How to hire a bridge carpenter

How to hire a bridge carpenter, step by step

Here's a step-by-step bridge carpenter hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a bridge carpenter, 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?

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   Hiring the perfect bridge carpenter also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of bridge carpenter salaries for various roles:

   Type of Bridge Carpenter	Description	Hourly rate
   Bridge Carpenter	Carpenters construct and repair building frameworks and structures—such as stairways, doorframes, partitions, rafters, and bridge supports—made from wood and other materials. They also may install kitchen cabinets, siding, and drywall.	$15-29
   Journeyman	A journeyman is an experienced worker whose role will vary on the line of industry where one is involved. They work without supervision from a master craftsman... Show more	$18-39
   Scaffold Builder	A scaffold builder assists construction workers by creating scaffold structures for them to reach points in a building and do their work, then later dismantle it when the job is done. They are fearless workers as they work on high rises and skyscrapers to build scaffolds for the building and construction crew to stand on while working... Show more	$12-24

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Asphalt
   • Pile
   • Ladders
   • Hand Tools
   • Traffic Control
   • Wooden Forms
   • Grade Stakes
   • Construction Sites
   • Cranes
   • Highway Construction
   • Form Panels
   • Demolition
   • OSHA
   • Concrete Structures

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage complete renovations and new construction of banks for commercial construction company.
   • Pile driving, form work, tie rebar.
   • Learned to operate small cranes.
   • Perform start to finish bridge repair or demolition to rebuild throughout Michigan.
   • Install travelers and forms for road deck, stays and stressing, operate tower cranes when necessary.
   • Use of backhoe to remove debris and chip out concrete material and dig out behind back wall for repairers.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your bridge carpenter job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A bridge carpenter salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, bridge carpenters' average salary in north carolina is 42% less than in maine.
   • Seniority. Entry-level bridge carpenters earn 47% less than senior-level bridge carpenters.
   • Certifications. A bridge carpenter with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a bridge carpenter's salary.

   Average bridge carpenter salary

   $45,918yearly

   $22.08 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level bridge carpenter salary

   $33,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

4. Writing a bridge carpenter job description

   A good bridge carpenter 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 a bridge carpenter job description:

   Bridge carpenter job description example

   • Constant physical effort, including extended standing for at least 8 hour shift
   • Intermittent sitting; continuous walking on construction site.
   • Climb intermittently
   • Regularly twist, bend, stoop, kneel and crouch to perform duties
   • Regularly reach above shoulder level
   • Regularly push/pull objects
   • Repetitively lift and carry at least 75 pounds on a regular basis, and sometimes heavier weight.
   • Agility, balance, and manual dexterity, as well as arm-hand steadiness
   • Able to hear and respond to oral instructions in a noisy environment.
   • Use hands and fingers to handle, feel or operate objects, tools or controls; reach and grasp
   • Excellent hand, eye and foot coordination.
   • Good vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus

   Education / Experience:

   • High School diploma or general education degree (GED)
   • One (1) year experience working as laborer in bridge construction, or equivalent experience.
   • Active Driver’s license

   Work Environment:

   Regularly works in outside weather conditions, including extreme heat and humidity. Frequently works near moving mechanical parts and is frequently exposed to wet or humid conditions and vibration. Handles various toxic products such as epoxies, grouts, sealers, paints and cleaners, with exposure to fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, and risks of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.

   Other Duties:

   Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

   Jr. Davis Construction Company, Inc. is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and is actively recruiting women and minorities for all open positions.

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5. Post your job

   To find bridge carpenters for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any bridge carpenters they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level bridge carpenters with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your bridge carpenter job on Zippia to find and attract quality bridge carpenter candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as constructionjobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit bridge carpenters, 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to 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 bridge carpenter

   Once you've decided on a perfect bridge carpenter 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 also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is 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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