How to hire an engineering program manager

How to hire an engineering program manager, step by step

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

What does an engineering program manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the engineering program manager you need to hire. Certain engineering program manager 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

   An engineering program manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, engineering program managers 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 presents engineering program manager salaries for various positions.

   Type of Engineering Program Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Engineering Program Manager	Architectural and engineering managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities in architectural and engineering companies.	$45-75
   Research And Development Director	A research and development director spearheads and oversees the research and development initiatives and projects in a company. It is their duty to set goals and guidelines, establish timelines and budgets, direct and manage different departments, liaise with internal and external parties, gather and analyze data to implement solutions against problem areas, and utilize expertise in developing strategies to optimize company operations... Show more	$45-96
   Research And Development Manager	A research and development manager is responsible for supervising project development procedures to support business operations and identify business opportunities that would pave the way for more revenue resources and profits. Research and development managers monitor the production plans from the conceptualization to the final outputs, inspecting inconsistencies and flaws in every phase and revising strategies as needed to achieve the required specifications and requirements... Show more	$37-83

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Project Management
   • Program Management
   • Software Development
   • Scrum
   • Risk Management
   • Continuous Improvement
   • RF
   • Technical Issues
   • Product Development
   • Executive Management
   • Mass Production
   • QA
   • Product Design
   • R

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage & assist component qualification through PPAP approval process.
   • Manage prototyping, optics, and tooling for Harley-Davidson aftermarket turn signal and brake lenses.
   • Manage several projects simultaneously, with excellent track record for ensuring team on-time IP delivery.
   • Manage committees and task forces ensuring synchronization of CNC training and skills need to promote successful CNC careers.
   • Work closely with PMO to understand product portfolio needs and manage internal and external resources to meet those goals.
   • Lead IPT meetings to provide status, address programmatic and customer concerns, assign priorities, assess risk and identifyopportunities.

   More engineering program manager duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, engineering program managers' average salary in virginia is 26% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level engineering program managers 39% less than senior-level engineering program managers.
   • Certifications. An engineering program manager 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 program manager's salary.

   Average engineering program manager salary

   $122,604yearly

   $58.94 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level engineering program manager salary

   $95,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average engineering program manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$142,085	$68
   2	Washington	$131,198	$63
   3	Oregon	$119,659	$58
   4	Massachusetts	$118,568	$57
   5	Arizona	$117,807	$57
   6	Connecticut	$117,210	$56
   7	Hawaii	$117,073	$56
   8	Minnesota	$116,044	$56
   9	New York	$116,000	$56
   10	District of Columbia	$114,203	$55
   11	Texas	$111,225	$53
   12	Colorado	$110,519	$53
   13	Utah	$110,511	$53
   14	North Carolina	$109,496	$53
   15	Georgia	$108,299	$52
   16	Florida	$107,636	$52
   17	Illinois	$105,630	$51
   18	Rhode Island	$103,045	$50

   Average engineering program manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$151,628	$72.90	798
   2	PayPal	$149,478	$71.86
   3	Apple	$146,915	$70.63	179
   4	Google	$143,811	$69.14	224
   5	eBay	$142,750	$68.63	18
   6	CrowdStrike	$140,997	$67.79	18
   7	Circle Internet Financial	$139,713	$67.17	2
   8	Arista Networks	$139,258	$66.95
   9	Infinera	$138,550	$66.61
   10	Netflix	$138,143	$66.41	17
   11	Rubrik	$137,787	$66.24	106
   12	ServiceNow	$136,384	$65.57	3
   13	Juniper Networks	$134,764	$64.79
   14	Rosendin Electric	$134,333	$64.58	8
   15	Cisco	$133,691	$64.27	244
   16	Sony Interactive Entertainment America	$133,312	$64.09
   17	Workday	$133,136	$64.01	4
   18	Western Digital	$133,039	$63.96	10
   19	NVIDIA	$132,678	$63.79	13
   20	Bloomberg	$132,104	$63.51	7

4. Writing an engineering program manager job description

   An engineering program manager 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 program manager job description:

   Engineering program manager job description example

   Are you ready to rise to the challenge of climate change with the team that will deliver? Form Energy is a U.S. technology and manufacturing company that is developing and commercializing pioneering energy storage technologies to enable the electric grid to run on 100% renewable energy, every day of the year.
   
   Supported by leading investors such as Breakthrough Energy Ventures, ArcelorMittal, TPG Rise, MIT's The Engine, and others, we share a common belief that low-cost, multi-day energy storage is the key to enable tomorrow's zero carbon electric grid. Driven by our core values of humanity, excellence, and creativity, we are deeply motivated and inspired to create a better world. We need talented, hardworking individuals who share our goal of tackling the challenge of climate change. Do you want to work with us today to build a better tomorrow?
   Role Description
   As part of the Engineering Program Management (EPM) team you are responsible for ensuring the successful delivery of our development programs. EPMs take ownership of key initiatives and programs to drive technology development with a balance of programmatic and technical expertise. As an owner of Form's product development process you will contribute to program management systems and structures based on best-practices and your personal experience, to effectively integrate with and support Form Energy's world-class technical team.
   What You'll Do:Manage technology development programs from early stage exploration, product integration and development through NPIMaintain a dynamic and agile development schedule, driving technology development programs to milestones while managing and communicating schedules across multiple teams Proactively identify and frame key program-level decisions and work with stakeholders to develop decision-quality options; facilitate progress by ensuring appropriate organization, resourcing, and prioritization of key efforts Interface with multiple engineering teams to ensure component and subsystem deliverables come together into the integrated product Implement planning and communication tools that track and communicate program plan and status across the organization; leverage those tools to inform and contribute to data-based strategic decisions Collaborate across the organization to proactively identify and highlight critical-path dependencies, risks, and opportunities Teach and mentor co-workers in best practices for program management
   What You'll Bring:BS or MS degree in an engineering or related field At least 5 years of project / program management delivering complex programs and projects in a fast paced, highly fluid environment; Experience in a manufacturing organization strongly preferred Excellent planning, collaboration, and facilitation skills to manage complex cross-functional projects and take ambiguous assignments to completionA blend of business and technical knowledge allowing for big-picture vision and the ability to dive deep into specific challenges An ability to influence through clear, well-structured, and concise communications tailored to each appropriate audience, including experience presenting to executive level management on program status, recommendations, and priorities Ability to work independently in an ambiguous environment Meticulous, with a strong attention to detail Ability to travel domestically and internationally on a quarterly basis Bonus: Experience with stationary storage technologies
   #LI-Hybrid
   
   Besides joining a community of people working to make the world better, Form Energy commits to you equitable compensation, stock options, and offers a generous benefits package to make sure you have the support you need to thrive.
   
   We cover 100% of employee premiums and 80% of dependent premiums for medical, dental, and vision insurance for full time employees. We offer a flexible Paid Time Off program and every employee, regardless of gender identity or expression, is eligible for 12 weeks of paid parental bonding leave. A full listing of our benefits is available on our careers page.
   
   At Form Energy, we are working toward a 100% renewable energy future for everyone in the world. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all our employees and are seeking to build a team that reflects the diversity of the people we hope to serve with our revolutionary products. Form Energy is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right engineering program manager for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting engineering program managers 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.

   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 program manager

   Once you have selected a candidate for the engineering program manager 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 important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new engineering program manager 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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