How to hire a controls design engineer

How to hire a controls design engineer, step by step

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

What does a controls design engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the controls design engineer you need to hire. Certain controls design 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

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

   Type of Controls Design Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Controls Design 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).	$33-57
   Radio Frequency Engineer	A radio frequency engineer, also known as RF engineer, specializes in designing and developing communication systems using radio waves. One of their primary responsibilities revolves around creating networks and systems and testing equipment... Show more	$32-55
   Engineer	Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects... Show more	$31-62

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Autocad
   • PLC
   • CAD
   • C++
   • HMI
   • MATLAB
   • Simulink
   • HVAC
   • Project Management
   • Electrical Drawings
   • Solidworks
   • Engineering Design
   • UL
   • Panel Layouts

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Establish communication links and prepare machines for bench-testing to attain UL certification.
   • Specialize in heating, ventilation, air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, system integration, lighting and indoor air quality control.
   • Perform control system simulation using MATLAB and Simulink.
   • Upgrade controllers from Lon works to an Ethernet communication scheme.
   • Perform energy modeling, measurement, verification, commissioning, or retro- commissioning of HVAC.
   • Create hardware products using microcontrollers to assist military operations.

   More controls design engineer duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, controls design engineers' average salary in kentucky is 51% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level controls design engineers 42% less than senior-level controls design engineers.
   • Certifications. A controls design engineer 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 controls design engineer's salary.

   Average controls design engineer salary

   $90,850yearly

   $43.68 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level controls design engineer salary

   $69,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average controls design engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$125,294	$60
   2	District of Columbia	$111,995	$54
   3	Washington	$101,633	$49
   4	Arizona	$101,142	$49
   5	Texas	$92,158	$44
   6	Massachusetts	$91,388	$44
   7	Colorado	$90,061	$43
   8	Michigan	$89,662	$43
   9	New Jersey	$88,943	$43
   10	Alabama	$79,065	$38
   11	Kansas	$77,896	$37
   12	Georgia	$77,290	$37
   13	Illinois	$76,335	$37
   14	New York	$76,209	$37
   15	Pennsylvania	$75,141	$36
   16	North Carolina	$72,659	$35
   17	Ohio	$71,781	$35
   18	South Carolina	$71,462	$34
   19	Wisconsin	$69,103	$33

   Average controls design engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$141,840	$68.19	292
   2	Amazon	$123,369	$59.31	309
   3	Broadcom	$113,962	$54.79	51
   4	Amd	$112,636	$54.15	70
   5	Forever 21	$108,107	$51.97
   6	Tesla	$107,138	$51.51	3
   7	Koch Industries	$105,920	$50.92	2
   8	General Motors	$104,675	$50.32	56
   9	Air Products	$104,145	$50.07
   10	Evonik	$103,957	$49.98	12
   11	Caterpillar	$101,987	$49.03	24
   12	Kiewit	$99,677	$47.92	258
   13	Primus Power	$97,222	$46.74
   14	ASML Holding	$96,117	$46.21	3
   15	Spectrum Engineering Inc	$93,100	$44.76
   16	Los Alamos National Laboratory	$92,471	$44.46	28
   17	Pfizer	$92,455	$44.45	1
   18	General Electric	$92,082	$44.27	151
   19	Weston & Sampson	$91,590	$44.03	13
   20	Tetra Tech	$90,689	$43.60	79

4. Writing a controls design engineer job description

   A job description for a controls design 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 controls design engineer job description:

   Controls design engineer job description example

   Are you someone that has a passion for working in the aerospace industry on products that are on the cutting edge of technology?
   
   Are you an individual that has a desire to be part of a team in a fast paced environment that delivers products that protect the war-fighter?
   
   Do you want to be a part of a Directorate that challenges you, grows your skills, and intentionally provides new opportunities across programs to expand your technical breadth?
   If you answered yes to these questions, we’d like to talk to you about your career.
   
   At Raytheon Missiles & Defense, by combining our vast resources and investments, we are able to dedicate ourselves to solving mission-level vs. product-level customer challenges – together we can anticipate more, move faster and make a bigger impact on the big picture.
   
   Job Summary:
   
   The Mechanical Products Group is looking for a Mechanical/Electromechanical/Systems Design Engineer with experience in controls mechanism / moving element designs for its Tucson, Arizona location. We value diverse skills and experience, so don’t hold back. Your qualification could add tremendous value to our team. Our customers come from all different backgrounds, and so do our employees. If you’re passionate about what you could accomplish here, we’d love to hear from you.
   
   Responsibilities to Anticipate:
   
   You will be responsible for developing technical solutions for a wide range of moving element challenges, such as aerodynamic steering, thrust vectoring, attitude-and-divert maneuvering, pointing, and stabilizing of missile systems & subsystems.
   
   Responsibility extends across the entire life cycle of the product, from conceptualizing and design, to prototyping and manufacturing, integration and verification testing, through production support.
   
   You will be expected to apply sound mechanical engineering principles to solve complex system problems while teaming with a cross-discipline team including electrical engineering, systems engineering, flight science, manufacturing engineering, supply chain and others.
   
   A PhD can account for 5 years of experience as required for this position.
   Qualifications You Must Have: Bachelor’s in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) Five (5) years of professional experience in mechanical controls & actuation systems or servo controls or precision mechanisms or electric motors. Or Advanced degree and 3 years of relevant experience Experience with CAD solid modeling tools and analysis tools The ability to obtain and maintain a US security clearance prior to the start date. U.S. citizenship is required as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance
   Qualifications We Value:
   Eight (8) years of professional experience in industry is desired Experience with precision mechanisms and controls Advanced degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering Experience within Defense and/or Aerospace Industry Strong interpersonal and communication skills; both verbal and written Ability to work in teams or independently, flexible, demonstrating initiative Experience in mechanical sub-systems packaging, materials, thermal, structural analysis, energetics principles, control systems, interconnect, airframe, or large assembly development Experience in both Product Design and Development as well as experience in Production Support
   What We Offer :
   Whether you’re just starting out on your career journey or are an experienced professional, we offer a robust total rewards package that goes above and beyond with compensation; healthcare, wellness, retirement and work/life benefits; career development and recognition programs. Some of the superior benefits we offer include parental (including paternal) leave, flexible work schedules, achievement awards, educational assistance and child/adult backup care. Employee Referral Award Eligibility: Only employees currently within RMD and RI&S have the potential to receive a Referral Award for submitting a referral to RMD and RI&S roles. ALL eligibility requirements must be met ( see guidelines ) to receive the Referral Awarding. Raytheon Technologies is An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status, age or any other federally protected class.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find controls design 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 controls design engineers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level controls design 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 controls design engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit controls design 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 controls design 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.

   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.

   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 controls design engineer

   Once you've found the controls design engineer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new controls design engineer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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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