How to hire an engineering specialist

How to hire an engineering specialist, step by step

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

What does an engineering specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an engineering specialist, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An engineering specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, engineering specialists 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of engineering specialists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Engineering Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Engineering Specialist	Computer network architects design and build data communication networks, including local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and intranets. These networks range from small connections between two offices to next-generation networking capabilities such as a cloud infrastructure that serves multiple customers.	$28-68
   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
   Engineering Manager	An engineering manager is responsible for managing the overall concept of engineering and construction projects, ensuring that the plan meets the budget goals and the client's specifications. Engineering managers approve designs, plan strategic procedures to follow the project's timetable, analyze current market trends, hire the best and efficient contractors, and coordinate with the clients for any changes and adjustments as needed... Show more	$47-93

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Keyword Research
   • Google Analytics
   • Digital Marketing
   • WordPress
   • Project Management
   • Search Engine Optimization
   • Continuous Improvement
   • PowerPoint
   • Screaming Frog
   • HTML
   • Technical Support
   • CAD
   • Link Building
   • Semrush

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage projects from booking to customer turnover.
   • Plan, implement and execute effective link-building strategy achieving agree KPIs.
   • Manage the SEO and SEM marketing strategy of the same 200 car dealer websites.
   • Modify template using basic CSS functions for better functionality and visuality, which lead to the higher visibility.
   • Lead the usage of finite element analysis (FEA) techniques (ANSYS, ABAQUS) in automotive electronics applications.
   • Provide troubleshooting and restructure campaigns to increase QI scores, ROI, conversions and leads while lowering CPC and overall costs.

   More engineering specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the engineering specialist job description is a good way to get more applicants. An engineering specialist salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an engineering specialist in Nebraska may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level engineering specialist. Additionally, an engineering specialist with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average engineering specialist salary

   $91,767yearly

   $44.12 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level engineering specialist salary

   $59,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average engineering specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$122,436	$59
   2	Washington	$108,140	$52
   3	District of Columbia	$99,812	$48
   4	Texas	$99,538	$48
   5	Oregon	$99,479	$48
   6	Illinois	$95,677	$46
   7	Maine	$95,289	$46
   8	Michigan	$93,280	$45
   9	New Jersey	$92,840	$45
   10	Wisconsin	$91,256	$44
   11	New Mexico	$90,784	$44
   12	New York	$90,742	$44
   13	Alabama	$89,878	$43
   14	Virginia	$88,953	$43
   15	Massachusetts	$87,233	$42
   16	Ohio	$83,631	$40
   17	Arizona	$83,624	$40
   18	Pennsylvania	$81,710	$39
   19	North Carolina	$80,367	$39
   20	Florida	$80,050	$38

   Average engineering specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Enbridge	$161,802	$77.79
   2	Meta	$145,283	$69.85	680
   3	McKinsey & Company Inc	$144,895	$69.66	21
   4	Google	$143,500	$68.99	99
   5	Apple	$142,627	$68.57	74
   6	BP America Inc	$141,970	$68.25	2
   7	Exxon Mobil	$136,090	$65.43	1
   8	Citi	$134,517	$64.67	30
   9	Chevron	$133,412	$64.14	5
   10	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$131,286	$63.12	10
   11	Mitsubishi Motors	$130,612	$62.79
   12	Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center	$129,152	$62.09
   13	ZS	$128,916	$61.98	1
   14	Occidental Petroleum	$125,472	$60.32	3
   15	Parsons	$124,899	$60.05	85
   16	Valero Energy	$124,884	$60.04	2
   17	GCP Applied Technologies	$124,876	$60.04
   18	OCC	$123,687	$59.46	2
   19	TechnipFMC	$122,846	$59.06
   20	Organon	$122,553	$58.92

4. Writing an engineering specialist job description

   An engineering 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 an engineering specialist job description:

   Engineering specialist job description example

   A leader in style, Signature Hardware provides high-quality, trending products for the kitchen, bathroom and more. Backed by a team of innovative, knowledgeable associates, our ever-growing brand excels at delivering an inspiring, customer-first shopping experience for those looking to turn their house into a home.
   
   Signature Hardware is looking for a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Strategist to join our Brand Marketing team. The role will manage and implement SEO strategies and best practices to improve performance and achieve measurable goals and objectives. This person must be a self-starter who is analytical and innovative in their thinking; they are a team-player motivated to make a difference in a growing organization.
   
   Location: This role can be remote, based in the United States or can work out of Signature Hardware's offices in Erlanger, KY. Candidates will work East Coast or Central hours.
   Responsibilities:
   Responsible for ensuring SEO is a key lever for traffic growth and business objectives by measuring efficiency through demand conversion and sales Recommend changes to website architecture, content, linking and other factors to improve SEO positions for target keywords Supervise customer online behavior via Google Analytics and other methods to identify and resolve issues related to search/navigation Collaborate with multi-functional teams to implement SEO best practices, execute day-to-day tactical website updates, and drive growth. This would include collaborating with content and site merchandiser to optimize copy and landing pages for search engine marketing Provide SEO analysis and recommendations in coordination with elements and structure of websites and web pages Leads and implements a combination of on-page and off-page techniques, including link-building, metadata sculpting, site speed optimization and on-site information architecture Identify new and emerging SEO opportunities, best practices, and industry algorithm updates Work with the development team to ensure SEO best practices are accurately implemented on newly developed code Acquire strong external backlinks to boost website authority Provide ongoing keyword research for search engine optimization and deliver to multi-functional teams Perform general and competitive organic research to identify areas of opportunity Lead planning, execution, and analysis of SEO programs and campaigns Build performance reports detailing the results of organic efforts Analytical thinker who enjoys complex problem solving
   
   Requirements:
   Bachelor's degree required.Minimum four-years of SEO experience with examples of strong performance.Minimum four-year of experience with SEMrush or similar SEO tool.Minimum four-year of experience with local listings management tools.Proficient in basic HTML, schema markup, and related technical skills.Knowledge of Microsoft Office software (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, etc.).
   
   Ferguson is dedicated to providing meaningful benefits programs and products to our associates and their families-geared toward benefits, wellness, financial protection, and retirement savings. Ferguson offers a competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, retirement savings with company match, paid leave (vacation, sick, personal, holiday, and parental), employee assistance programs, associate discounts, community involvement opportunities, and much more!
   
   #LI-Remote
   
   -
   The Company is an equal opportunity employer as well as a government contractor that shall abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-300.5(a), which prohibits discrimination against qualified protected Veterans and the requirements of 41 CFR 60-741.5(A), which prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals on the basis of disability.
   
   Ferguson Enterprises, LLC. is an equal employment employer F/M/Disability/Vet/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity.
   
   Equal Employment Opportunity and Reasonable Accommodation Information

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find engineering specialists 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 specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level engineering specialists 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 specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit engineering specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit engineering specialists, 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.

   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.

   If your interviews with engineering specialist applicants aren't enough to make a decision, you should also consider including a test project. These are often the best, most straightforward, and least bias-prone ways of determining who will likely succeed in the role. If you don't know how to design an appropriate test, you can ask someone else on the team to create it or take a look at these websites to get a few ideas:

   • 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 engineering specialist

   Once you have selected a candidate for the engineering specialist 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new engineering specialist. 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.)

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