How to hire a data storage specialist

How to hire a data storage specialist, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The data storage specialist 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

   Hiring the perfect data storage specialist 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 data storage specialist salaries for various roles:

   Type of Data Storage Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Data Storage Specialist	Computer networks are critical parts of almost every organization. Network and computer systems administrators are responsible for the day-to-day operation of these networks.	$15-60
   Business Administrator	A business administrator is responsible for monitoring the efficiency of daily business functions, ensuring the timely submission of project deliverables, and supervising project management procedures. Business administrators coordinate with existing and potential clients for business offers and updates, negotiating contracts, and identifying business opportunities from the market trends to generate more revenues and increase profitability... Show more	$21-54
   Systems Administrator	Systems administrators are employees who oversee information technology infrastructures in the office. They are skilled information technology professionals who are knowledgeable about the company's network systems and other technology-related infrastructures... Show more	$28-48

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Data Storage
   • Architecture
   • Performance Issues
   • EMC
   • Capacity Planning
   • Provisioning
   • Srdf
   • Storage Solutions
   • Disaster Recovery
   • Linux
   • Switches
   • VMware
   • Unix
   • NetApp

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Deploy and manage EMC CLARiiON storage system.
   • Engage in managing SnapMirror performance management, fine-tuning.
   • Live host migrations (HP-UX / AIX / Linux) across arrays and switches.
   • Work with storage provisioning on VMAX, DMX-3, DMX-4 using SYMCLI, SMC, CLARiiON CX4-960 storage arrays using Unisphere.
   • Configure and allocate storage on EMC VMAX, DMX-4 / DMX-3, using SYMCLI, Unisphere.
   • Verify iscsi group and check the authentication.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, data storage specialists' average salary in alabama is 59% less than in rhode island.
   • Seniority. Entry-level data storage specialists 74% less than senior-level data storage specialists.
   • Certifications. A data storage specialist 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 data storage specialist's salary.

   Average data storage specialist salary

   $64,094yearly

   $30.81 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level data storage specialist salary

   $32,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

4. Writing a data storage specialist job description

   A data storage specialist 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 data storage specialist job description:

   Data storage specialist job description example

   We are committed to building a workplace where everyone feels heard and respected, and extending our culture of care so that every individual can reach their full potential. We want you to have a sense of belonging and feel valued for your contributions and the perspectives you bring.
   **Summary:**
   
   + Lead the interface and negotiations with the relevant ISO and Transmission Owners as studies are delivered, reviewed, and culminate in the signing of the interconnection agreement. Coordinate with internal subject matter experts to get consensus feedback on each aspect of the interconnection agreement.
   
   + Oversee market and power system analysis to grow the company portfolio through the identification of transmission and distribution interconnection opportunities for energy storage in relevant markets.
   
   + Coordinate outside consultants and internal teammates to conduct technical and economic evaluation studies of energy storage projects, including congestion and ancillary service studies.
   
   + Serve as the point of contact and coordinate with the energy storage team to review utility/ISO studies and provide feedback on study results. In case of discrepancies, facilitate resolution discussions with internal and external parties.
   
   + Effectively manage team and 3rd-party resources to achieve efficient and scalable operations.
   
   + Monitor tariff and policy changes in relevant ISOs and provide a detailed and complete understanding of the interconnection process to the broader organization.
   
   + Track key transmission upgrades and constraints in target markets. Develop a thorough understanding of the various revenue streams for energy storage projects and the related costs, benefits, and challenges for each option.
   
   + Coordinate consultants, vendors, and teammates to prepare and submit generator interconnection applications.
   
   + Coordinate with accounting and treasury teams to ensure timely payment of invoices and posting of financial security.
   
   + Coordinate with ISOs and Transmission Owners to ensure on-time completion of interconnection studies and keep track of key milestones and deadlines. Provide estimates for interconnection process schedules and costs.
   
   + Facilitating cross-functional review and negotiation of generator interconnection agreements.
   
   **Qualifications:**
   
   + Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Finance or a related field
   
   + Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering or Finance with a focus in energy markets Preferred
   
   + 3 years or more Experience in energy related market Preferred
   
   + Experience with congestion studies and production cost modeling software
   
   + Experience participating in stakeholder initiatives to improve interconnection processes
   
   **Anticipated base salary range:** $88,000 - $115,000
   
   The final agreed upon compensation is based on individual education, qualifications, experience, and work location. This position is bonus eligible.
   
   Physical requirements and environment:
   
   The work environment and physical demands characteristics are representative of those the employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
   
   While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands and fingers to handle, feel, lift and grab; reach with hands and arms; push and pull; climb and balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, and crawl; talk, see clearly and hear.
   
   We maintain a drug-free workplace. Candidates will be required to pass a pre-employment background investigation and drug test as a condition of employment.
   
   RES is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.
   
   ReqID:
   req2929

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find data storage specialists 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.

   To find data storage specialist 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

   Recruiting data storage specialists requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   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.

   Sometimes, it's not enough to interview data storage specialist candidates, so you can ask them to do a test project. If you are not a technical person and don't know what a test project should be, you can use these websites:

   • 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 storage specialist

   Once you've found the data storage specialist 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.

   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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