How to hire a design manufacturing engineer

How to hire a design manufacturing engineer, step by step

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

What does a design manufacturing engineer do?

Post a design manufacturing engineer job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

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

   Hiring the perfect design manufacturing engineer 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 design manufacturing engineer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Design Manufacturing Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Design Manufacturing Engineer	Mechanical engineering is one of the broadest engineering disciplines. Mechanical engineers design, develop, build, and test mechanical and thermal sensors and devices, including tools, engines, and machines.	$34-70
   Tool Engineer	A tooling engineer is responsible for creating and adjusting tools or parts for cars, heavy equipment, and other products that need customized or personalized components. Your duties and responsibilities will include creating design blueprints, using computer-aided (CAD) software to develop two- and three-dimensional prints, and validating and evaluating products... Show more	$36-64
   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:

   • CNC
   • Continuous Improvement
   • GD
   • Engineering Drawings
   • DFM
   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Aided Design
   • Jigs
   • R
   • Assembly Processes
   • Sigma
   • Test Fixtures
   • Process Improvement
   • Mechanical Design

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead several independent, cross-functional projects and improve manufacturing quality, reduce cost, ensure environment are supported and FDA compliant.
   • Facilitate the new and current manufacturing process to reduce manufacturing costs, final BOM cost, and part count.
   • Support production manager by releasing work orders, assigning CNC and manual milling jobs and keeping production running within schedule time.
   • Produce and maintain a library of bill of material (BOM's) for any component, sub-assembly or final assembly.
   • Collaborate with CNC operators and manufacturing engineers to develop post processors for CNC machines.
   • Assist in the supervision and fabrication of prototype equipment including conveyors, robotics, and pharmaceutical equipment and automate beverage systems.

   More design manufacturing engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your design manufacturing engineer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A design manufacturing 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 design manufacturing engineer in Hawaii may be lower than in California, and an entry-level design manufacturing engineer usually earns less than a senior-level design manufacturing engineer. Additionally, a design manufacturing 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 design manufacturing engineer salary

   $102,492yearly

   $49.27 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level design manufacturing engineer salary

   $71,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

   Average design manufacturing engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$143,574	$69
   2	Washington	$110,100	$53
   3	Massachusetts	$85,377	$41
   4	Michigan	$85,019	$41
   5	Utah	$83,741	$40
   6	Texas	$67,850	$33
   7	Illinois	$66,921	$32
   8	Alabama	$66,696	$32
   9	Tennessee	$62,811	$30
   10	Minnesota	$62,807	$30
   11	Indiana	$62,130	$30
   12	Colorado	$60,830	$29
   13	Florida	$57,170	$27

   Average design manufacturing engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$132,869	$63.88	582
   2	KLA	$108,865	$52.34	71
   3	Edwards Lifesciences	$107,215	$51.55	5
   4	Lumileds	$99,842	$48.00
   5	Rivian	$93,499	$44.95
   6	Ford Motor	$92,695	$44.56	162
   7	ICONMA	$89,991	$43.26
   8	Motiv Power Systems	$89,371	$42.97
   9	CyberCoders	$89,304	$42.93	4
   10	Ambri	$87,443	$42.04
   11	Crown Equipment	$84,664	$40.70	22
   12	ChargePoint	$83,722	$40.25	1
   13	Tech Mahindra	$81,266	$39.07	2
   14	Meyer Sound	$80,788	$38.84	1
   15	G K N Aerospace Aerostructures Inc	$78,733	$37.85
   16	Loud Technologies	$78,645	$37.81
   17	Mercury Products	$78,482	$37.73
   18	Noble Corporation	$78,410	$37.70
   19	PDS Tech	$78,383	$37.68	7
   20	Cryoport	$78,314	$37.65	2

4. Writing a design manufacturing engineer job description

   A design manufacturing engineer 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 design manufacturing engineer job description:

   Design manufacturing engineer job description example

   Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino),California,United States
   
   Operations and Supply Chain
   
   + The PCBA DFM Engineer or Technologist will have a deep level of creativity and curiosity about materials science and electronics packaging at all levels.
   
   + 2+ years of research or process development experience in an applicable field.
   
   + Familiarity with the properties and process used in microelectronics fabrication and PCBA assembly.
   
   + Aptitude to work with a multi-functional team to define requirements and suitable metrics for the performance of new products and process.
   
   + Proven ability to self-manage and deliver results in a pure development role.
   
   + Capability and willingness to travel frequently, i.e. >20%.
   
   **Description**
   
   DFM PCBA Engineers at Apple are specialists in high quality, reliable electronics manufacturing. We spend the majority of our time working in the "New Product Introduction" space, which is the time a product spends growing from proof of concept until it is ready for mass production. You will be assigned to a product and be responsible for the manufacturability of its design through application of our design guidelines. You will build the assembly process and design the PCB panelization. You will use structured problem solving and data analysis methods to solve problems when things go wrong. You will share your new discoveries with your peers and to file patents for novel ideas that you develop. To make the best products, you'll interact with specialists from other teams like Product Design, EE, PCB Layout, Program Office, Reliability, TPM, Component Quality, Capex and others. You will communicate frequently and effectively to peers and leadership teams to keep them apprised of the status of your product. You will support (in person or remotely) the factory and our in region teams when your product is getting built.
   
   **Education & Experience**
   
   A degree in an engineering discipline (mechanical, chemical, electrical or materials science) is desired and a strong, directly applicable background will be considered as well.
   
   **Additional Requirements**
   
   **Apple Footer**
   
   Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We take affirmative action to ensure equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. Learn more about your EEO rights as an applicant (Opens in a new window) .
   
   Apple will not discriminate or retaliate against applicants who inquire about, disclose, or discuss their compensation or that of other applicants. United States Department of Labor. Learn more (Opens in a new window) .
   
   Apple is required to comply with a COVID-19 vaccination mandate issued by the New York City Department of Health. We will verify the vaccination status of all New York City team members who are working at an Apple Store, office, or partner store in New York City. New York City Department of Health Learn more (Opens in a new window) .
   
   Apple will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable law. If you're applying for a position in San Francisco, review the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance guidelines (opens in a new window) applicable in your area.
   
   Apple participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations as required by law. Learn more about the E-Verify program (Opens in a new window) .
   
   Apple is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to applicants with physical and mental disabilities. Apple is a drug-free workplace. Reasonable Accommodation and Drug Free Workplace policy Learn more (Opens in a new window) .

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find design manufacturing 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 design manufacturing engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit design manufacturing 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 design manufacturing 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 design manufacturing engineer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the design manufacturing 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 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 design manufacturing 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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a design manufacturing engineer?