

   A good automation application 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 automation application engineer job description:

   Automation application engineer job description example

   SEL seeks an Application Engineer - Automation to provide technical support to customers in France and Italy with fluency in both languages! The ideal candidate will have strong knowledge in power systems, software, integration and automation, industrial controls, PLCs, industry protocols such as (IEC-61850, DNP, 60870-5, Modbus, and 61131 programming languages), Ethernet systems, protocol analyzers, and industry SCADA practices. If you are looking for an opportunity to work directly with customers to collaborate and solve real world power system problems, train customers on SEL products, and become recognized as an industry expert in a growing global company, then this position is for you!
   Essential Duties and Responsibilities
   Develop expertise in power system automation, and all related SEL products.Help customers apply SEL products through visits, demonstrations, training courses, email, and telephone contact.Contribute to product specifications, application and testing software, and literature.Participate in SEL marketing and sales activities and industry technical meetings and conferences.Teach in customer on-site and online visits, SEL University courses, and hands-on seminars for customers and SEL personnel.Maintain customer application and quality information, and develop industry relationships.Follow and apply SEL Values, Principles of Operations, and World-Class Manufacturing principles.Understand. Create. Simplify. Other duties as assigned.
   
   Required Qualifications
   Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering (or equivalent engineering degree) Three or more years' experience in power systems, industry practices, and software, integration and automation, industrial controls, PLCs, industry protocols (IEC-61850, DNP, 60870-5, Modbus, and 61131 programming languages), Ethernet systems, protocol analyzers, and industry SCADA practices Listens carefully; provides positive, helpful and professional communication to internal and external customers in a clear and concise manner. Demonstrates composure and professionalism under difficult circumstances.Takes on the challenge of unfamiliar tasks. Experiments to find new solutions.Creates a positive and motivating working environment for all.Proven technical training, speaking, writing, and customer service skills in English and French (Italian preferred) Ability to direct daily work activities with general supervision Models high standards of honesty and integrity Ability to learn new skills and assume new responsibilities Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 50% of the time.
   
   Preferred Qualifications
   M.S. in Electrical Engineering or advanced application experience in power system automation Experience using SEL products
   
   Location Information
   This position can be located in any of our European offices:
   United Kingdom (Stafford, Reading, or Leeds) Spain (Madrid) Italy (Milan) Georgia (Tbilisi)
   
   An Award Winning Company
   Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. (SEL) has earned a reputation for quality, reliability, integrity, and service. This has enabled us to expand within both the electric utility and industrial markets in many different industries, markets, and geographies around the world.
   
   Communication with Applicants
   SEL sends an initial e-mail response to all applicants at time of résumé or CV submittal. If you do not receive this communication, please check your SPAM filter and make sure your system is not blocking e-mails from SEL. It is important that you ensure your receipt of this e-mail as SEL may communicate future position updates via e-mail.
   
   SEL is an Equal Opportunity Employer: M/F/Vets/Disabled.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right automation application engineer for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with automation application engineer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   Sometimes, it's not enough to interview automation application engineer candidates, so you can ask them to do a test project. If you are not a technical person and don't know what a test project should be, you can use these websites:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   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 automation application engineer

   Once you've found the automation application engineer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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 employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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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