How to hire a chief maintenance engineer

How to hire a chief maintenance engineer, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your chief maintenance engineer job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a chief maintenance engineer for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A chief maintenance engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, chief maintenance 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.

   Here's a comparison of chief maintenance engineer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Chief Maintenance Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Chief Maintenance Engineer		$18-46
   Electrical Supervisor	The electrical supervisor oversees electricians' performance, training them for the repair and maintenance of equipment. They are responsible for enhancing their skills to create and design electrical operating systems in order to prevent malfunctions causing electric short circuits or shock... Show more	$31-59
   Facility Supervisor	A Facility Supervisor is responsible for maintaining an organization's facilities' safety and security to ensure smooth and efficient business operations. Facility Supervisors monitor the adequacy of inventories and handle the budget to purchase materials and equipment for operations... Show more	$12-30

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • HVAC
   • Plumbing
   • Life Safety
   • Preventive Maintenance
   • Kitchen Equipment
   • Building Maintenance
   • Troubleshoot
   • Maintenance Program
   • Maintenance Procedures
   • OSHA
   • Hotel Maintenance
   • Guest Rooms
   • General Maintenance
   • Electrical Systems

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage department and maintain property by repairing electrical, plumbing, water systems, cable/phone systems, drywall installation and repair.
   • Initiate and manage several CMMS programs for productivity and inventory control programs.
   • Provide services in plumbing, carpentry, electrical, unit punch-out, flooring and HVAC as needed.
   • Install A/C units and repair as needed.
   • Maintain a maintenance shop in accordance with OSHA and California Hazmat regulations.
   • Carry out preventative maintenance on A/C units, electronic door locks, washers and giant dryers.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, chief maintenance engineers' average salary in kentucky is 46% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level chief maintenance engineers earn 60% less than senior-level chief maintenance engineers.
   • Certifications. A chief maintenance engineer 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 chief maintenance engineer's salary.

   Average chief maintenance engineer salary

   $61,998yearly

   $29.81 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level chief maintenance engineer salary

   $39,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 31, 2026

4. Writing a chief maintenance engineer job description

   A job description for a chief maintenance engineer role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a chief maintenance engineer job description:

   Chief maintenance engineer job description example

   **Essential Functions:**
   
   + Provide proper orientation and continued training for each associate.
   
   + Plan and hold departmental meetings on a scheduled basis.
   
   + Learn and use Company procedures for all aspects of the hiring process, to include, but not limited to, interviewing, hiring, and exit interviews.
   
   + Identify associates with potential and arrange for further training or cross training to enhance growth and development.
   
   + Audit departmental time records on a daily, weekly and monthly basis to provide proper departmental coverage and reduce unnecessary overtime.
   
   + Submit on time, all reports, payroll and/or administrative forms and assure accuracy.
   
   + Provide a weekly walk-through and inspection findings list to all property entities.
   
   + Ensure that guests can enter and exit the businesses freely and without distracting levels of trash, snow, etc. This applies to all entrances and exits including associate entrances and exits.
   
   + Address all guest concerns in a friendly and expedient manner, where possible go beyond the guests expectations for problem resolution; "WOW" them.
   
   + Schedule all work to minimize and/or prevent guest discomfort and maximize the businesses operational abilities. Provide priorities for all associates to assist in providing this high standard of service to our guests.
   
   + Maintain a highly functional communication level with all department heads to provide for and anticipate their needs.
   
   + Develop and maintain a continuous Preventive Maintenance Program for both properties, by working with department heads to develop this program and provide follow through.
   
   + Work with General Manager, owner(s) and/or Company representatives, as required, to provide refurbishment and/or Capital Improvement Programs.
   
   + Maintain all Company owned equipment in top functioning condition. Identify equipment, which may be approaching total failure or uneconomical status for replacement and notify the General Manager immediately of your findings.
   
   + Control costs in purchasing when arranging for outside services. Provide competitive bids as required for outside work.
   
   + Monitor all work performed by an outside service to ensure work accuracy and proper billing is made on services rendered. Have a clear understanding of all requirements agreed upon in all service contracts and/or outside service work.
   
   + Maintain an accurate departmental inventory of supplies and equipment at all times, to prevent waste or misuse of supplies and/or equipment.
   
   + Provide and maintain a neat and well organized work area at all times.
   
   + Operate the department within the agreed upon budgeted goals and standards.
   
   + Learn all Standard Operating Procedures.
   
   + Ensure the training of all associates in Safety and Security Standards.
   
   + Assign the highest priority in work tasks to safety and/or fire hazards.
   
   + Ensure the proper and timely reporting of accidents within the department and/or as relates to guests.
   
   + Attend and participate in all meetings as required by position.
   
   Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
   
   The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit chief maintenance 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.

   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 maintenance engineer

   Once you've selected the best chief maintenance engineer 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 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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