How to hire a chief systems engineer

How to hire a chief systems engineer, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the chief systems engineer you need to hire. Certain chief systems engineer 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 systems engineer 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 chief systems engineer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Chief Systems Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Chief Systems Engineer	Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacturing of electrical equipment, such as electric motors, radar and navigation systems, communications systems, and power generation equipment. Electronics engineers design and develop electronic equipment, such as broadcast and communications systems—from portable music players to global positioning systems (GPSs).	$44-85
   Engineering Trainee	An engineering trainee is responsible for shadowing engineers in their duties and performing administrative tasks as needed. Engineering trainees assist the engineers in inspecting construction sites and conducting field research... Show more	$20-39
   Telecommunication Engineer	A telecommunication engineer is responsible for installing, testing, and repairing telecommunication systems including mobile telephone networks and fiber optic and digital satellite systems. Your day-to-day duties include diagnosing and troubleshooting systems faults, installing static and mobile antennae on masts and buildings, and designing, developing, and testing telecommunications equipment and components... Show more	$28-52

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Systems Engineering
   • System Architecture
   • DOD
   • Logistics
   • Program Management
   • Emerging Technologies
   • Design Reviews
   • Technical Leadership
   • Project Management
   • System Design
   • RF
   • Risk Management
   • Software Development
   • Opportunity Management

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the technical performance, cost, and schedule of RF and electronic equipment subcontractors.
   • Accomplish responsibility to configure, administer and support new infrastructure solutions on Microsoft platforms to meet enterprise level requirements.
   • Implement HPVM UNIX Virtualization and configuration for all dev/test on SAN.
   • Mentore and serve as a technical resource for less experience Java developers.
   • Create regulatory strategy to ensure RF spectrum are adequate to support plan solutions.
   • Develop and submit product development technical papers throughout the DOD to receive funding for projects.

   More chief systems engineer duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, chief systems engineers' average salary in montana is 52% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level chief systems engineers earn 48% less than senior-level chief systems engineers.
   • Certifications. A chief systems 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 systems engineer's salary.

   Average chief systems engineer salary

   $128,373yearly

   $61.72 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level chief systems engineer salary

   $92,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average chief systems engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$159,657	$77
   2	California	$152,235	$73
   3	Virginia	$134,740	$65
   4	Texas	$128,141	$62
   5	New Jersey	$125,222	$60
   6	Connecticut	$124,714	$60
   7	Maryland	$124,159	$60
   8	Alabama	$123,924	$60
   9	Colorado	$117,105	$56
   10	New Hampshire	$116,925	$56
   11	Louisiana	$108,551	$52
   12	Utah	$105,118	$51
   13	Missouri	$102,815	$49
   14	Florida	$101,001	$49
   15	New York	$97,163	$47
   16	Indiana	$96,399	$46
   17	Iowa	$83,545	$40

   Average chief systems engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	TA Instruments	$127,512	$61.30
   2	Galaxy Technologies	$126,595	$60.86	7
   3	Northwell Health	$124,889	$60.04	8
   4	Infinity Systems Engineering	$123,635	$59.44	2
   5	Cognosante	$122,038	$58.67
   6	Science	$121,997	$58.65
   7	Ses Inc	$121,997	$58.65
   8	Rebellion Defense	$121,969	$58.64
   9	Rocket Lab	$121,741	$58.53	23
   10	Enterprise Information Services	$118,411	$56.93
   11	SAIC	$117,289	$56.39	196
   12	FCA US LLC	$117,113	$56.30	8
   13	ANSER	$116,846	$56.18	4
   14	BAE Systems	$115,662	$55.61	224
   15	Waters	$115,367	$55.46	1
   16	Crown Equipment	$115,052	$55.31	11
   17	Axient	$114,326	$54.96
   18	Tata Technologies	$113,480	$54.56	1
   19	CACI International	$111,858	$53.78	181
   20	Peraton	$110,902	$53.32	105

4. Writing a chief systems engineer job description

   A good chief systems 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 a chief systems engineer job description:

   Chief systems engineer job description example

   Job Title: Scientist, Chief Systems Engineer (Radar Systems)-Secret Clearance (up to $20,000 sign-on bonus)
   Job Location : Colorado Spring, CO
   
   Job Description :
   
   As the premier provider of Space Domain Awareness mission solutions for the United States Space Force, L3Harris is pursuing a strategic partnership to develop and deploy new RADAR functionality. Position represents an exciting opportunity to design new functionality for deep space radars to engage threats in the GEO belt while also tracking new foreign space launches. L3Harris is seeking Radar professionals to work in a dynamic environment to solve challenging technical problems. Individuals will perform radar system software architecture modelling, design, implementation, and test. The ideal candidate should have in depth experience with radar system architectures, and software modeling, development, and design. Knowledge of radar system architectures and the Space Domain Awareness mission areas are a must.
   
   Essential Functions:
   Candidate will apply knowledge of command and control (C2) systems, missile defense kill chains and adjacent technologies (e.g. correlation, tracking, discrimination) to investigate enterprise architectures to defeat emerging missile and space threats. Lead and/or contribute to advanced systems engineering architecture studies to counter emerging space and/or missile threats Support Space Domain Awareness, Space Surveillance, Missile Warning, Missile Defense radars Lead and/or contribute to business development pursuits, including authoring white papers, RFI responses, and proposal technical volumes working in concert with large proposal teams consisting of L3Harris and teammate personnel. Serve as chief engineer for selected pursuits, directing engineering team to develop cost-effective and performant solutions to customer problems. Occasional travel (
   Qualifications :
   Bachelor's Degree in Science, Technology, Math, Engineering and 12+ years of relevant professional experience, OR, Master's Degree in Science, Technology, Math, Engineering and 10+ years of relevant professional experience Active Secret clearance to start, must be eligible for TS/SCI DoD Life-Cycle engineering delivery experience Experience with Space Surveillance, Missile Warning, Missile Defense radars
   Preferred Additional Skills:
   M.S. Degree preferred Active Top-Secret Clearance MW & MD interfaces specific to SBIRS OPIR assets, MW ITW/AA development programs, Experience with SW development on existing ground processing suites for OPIR assets Ability to work in team environment Familiarity/experience with DoD system development and delivery life cycle Familiarity with UML and SysML
   In compliance with Colorado's Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, the salary range for this role in Colorado is $122,500.00 - $227,500.00 (salary ranges in other locations could differ). This is not a guarantee of compensation or salary, as final offer amount may vary based on factors including but not limited to experience and geographic location. L3Harris also offers a variety of benefits including: health and disability insurance, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, EAP, education assistance, parental leave, paid time off, and company-paid holidays. The specific programs and options available to an employee may vary depending on date of hire, schedule type, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.

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5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit chief systems engineers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   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 systems engineer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the chief systems engineer 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.

   To prepare for the new chief systems engineer 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.)

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