How to hire a contractor-test engineer

How to hire a contractor-test engineer, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The contractor-test engineer hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A contractor-test engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, contractor-test 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 contractor-test engineer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Contractor-Test Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Contractor-Test Engineer		$28-47
   Quality Assurance Internship	A quality assurance internship involves a trainee who gains working experience in the field of quality assurance (QA) by observing QA professionals perform their work and by learning techniques about quality assurance. Quality assurance interns must monitor and test process functions and materials to ensure that products meet the necessary customer requirements... Show more	$12-25
   Quality Analyst	Pumpers are individuals who take responsibility for setting the pumping system controls for product maximization. Their job requires them to set density, concentration, rate, and pressure... Show more	$26-44

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • C++
   • Test Cases
   • Troubleshoot
   • Python
   • QA
   • Test Data
   • Test Equipment
   • RF
   • Java
   • Linux
   • Regression
   • Debugging
   • Test Results
   • LabVIEW

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Develop Perl scripts to automate test program cleanup tasks.
   • Create Perl scripting tool to automate substitution of strings in docx files.
   • Manage projects including for entire aircraft electrical distribution with respect to EMC requirements and testing.
   • Develop software tools and test software routines for WiBro/Mobil WiMAX RF measurements, instrument control, and device control.
   • Install new hardware, used Linux UI commands and debugging tools, run diagnostics, review activity and error logs.
   • Modify and write UNIX and SQL scripts.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, contractor-test engineers' average salary in alabama is 39% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level contractor-test engineers earn 39% less than senior-level contractor-test engineers.
   • Certifications. A contractor-test 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 contractor-test engineer's salary.

   Average contractor-test engineer salary

   $77,879yearly

   $37.44 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level contractor-test engineer salary

   $60,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 22, 2025

4. Writing a contractor-test engineer job description

   A job description for a contractor-test 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 contractor-test engineer job description:

   Contractor-test engineer job description example

   Reliability Test Engineer
   
   Contract 40 hours weekly 12-18 months
   
   This role requires on site work
   
   Role and responsibilities
   
   Setup reliability test on HALT test machine and on other test benches. Run reliability test according to test plan. Monitor the test, complete the test, collect original test data and prepare preliminary test report.
   Maintain HALT test machine, other test equipment and measurement instrument in reliability test lab.
   Keep reliability test in order and meet 5S+1 standard.
   Work with reliability engineers and design engineers on test plan by making suggestions and through discussion.
   Prepare the material, tools and instrument according to the test plan.
   Support reliability engineers to complete final test report.
   Keep reliability test lab in order, maintain test equipment and instrument (annual calibration).
   
   Education and experience
   
   Bachelor's Degree in electrical/mechanical/industry engineering, or equivalent experience.
   2-3 years of experience in test labs, experience in reliability testing is a plus.
   Familiar with operation of common lab instruments, such as oscilloscope, multiple meter and etc.
   Hands on experience in designing accelerated mechanical, operational, environmental stress tests.
   Direct experience in testing electrical modules and/or parts (preferable in semiconductor or medical equipment) using HALT chamber.
   Experience in data acquisition and testing automation using Labview or other scripting.
   Medium-high knowledge of electronics (analogue and digital: power supplies, microcontrollers).
   Proven troubleshooting skills for problem identification and resolution.
   Practical experience in working with soldering/de-soldering equipment, high pin count capsules, SMD components and mechanical tools.
   General lab safety knowledge.
   Understand the role of hands-on test engineering.
   
   kills
   
   Working at the cutting edge of tech, you'll always have new challenges and new problems to solve - and working together is the only way to do that. You won't work in a silo. Instead, you'll be part of a creative, dynamic work environment where you'll collaborate with supportive colleagues. There is always space for creative and unique points of view. You'll have the flexibility and trust to choose how best to tackle tasks and solve problems.
   
   To thrive in this job, you'll need the following skills:
   
   Can observe and respond to people and situations and interact with others encountered in the course of work.
   Can learn and apply new information or skills.
   Must be able to read and interpret data, information, and documents.
   Strong customer focus and commitment to customer satisfaction through prioritization, quality, efficiency and professionalism.
   Ability to complete assignments with attention to detail and high degree of accuracy.
   Proven ability to perform effectively in a demanding environment with changing workloads and deadlines.
   Result driven-demonstrate ownership and accountability.
   Identifies bottlenecks and drives improvements.
   Work independently or as part of a team and follow through on assignments with minimal supervision.
   Demonstrate open, clear, concise and professional communication.
   Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with manager, co-workers and customer.
   Work according to a strict set of procedures within the provided timelines.
   Self-initiate, self-driven, self-discipline and good time management.
   Target oriented work style and willing to take challenges to meet target.
   Good oral and written communication skills. Be able to communicate effectively (open, clear, concise and professional).
   Team player with ability to work other engineers

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find contractor-test engineers 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 contractor-test engineers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level contractor-test engineers 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 contractor-test engineer job on Zippia to find and attract quality contractor-test engineer candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit contractor-test 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.

   While interviews are great, you will only sometimes learn enough from a conversation with a contractor-test 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 contractor-test engineer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the contractor-test 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 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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