How to hire a data communication engineer

How to hire a data communication engineer, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a data communication engineer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

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

   This list shows salaries for various types of data communication engineers.

   Type of Data Communication Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Data Communication Engineer	Computer 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.	$40-62
   NOC Analyst	A Network Operation Center (NOC) analyst works on ensuring the stability and working order of all network connections used in a company. The position is essential for companies that require fast-paced communication in both internal and external affairs... Show more	$19-34
   Telecom Analyst	A telecom analyst coordinates, reviews, and performs all the required telecommunications changes, adds, and moves. They coordinate, review, and perform repair services in all critical emergency cases... Show more	$22-41

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Switches
   • Routers
   • Network Operations
   • Lan
   • Technical Support
   • Encryption
   • Disaster Recovery
   • VoIP
   • Technical Direction
   • VPN
   • TCP/IP
   • BGP
   • SATCOM
   • Network Performance

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Design, configure, implement, and manage MPLS and VPN networks internationally.
   • Install and manage VPN devices for site-to-site and mobile client-base VPN connectivity to corporate resources.
   • Manage and dispatch a team of technicians to troubleshoot point of sale and data communications equipment.
   • Utilize advanced encryption devices to secure communications between all locations manage by the department.
   • Develop a scalable and cost efficient voice and data, network design, SATCOM, and operating solution.
   • Repair and maintain legacy broadband LAN system.

   More data communication engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your data communication engineer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A data communication engineer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a data communication engineer in Alabama may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level data communication engineer usually earns less than a senior-level data communication engineer. Additionally, a data communication engineer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average data communication engineer salary

   $104,774yearly

   $50.37 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level data communication engineer salary

   $84,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average data communication engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$138,121	$66
   2	Texas	$120,448	$58
   3	District of Columbia	$119,095	$57
   4	Michigan	$104,670	$50
   5	Illinois	$102,914	$49
   6	Florida	$97,365	$47
   7	Oklahoma	$92,564	$45
   8	Wisconsin	$85,637	$41

   Average data communication engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Precise Systems	$115,810	$55.68
   2	Zenetex	$107,976	$51.91
   3	General Motors	$107,488	$51.68	63
   4	Ho-Chunk	$105,406	$50.68	6
   5	MITRE	$105,282	$50.62	24
   6	Zillow Group	$102,597	$49.33
   7	Makro Technologies Inc.	$99,404	$47.79
   8	Amobee	$97,537	$46.89
   9	All Native Systems LLC	$95,669	$45.99
   10	National Renewable Energy Laboratory	$94,629	$45.49	1
   11	General Dynamics	$89,844	$43.19	136
   12	Penske Logistics	$89,413	$42.99
   13	IBM	$84,061	$40.41	77

4. Writing a data communication engineer job description

   A good data communication 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 data communication engineer job description:

   Data communication engineer job description example

   Abacus Technology is seeking a Data Links and Communications Engineer to provide technical support for the Command, Control, Communication, Intelligence and Networks (C3I&N) Directorate at Hanscom AFB. This is a full-time position.
   
   Provide subject matter expertise on aerial communications engineering on RF and non-RF topics as they relate to Line of Sight (LOS) and Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) RF design, waveforms, network characteristics, and operations (infrastructure, etc.) (Program Office, Enterprise and Staff Level Support interface). Provide expert guidance on modern aircraft apertures. Contribute to Open Communications Subsystem (OCS) standard development. Contribute to the convergence layer architecture and specification development. Assist, develop, prepare, and deliver to the Government compliant program planning and execution deliverables including Integrated Master Schedules (IMSs), Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) reviews, Design reviews, Program Management Review (PMR) charts, Acquisition Strategies, Performance Work Statements (PWSs), Requests For Proposal (RFPs), Technical Evaluations, and Evaluation Notices). Develop and document technical plans and schedules for solutions that address requirements and accurately articulate issues, questions, and recommendations to customers.
   
   15+ years experience in communications engineering including at least 5 years experience support DoD programs. Bachelor's degree in a related field. Additional years of experience may be substituted for degree requirements. Working knowledge and/or experience in the following: DoD aerial data links, DoD aerial data link message formats, aerial networks, over-the-air communications architectures, RF communications and systems, open architectures including Open Mission Systems (OMS), UCI and XML message formats, XML message compression, and industry/DoD/FFRDC concepts/architectures for an aerial network convergence layer. Able to work proactively and effectively communicate orally and in writing with all levels of an organization. Possess the advanced knowledge, experience and recognized ability to be considered an expert in technical field and possess the ability to perform tasks and oversee the efforts of junior and mid-level personnel within the technical/professional discipline. Able to demonstrate advanced knowledge of technical discipline as well as possess a comprehensive understanding and ability to apply associated standards, procedures, and practices in their area of expertise. Experience in assisting with strategic level issues and ability to work independently as well as a team member under tight deadlines with changing priorities. Possess proven leadership, team building, strategic planning, and organizational development skills. Experience in packaging and presenting briefings for senior level reviews. Proficient in Microsoft Office applications. Must be able to travel as needed. Must be a US citizen and hold a current Top Secret clearance.
   
   Applicants selected will be subject to a U.S. government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.
   
   Applicants selected will be subject to any Executive Orders regarding vaccination mandates for Federal government contractors.
   EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled
   
   ID: 2022-6178
   
   External Company URL: www.abacustech.com
   
   Street: 55 Grenier Street

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find data communication 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 data communication engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit data communication engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with data communication engineer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of 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.

   If your interviews with data communication engineer applicants aren't enough to make a decision, you should also consider including a test project. These are often the best, most straightforward, and least bias-prone ways of determining who will likely succeed in the role. If you 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 data communication engineer

   Once you've decided on a perfect data communication engineer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new data communication 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.)

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