How to hire an aviation maintenance technician

How to hire an aviation maintenance technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step aviation maintenance technician hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an aviation maintenance technician, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   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 aviation maintenance technician 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 aviation maintenance technician that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of aviation maintenance technician salaries for various roles:

   Type of Aviation Maintenance Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Aviation Maintenance Technician	Aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians repair and perform scheduled maintenance on aircraft. They also may perform aircraft inspections as required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).	$16-36
   Mechanic	Mechanics are professionals responsible for assembling, maintaining, and repairing vehicles and types of machinery. They are knowledgeable of various tools and equipment, machinery, electrical systems, and other components... Show more	$16-30
   Light Wheel Mechanic	A light wheel mechanic is responsible for maintaining the optimal performance and efficiency of light-wheeled vehicles used for industrial operations, especially in a military setting. Light wheel mechanics inspect the condition of the vehicle's engine, perform preventive maintenance, replace defective components, assemble upgrade systems based on schematics and blueprints, and create resolution reports for reference... Show more	$12-32

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Electrical Troubleshooting
   • FAA
   • Maintenance Procedures
   • Airframe
   • Aircraft Maintenance
   • Maintenance Manuals
   • Aviation Maintenance
   • Troubleshoot
   • Powerplant
   • Technical Manuals
   • Safety Procedures
   • Hand Tools
   • Aircraft Systems
   • Preventative Maintenance

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Use technical specifications, sketches, manuals, drawings, engineering notices, and FAA forms and publications to accomplish work.
   • Perform scheduled and unschedule maintenance using RF electronic equipment and specialize test equipment.
   • Experience with oxygen/acetylene, Mapp gas brazing.
   • Certify in all power tools, lifts and scaffolding.
   • Utilize PLC and DCS systems to troubleshoot and improve boiler controls.
   • Load daily encryption codes for all cryptographic communication and GPS equipment.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your aviation maintenance technician job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An aviation maintenance technician can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, aviation maintenance technicians' average salary in louisiana is 37% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level aviation maintenance technicians 53% less than senior-level aviation maintenance technicians.
   • Certifications. An aviation maintenance technician with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an aviation maintenance technician's salary.

   Average aviation maintenance technician salary

   $51,794yearly

   $24.90 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level aviation maintenance technician salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 30, 2026

4. Writing an aviation maintenance technician job description

   A good aviation maintenance technician 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 aviation maintenance technician job description:

   Aviation maintenance technician job description example

   General Summary: To perform duties associated with operational support as required concerning maintenance of all company aircraft, maintenance equipment, and hangar facility as assigned by the Director of Aircraft Maintenance and/or Aircraft Maintenance Foreman
   Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
   Responsible for performing general aircraft maintenance on all company aircraft to maintain airworthiness and operational condition per FAA, manufacturer and industry standards. Prepare required documentation for accomplished aircraft maintenance. The documentation to be maintained will include but is not limited to the aircraft log books, airworthiness directives, maintenance work orders, invoices, and electronic maintenance tracking records. Ability to work a flexible, rotating schedule shared with other technical staff to provide coverage for departing and arriving aircraft.Assist/perform weekly thorough postflights Perform occasional additional support duties as required which include, but are not limited to, cleaning company aircraft including polishing of all bright works (interior & exterior) and cleaning and organization of company hanger and associated work areas.Consistently provide effective communications to the Director of Aircraft Maintenance concerning the status of a repair and the expected time for return to service (RTS) of aircraft.Must be available to travel for off base maintenance visits and international aircraft support when necessary.Other duties as assigned.
   
   Skills and Abilities:
   Understanding of aircraft maintenance concepts, practices, and regulations.Knowledge of or basic understanding of SMS (Safety Management System).Knowledge of or basic understanding of maintenance tracking software.Oral and written communication skills.Attentiveness to detail and precision.Interpersonal skills sufficient to work effectively with others.Ability to pass a comprehensive background check.Ability to work a flexible schedule to meet the need of the department including before and after normal business hours, weekends, and holidays.
   Minimum Requirements:
   Education:
   Minimum high school diploma.Federal Aviation Administration A&P License Required Inspection Authorization preferred Must be flexible with work schedule. Be available for weekend and off hour departures and unscheduled maintenance issues.Must possess a valid A&P license issued by the Federal Aviation Administration.Inspection authorization preferred but not required Gulfstream G280 or G550 experience preferred but not required Must be able to obtain and maintain Airport Security clearance Must be able to obtain/possess a United States Passport
   
   Location
   Rochester, New York
   
   Additional Locations
   
   Job Type
   Full time
   
   Job Area
   Aviation
   
   Equal Opportunity
   Constellation Brands is committed to a continuing program of equal employment opportunity. All persons have equal employment opportunities with Constellation Brands, regardless of their sex, race, color, age, religion, creed, sexual orientation, national origin or citizenship, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristics), marital status, gender (including gender identity or gender expression), familial status, military or veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related conditions (or any other group or category within the framework of the applicable discrimination laws and regulations).

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right aviation maintenance technician 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 aviation maintenance technician job on Zippia to find and recruit aviation maintenance technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit aviation maintenance technicians, 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 aviation maintenance technician

   Once you have selected a candidate for the aviation maintenance technician position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new aviation maintenance technician. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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