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How to hire a communications systems engineer

Communications systems engineer hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring communications systems engineers in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a communications systems engineer is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new communications systems engineer to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a communications systems engineer, step by step

To hire a communications systems engineer, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a communications systems engineer, you should follow these steps:

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

What does a communications systems engineer do?

Communication systems engineers are engineering professionals who are responsible for developing communication systems and general electrical designs for their clients. These engineers are required to prepare communication designs, including diagrams, instructions, and the cost of materials for large-scale telecommunications projects. They must undergo certification training so that they can perform maintenance on communication and navigation systems. Communication systems engineers must also work with the development and test engineering to select for proper communication system components and to ensure that features are working properly.

Learn more about the specifics of what a communications systems engineer does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the communications systems engineer you need to hire. Certain communications 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?

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

    The following list breaks down different types of communications systems engineers and their corresponding salaries.

    Type of Communications Systems EngineerDescriptionHourly rate
    Communications Systems EngineerComputer network architects design and build data communication networks, including local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and intranets. These networks range from small connections between two offices to next-generation networking capabilities such as a cloud infrastructure that serves multiple customers.$43-86
    Lead Data ArchitectLead Data Architects are experienced employees who manage the data architecture needs of the company. They also manage the data architects who fulfill these needs... Show more$40-71
    Data Center AnalystA data center analyst is an information technology expert in charge of overseeing program teams and developing strategies to optimize operations. They serve as the client's point of contact, answering their inquiries and providing them with the needed assistance... Show more$20-42
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • RF
    • Communications Systems
    • C++
    • DOD
    • Engineering Support
    • Design Reviews
    • Trade Studies
    • Antenna
    • System Design
    • Satellite Communications
    • DSP
    • System Integration
    • Test Equipment
    • SATCOM
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage the day-to-day operation of a large-scale military airfield RF communications-electronics planning, integration and maintenance facility.
    • Develop and integrate software that drives flight control system hardware and achieves product requirements for an international avionics customer base.
    • Lead person in evaluating, researching, and testing of LAN communications Software/Hardware.
    • Design premise wiring to support both voice and data during new facilities installations and LAN upgrades.
    • Conduct documentation, PBX cutover vendor coordination and initial site turnover and signoff of (UAT) user acceptance testing.
    • Perform communications interference analyses involving various customer spacecraft and NASA assets, including characterization of communications degradation due to co-channel interferers.
    More communications systems engineer duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in the communications systems engineer job description is a good way to get more applicants. A communications systems engineer salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

    For example, the average salary for a communications systems engineer in Connecticut may be lower than in New Mexico, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level communications systems engineer. Additionally, a communications systems engineer with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

    Average communications systems engineer salary

    $127,832yearly

    $61.46 hourly rate

    Entry-level communications systems engineer salary
    $90,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 24, 2026

    Average communications systems engineer salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$139,706$67
    2Virginia$131,498$63
    3Utah$130,059$63
    4Washington$129,383$62
    5Massachusetts$129,338$62
    6District of Columbia$124,524$60
    7Pennsylvania$121,407$58
    8New York$119,165$57
    9Ohio$118,367$57
    10Texas$117,063$56
    11Oregon$115,208$55
    12Maryland$109,640$53
    13Indiana$105,755$51
    14Oklahoma$105,463$51
    15Colorado$104,691$50
    16Michigan$104,509$50
    17New Hampshire$100,932$49
    18Florida$98,118$47
    19Hawaii$76,509$37

    Average communications systems engineer salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Meta$161,290$77.54134
    2Amazon$146,391$70.38276
    3UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital$133,707$64.28
    4TrellisWare Technologies$133,114$64.004
    5Intelsat$132,344$63.632
    6Verizon Data Services Inc$132,338$63.62
    7Qualcomm$132,165$63.5469
    8Torch Technologies$129,746$62.3818
    9Skyworks Solutions$129,682$62.352
    10Radar Industries$129,552$62.28
    11Legato Systems$127,864$61.471
    12Bechtel Corporation$127,857$61.4724
    13Ford Motor$126,850$60.99168
    14Cisco$125,611$60.3965
    15Intel$124,681$59.9466
    16M.I.T. International, Inc.$123,234$59.2549
    17Direct Transport Services$121,883$58.60
    18MaxLinear$121,412$58.372
    19Viasat$120,818$58.0914
    20Booz Allen Hamilton$119,831$57.61155
  4. Writing a communications systems engineer job description

    A communications systems engineer 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 communications systems engineer job description:

    Communications systems engineer job description example

    This is a full-time position requiring 1880 hours of support per year; and work is performed at the customer site. As a Program Communications Systems Engineer on our team you will facilitate our customer's ability to identify indicators of success on various on-going initiatives as well as supporting the effective communication of those success stories to higher level management and to other program stakeholders.

