How to hire an equipment inspector

How to hire an equipment inspector, step by step

Here's a step-by-step equipment inspector hiring guide:

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

What does an equipment inspector do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The equipment inspector hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   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 equipment inspector 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.

   This list shows salaries for various types of equipment inspectors.

   Type of Equipment Inspector	Description	Hourly rate
   Equipment Inspector		$13-42
   Transportation Inspector	Depending on the means of transportation they work with, the job of a Transportation Inspector may vary. Part of your job is to ensure that all modes of transportation like, rails and subways are up and running... Show more	$13-36
   Quality Assurance Inspector	Quality Assurance Auditors are employees who ensure the adherence of other employees to company processes and guidelines. They are expected to be experts on quality assurance processes and procedures... Show more	$12-23

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Safety Equipment
   • Troubleshoot
   • Technical Manuals
   • Inspection Reports
   • Safety Procedures
   • API
   • Cranes
   • NDE
   • Test Equipment
   • Pressure Vessels
   • Mechanical Integrity
   • PT
   • Hoists
   • QC

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Perform visual, auditory and/or road test inspections on cranes, bulldozers, and other engineering equipment.
   • Work with project manager for major renovations including plumbing, drywall, painting, electrical, HVAC and carpentry.
   • Prepare logistics to ship and receive supplies for storage.
   • Conduct initial, in-process, road test and final QC inspection of equipment.
   • Inspect repairs to winches and hoists to ensure that repair work are performed properly.
   • Inspect winches and hoists to ensure compliance with rules, standards, or regulations.

   More equipment inspector duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, equipment inspectors' average salary in montana is 62% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level equipment inspectors earn 67% less than senior-level equipment inspectors.
   • Certifications. An equipment inspector 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 an equipment inspector's salary.

   Average equipment inspector salary

   $50,976yearly

   $24.51 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level equipment inspector salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average equipment inspector salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Florida	$64,703	$31
   2	New Mexico	$62,603	$30
   3	California	$60,723	$29
   4	Michigan	$59,555	$29
   5	Kansas	$58,651	$28
   6	Arkansas	$57,705	$28
   7	Texas	$57,425	$28
   8	Georgia	$54,378	$26
   9	Alabama	$54,166	$26
   10	Nevada	$51,718	$25
   11	Virginia	$51,253	$25
   12	North Carolina	$49,063	$24
   13	South Carolina	$48,853	$23
   14	Tennessee	$46,161	$22
   15	Missouri	$46,013	$22
   16	Colorado	$45,003	$22
   17	Washington	$33,351	$16

   Average equipment inspector salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Jefferson Lab	$75,747	$36.42
   2	Georgia State University	$71,671	$34.46	5
   3	Johnson Controls	$61,110	$29.38	93
   4	Us Army Reserves	$56,324	$27.08
   5	Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers	$56,305	$27.07	10
   6	Army National Guard	$55,696	$26.78	539
   7	Air National Guard	$52,400	$25.19
   8	MacAllister Machinery	$51,955	$24.98	6
   9	Foley Equipment	$51,029	$24.53
   10	H&E Equipment Services	$46,153	$22.19
   11	Hugg & Hall Equipment	$41,603	$20.00	14
   12	Adecco	$31,218	$15.01	101

4. Writing an equipment inspector job description

   An equipment inspector 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 equipment inspector job description:

   Equipment inspector job description example

   Qualified Equipment Inspector
   
   Huntsman Rotterdam has a rare opportunity for an experienced Equipment Inspector who wants to take the next step in his career, as we are currently looking for a Qualified Equipment Inspector. In this position you will be responsible for the technical integrity of the static equipment for a part of our Rotterdam site. You will help in ensuring that our assets run in optimal condition and play a vital role in our Asset Management department.
   
   As a Qualified Equipment Inspector, you will strive to optimize inspections with a high regard to the technical integrity. The technical knowledge and experience you bring will be an advantage to the team and there will be room to develop other areas of interest to eventually acquire the IKT-3 Sr Equipment Inspector status. You will be a valuable team player in optimizing and managing the inspection plans.
   
   As a Qualified Equipment Inspector, you will:
   
   Be responsible for setting up the inspection plans according to Dutch law, industry standards, Huntsman standards and RBI.Be responsible for carrying out the inspections as a focal point from our inspection department.Ensure that report out of routine maintenance work and inspections are up to standard and adequate proposals are made for corrective actions or improvements Be responsible to ensure continuous scoping throughout the lifecycle of the equipment.Help in the development of corrosion studies and deliver input for the RBI program.
   Provide technical advice about the suitability of inspection methods and NDT, on-line leak sealing activities and other special repair activities for static equipment.
   
   Skills & Experience Required:
   
   A vocational midlevel education in, Mechanical Engineering, with additional IKT2 certification or IWT certification.A minimum of 5 years' experience in an inspection role, preferable within petro-chemical industry.International welding technician (IWT) certification is an advantage Strong communication skills on different levels of profession, with the ability to motivate and coach others.In depth knowledge of Dutch rules and legislation for pressure vessels, piping and storage tanks.Knowledge of best practices and global design standards for mechanical equipment, welding, NDE, materials selection
   
   About Huntsman:
   Huntsman Corporation is a publicly traded global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated and specialty chemicals with 2019 revenues of approximately $7 billion. Our chemical products number in the thousands and are sold worldwide to manufacturers serving a broad and diverse range of consumer and industrial end markets. We operate more than 70 manufacturing, R&D and operations facilities in approximately 30 countries and employ approximately 9,000 associates within our four distinct business divisions. For more information about Huntsman, please visit the company's website at www.huntsman.com.
   
   Additional Locations:

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find equipment inspectors 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 equipment inspector job on Zippia to find and recruit equipment inspector candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting equipment inspectors 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 equipment inspector

   Once you've decided on a perfect equipment inspector 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   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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How much does it cost to hire an equipment inspector?