How to hire an engineering equipment operator

How to hire an engineering equipment operator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step engineering equipment operator hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an engineering equipment operator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new engineering equipment operator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an engineering equipment operator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the engineering equipment operator you need to hire. Certain engineering equipment operator 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an engineering equipment operator to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an engineering equipment operator that fits the bill.

   This list presents engineering equipment operator salaries for various positions.

   Type of Engineering Equipment Operator	Description	Hourly rate
   Engineering Equipment Operator	Construction equipment operators drive, maneuver, or control the heavy machinery used to construct roads, bridges, buildings, and other structures.	$14-28
   Operator	Operators are skilled workers who are in charge of working on an industrial machine or a specific aspect of the manufacturing business. They are trained to operate machines, learning how to use them... Show more	$12-25
   Labour Operator	Labor operators typically drive, maneuver the heavy machinery used to construct buildings, bridges, roads, and other structures. Their tasks and duties include cleaning and maintaining construction equipment, reporting faulty mechanism to supervisors, driving and operating equipment, and ensuring that the standards for safety are met... Show more	$12-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • End Loaders
   • CDL
   • DOT
   • Loaders
   • Dump Truck
   • Construction Sites
   • Diggers
   • Equipment Attachments
   • Preventative Maintenance
   • Backhoe
   • Traction
   • Asphalt
   • Bulldozers
   • Routine Maintenance

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and cross-train subordinates in several job-relate tasks while promoting leadership.
   • Dig trenches with shovels, mc clouds, Pulaski.
   • Use bulldozers, cranes, grader and other heavy equipment for construction projects of army.
   • Operate backhoes and trench diggers, operate loaders, sand spreaders, and snow plows when necessary to clear roads.
   • Construct and maintain sidewalks, curbs, parking lots and roadways make of asphalt, concrete and granite.
   • Perform preventative and corrective maintenance on asphalt plants.

   More engineering equipment operator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your engineering equipment operator job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An engineering equipment operator can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, engineering equipment operators' average salary in north carolina is 61% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level engineering equipment operators 48% less than senior-level engineering equipment operators.
   • Certifications. An engineering equipment operator 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 an engineering equipment operator's salary.

   Average engineering equipment operator salary

   $43,840yearly

   $21.08 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level engineering equipment operator salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 21, 2025

   Average engineering equipment operator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$66,182	$32
   2	California	$60,639	$29
   3	New Jersey	$60,179	$29
   4	Oregon	$53,844	$26
   5	Washington	$51,981	$25
   6	Virginia	$37,870	$18
   7	Florida	$32,823	$16
   8	Texas	$30,948	$15
   9	North Carolina	$29,965	$14

   Average engineering equipment operator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	ConocoPhillips	$51,612	$24.81	3
   2	Forest Manufacturing Co	$47,512	$22.84
   3	National Park Foundation	$46,461	$22.34
   4	Exelon	$46,040	$22.13	37
   5	Blue Origin	$44,077	$21.19	104
   6	QuantumScape	$43,195	$20.77
   7	Indian Health Service	$40,160	$19.31
   8	Air National Guard	$38,931	$18.72
   9	Diamond Foundry	$38,606	$18.56	1
   10	United States Army Corps of Engineers	$38,165	$18.35
   11	Bureau of Land Management	$37,794	$18.17
   12	Entegris	$36,483	$17.54	13
   13	City of Augusta	$35,472	$17.05
   14	Shelton Co Inc	$34,086	$16.39
   15	Ira Green	$30,769	$14.79

4. Writing an engineering equipment operator job description

   An engineering equipment operator 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 an engineering equipment operator job description:

   Engineering equipment operator job description example

   Diamond Foundry Inc. is the global leader in single-crystal diamond technology. We produce single-crystal diamond (SCD) wafers by crystallizing greenhouse gas into diamond using proprietary plasma reactors powered by zero-emission energy. Founded in 2012 in San Francisco, California by Stanford/M.I.T./Princeton engineers, Diamond Foundry Inc. received $315MM in funding and has had a multi-year track record of profitable fast growth.
   
   We're looking for an Equipment Ops Engineer to improve the robustness of the operating equipment and supply chain. You'll be working with an experienced team of diverse engineers and scientists and need to be comfortable doing projects in different areas of the manufacturing floor. You will be responsible for improving the robustness and reliability of operating assets by analyzing data to determine the most impactful changes to implement, then developing improvement plans and taking them from concept to fully tested, documented, and implemented solutions.
   
   ResponsibilitiesImprove existing equipment robustness by identifying areas for improvement then plan and execute upgrades and retrofits to improve tool reliability.Managing suppliers to improve their parts and assemblies.Selecting and integrating off-the-shelf hardware for process control, product quality measurement, and automated manufacturing tasks.Find, test, and qualify new equipment to improve the supply chain robustness.Develop procedures and documentation for use by technicians.
   
   RequirementsBachelor's degree in ME, EE, ChemE or similar from an ABET-accredited school.5+ years of engineering experience.Independent problem solver.Knowledge of vacuum manufacturing equipment and associated sensors and components (Pumps, valves, pressure sensors, spectrometers, MFC's, pressure controllers, pyrometers, etc.).Experience improving equipment reliability.Demonstrated safety leadership.Experience working in a manufacturing environment.
   
   A qualified candidate will have a subset of these skills:Experience with 2D and 3D CAD (AutoCAD, Solidworks) Experience with typical electrical lab equipment (oscilloscopes, multimeters, power meters, frequency analyzer).Experience with RF systems is a plus.Experience in Tableau, JMP, and other industry-standard data analysis and visualization tools.Hands-on fabrication: Machining (mill/lathe), soldering, mechanical, and electrical assembly.
   
   Diamond Foundry welcomes applications from candidates who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Proof of vaccination will be required as a condition for hiring.
   Please upload your resume on the application page. Files accepted include: PDF, .DOC, DOCX, HTML

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find engineering equipment operators 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 engineering equipment operators they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level engineering equipment operators 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 engineering equipment operator job on Zippia to find and recruit engineering equipment operator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as constructionjobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit engineering equipment operators, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up 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.

   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 engineering equipment operator

   Once you've decided on a perfect engineering equipment operator 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.

   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.

   To prepare for the new engineering equipment operator first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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How much does it cost to hire an engineering equipment operator?