    The individual will monitor project progress relative to program plans, programmatic, and financial baselines, will review mission and program management status reports, and will draft reports and PowerPoint slides that aid the government in highlighting project accomplishments.

    You will conduct research into specifics of identified accomplishments in concert with system subject matter experts to craft compelling briefing items and status reports portraying the identified indicators of success with an emphasis on tying those stories back to requirements used in justifying the original project investments.

    The ideal candidate is one who has strong written and oral communications skills and with experience effectively communicating program success to leadership and relevant stakeholders. The individual will

    • Gather metrics and narrative program project reports from project leaders,
    • Analyze progress of assigned projects against technical, programmatic and financial baselines,
    • Draft written reports and briefing slides highlighting program successes to aid in supporting the overall government customer developed program strategic messaging plan, and
    • Aid the government in effectively communicating those successes among the relevant project stakeholders
    Qualifications

    Individual Capabilities/Experience Required:

    • Bachelor's degree or advanced degree in computer science, information systems, engineering or other related discipline plus at least 10 years of systems engineering experience. A Master's degree or PhD may be substituted for two years of experience. A high school diploma or GED plus 14 years of systems engineering experience would also be acceptable.
    • Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate with leadership and stakeholders.
    • Candidate should have knowledge/experience with at least one SIGINT function (such as sensor operations, SIGINT systems, SIGINT techniques and or customer data processing) to ensure they have an adequate baseline for conducting program success analysis.
    • Position requires active TS/SCI clearance with polygraph

    #LI-AH1

    Individual Capabilities/Experience Desired:

    • A general understanding of the overall SIGINT mission, techniques, and processes employed by the customer would significantly enhance a candidate's effectiveness in this role.

    Applicants selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

    Peraton Overview

    Peraton drives missions of consequence spanning the globe and extending to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. As the world's leading mission capability integrator and transformative enterprise IT provider, we deliver trusted and highly differentiated national security solutions and technologies that keep people safe and secure. Peraton serves as a valued partner to essential government agencies across the intelligence, space, cyber, defense, civilian, health, and state and local markets. Every day, our employees do the can't be done, solving the most daunting challenges facing our customers.

    An Equal Opportunity Employer including Disability/Veteran.

    For Colorado Residents Colorado Salary Minimum: $81,000
    Colorado Salary Maximum: $196,600

    The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position, and is just one component of Peraton's total compensation package for employees. Other rewards may include annual bonuses, short- and long-term incentives, and program-specific awards. In addition, Peraton provides a variety of benefits to employees.
  5. Post your job

    To find the right communications systems engineer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with communications systems engineers they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit communications systems engineers who meet your education requirements.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.
    To find communications systems engineer candidates, you can consider the following options:
    • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
    • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
    • Post your job on free job posting websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit communications systems 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.

    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.

    While interviews are great, you will only sometimes learn enough from a conversation with a communications systems engineer applicant. In those cases, having candidates complete a test project can go a long way in figuring out who's the most likely to succeed in the role. If you aren't a technical person and don't know how to design an appropriate test, you can ask someone else on the team to create it or take a look at these websites to get a few ideas:

    • TestDome
    • CodeSignal
    • Testlify
    • BarRaiser
    • Coderbyte

    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 communications systems engineer

    Once you've selected the best communications systems 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 also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new communications systems engineer. 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.)
    Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire a communications systems engineer?

Before you start to hire communications systems engineers, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire communications systems engineers pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

You can expect to pay around $127,832 per year for a communications systems engineer, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for communications systems engineers in the US typically range between $43 and $86 an hour.

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