How to hire a chief electrician

How to hire a chief electrician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step chief electrician hiring guide:

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

Post a chief electrician job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the chief electrician you need to hire. Certain chief electrician roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect chief electrician 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.

   This list shows salaries for various types of chief electricians.

   Type of Chief Electrician	Description	Hourly rate
   Chief Electrician	Electricians install, maintain, and repair electrical power, communications, lighting, and control systems in homes, businesses, and factories.	$19-39
   Apprentice	An apprentice is responsible for learning specialized tasks on their chosen field through actual job training under the supervision of tenured staff. An apprentice's duties include performing administrative tasks as needed, creating observation reports of daily operations, providing possible recommendations on improving productivity, and adhering to the business' safety standards and regulatory procedures... Show more	$12-24
   Low Voltage Technician	A low voltage technician is responsible for monitoring and installing low-voltage cables and systems for electronic equipment and communication devices. Low voltage technicians analyze blueprints and schematics to connect the cables safely and accurately... Show more	$14-24

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Safety Standards
   • Electrical Equipment
   • Preventive Maintenance
   • VAC
   • DP
   • PLC
   • Emergency Generators
   • Maintenance System
   • Firefighting
   • VFD
   • Ac
   • Dc
   • Control Systems
   • Switchboards

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Service and maintain all air conditioning and refrigeration systems, SCR system, top drive, and mud pumps.
   • Rig have a Baylor Thyrig 3 SCR system.
   • Rework and relocatedstarter buckets in MCC change out heaters on starters to propersize need to meet specs for each motor.
   • Perform Electrical/Mechanical/Hydraulic maintenance on CNC machinery.
   • Trace and troubleshoot the component back to the I/O room and back to the Provox.
   • Perform Electrical/Mechanical/Hydraulic maintenance on CNC machinery.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your chief electrician job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A chief electrician can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, chief electricians' average salary in mississippi is 58% less than in vermont.
   • Seniority. Entry-level chief electricians 51% less than senior-level chief electricians.
   • Certifications. A chief electrician 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 a chief electrician's salary.

   Average chief electrician salary

   $58,184yearly

   $27.97 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level chief electrician salary

   $40,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 30, 2026

4. Writing a chief electrician job description

   A chief electrician job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a chief electrician job description:

   Chief electrician job description example

   The Chief Electrician analyzes and corrects electrical problems and repairs and overhauls electrical equipment and controls.
   Responsibilities/Duties
   
   Works with vessel Port Engineers to determine electrical/ electronic problems and develops a plan to correct the same.
   
   Plans details of working procedure by determining replacement needs or new material required and develops a logical approach to correct the problem.
   
   Analyzes circuits, wiring diagrams, and drawings to install, repair, calibrate, service, or replace electronic devices and systems.
   
   Performs work requiring a thorough knowledge of electrical theory and principles, statutory codes, properties of materials, and principles of operation of electrical equipment.
   
   Starts up and shuts down equipment in accordance with company safety procedures for machine activation and shutdown in line with OSHA requirements.
   
   Services electronic equipment by checking, testing, and replacing faulty components, circuits, printed circuit boards, and similar electronic devices.
   
   Fabricates parts if not commercially available, using machine and hand tools common to the trade.
   
   Advises and cautions operators and mechanics about potential electrical problems and inherent dangers involved.
   
   Notifies Captain of potentially dangerous electrical equipment noted and corrective action is taken.
   
   Help train other electricians in the correct operation of tools, equipment, safe working practices, and electrical principles.
   
   Works with Marine Superintendent to troubleshoot and correct electrical issues on the property, docks, and office building.
   
   Other duties as assigned.
   
   Preferred Experience
   
   Minimum of five years of recent expertise as a marine electrician
   
   Vocational school or junior college training in marine electronics, or satisfactory completion of in-house apprenticeship training.
   
   Knowledge of A/C - D/C controls, motors, generators, and switchboards.
   
   Knowledge of and ability to use hand tools and instruments associated with the position
   
   Must possess a high degree of precision working with minimum tolerances.
   
   Possess a high degree of attention and care required to prevent injury to others when responsible for the flow of electrical power.
   
   Marine/industrial experience.
   
   Valid TWIC Card or must have applied for a TWIC Card by completing the enrollment process with TSA.
   
   Required Qualifications
   
   Capable of climbing ladders and safely embarking/disembarking moored vessels.
   
   Ability to work in overhead structures or beneath machines and in close quarters; Frequent stooping and bending required.
   
   Exposure to high voltage electricity - ability to perform all work in accordance with established safety measures
   
   Details
   
   We are an EEO Employer.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find chief electricians 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 chief electrician job on Zippia to find and recruit chief electrician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting chief electricians requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   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 chief electrician

   Once you've selected the best chief electrician candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new chief electrician 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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a chief electrician?