How to hire a deck engineer

How to hire a deck engineer, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the deck engineer you need to hire. Certain deck 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 deck engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, deck 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 deck engineer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Deck Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Deck Engineer	Water transportation workers operate and maintain vessels that take cargo and people over water. The vessels travel to and from foreign ports across the ocean and to domestic ports along the coasts, across the Great Lakes, and along the country’s many inland waterways.	$23-50
   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

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Cranes
   • Hand Tools
   • Deck Hand
   • Firefighting
   • Boats
   • Routine Maintenance
   • Booms
   • Oil Changes
   • General Maintenance
   • Coast Guard
   • Deck Equipment
   • Hoists

   Responsibilities:

   • Develop and achieve recognition for the conversion program of the MSDS sheets to SDS per OSHA regulations.
   • Water maker technician, water use management.
   • Air tuggers, anchor winches, pipe lay equipment and hydraulics.
   • Maintain barge gen. sets, pumps, ballast system, and discharging equipment.
   • Fabricate precision parts assembly stations utilizing all necessary electrical, electronic, pneumatic, hydraulic and PLC systems.
   • Fabricate precision parts assembly stations utilizing all necessary electrical, electronic, pneumatic, hydraulic and PLC systems.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, deck engineers' average salary in hawaii is 47% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level deck engineers earn 55% less than senior-level deck engineers.
   • Certifications. A deck 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 deck engineer's salary.

   Average deck engineer salary

   $71,990yearly

   $34.61 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level deck engineer salary

   $48,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 28, 2026

4. Writing a deck engineer job description

   A job description for a deck 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 deck engineer job description:

   Deck engineer job description example

   Leading the future in luxury electric and mobility
   At Lucid, we set out to introduce the most captivating, luxury electric vehicles that elevate the human experience and transcend the perceived limitations of space, performance, and intelligence. Vehicles that are intuitive, liberating, and designed for the future of mobility.
   
   We plan to lead in this new era of luxury electric by returning to the fundamentals of great design - where every decision we make is in service of the individual and environment. Because when you are no longer bound by convention, you are free to define your own experience.
   
   Come work alongside some of the most accomplished minds in the industry. Beyond providing competitive salaries, we're providing a community for innovators who want to make an immediate and significant impact. If you are driven to create a better, more sustainable future, then this is the right place for you.
   
   We are looking for an automotive Closures Engineer - Composite Decklid. If you're the kind of person who sees a problem, develops a solution, and engineers an improvement no one's asked for yet, then we want to talk with you!
   
   Our ideal candidate exhibits a can-do attitude and approaches his or her work with vigor and determination. Candidates should have demonstrated the ability to learn quickly and work effectively in a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment and be excellent at multi-tasking.
   The Role:Take ownership of the Lucid Air clamshell composite decklid system Manage and be the technical lead for suppliers, contract staff, and other closures engineers Advanced closures engineering for future Lucid products Work with internal and external stakeholders for attributes, performance, cost, weight, packaging, and studio Program management of multiple suppliers Drive parts, assemblies, and system to perfection from conception to start of production Create your own CAD or work with CAD designers and contractors to meet your system goals
   Qualifications:Profound knowledge of decklid, tailgate, liftgate, or other composite closures systems Expertise in plastics and composites including SMC and injection molding Experience in launching automotive closures and demonstrable track record of technical excellence Strong mechanical engineering fundamentals A minimum of (5) years relevant experienceA strong desire to create the very best product, working as an integral part of a very capable team Ability to interrogate CAD, run section cuts, and use CAD for digital mockup and package studies Experience in interacting with studio and working with class A surface Well-developed team working and interpersonal skills
   Education:Bachelor of Science (minimum) in Mechanical Engineering or relevant engineering discipline or Equivalent work experience.
   
   At Lucid, we don't just welcome diversity - we celebrate it! Lucid Motors is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, marital status, and any other characteristic protected under applicable State or Federal laws and regulations.
   
   Notice regarding COVID-19 protocols
   At Lucid, we prioritize the health and wellbeing of our employees, families, and friends above all else. In response to the novel Coronavirus all new Lucid employees, whose job will be based in the United States may or may not be required to provide original documentation confirming status as having received the prescribed inoculation (doses). Vaccination requirements are dependent upon location and position, please refer to the job description for more details.
   
   Individuals in positions requiring vaccinations may seek a medical and/or religious exemption from this requirement and may be granted such an accommodation after submitting a formal request to and the subsequent review and approval thereof by our dedicated Covid-19 Response team.
   
   To all recruitment agencies: Lucid Motors does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our careers alias or other Lucid Motors employees. Lucid Motors is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right deck 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 deck engineers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit deck 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.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your deck engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit deck engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with deck 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 deck engineer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the deck 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.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   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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