How to hire an equipment worker

How to hire an equipment worker, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your equipment worker job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an equipment worker for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   An equipment worker's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, equipment workers 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 equipment workers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Equipment Worker	Description	Hourly rate
   Equipment Worker		$18-40
   Mobile Equipment Mechanic	Mobile equipment mechanics are skilled employees who are responsible for conducting repairs and maintenance of construction and surface mining equipment such as bulldozers, cranes, and excavators. These mechanics must inspect machines and heavy equipment while evaluating operating manuals to perform diagnosis and resolve any defects... Show more	$21-55
   Equipment Technician	An equipment technician is responsible for handling the operations of company equipment and machinery, inspecting for any malfunctions, and immediately repairing defective components to prevent delays in productivity. Equipment technicians create a report of system failures, referencing documentation to develop consistency with the equipment, and suggest corrective actions... Show more	$13-26

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Hand Tools
   • Hazardous Materials
   • Safety Procedures
   • Asphalt
   • CDL
   • Test Equipment
   • Mowing
   • Technical Manuals
   • Electrical Systems
   • Medical Equipment
   • Soldering Irons
   • Air Filters
   • Electrical Equipment
   • Water Pumps

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Inspect building systems HVAC and plumbing to ensure operation equipment is within design capabilities and achieves environmental conditions prescribe by the client
   • Work directly with patients in their homes delivering and setting up respiratory medical equipment in accordance with manufacturer recommendations.
   • Used PLC's software to troubleshoot and correct equipment issues.

   More equipment worker duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, equipment workers' average salary in florida is 39% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level equipment workers 55% less than senior-level equipment workers.
   • Certifications. An equipment worker 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 equipment worker's salary.

   Average equipment worker salary

   $57,232yearly

   $27.52 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level equipment worker salary

   $38,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average equipment worker salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$64,840	$31
   2	California	$63,291	$30
   3	Oregon	$60,879	$29
   4	Illinois	$57,876	$28
   5	Texas	$52,678	$25
   6	South Carolina	$51,237	$25
   7	Florida	$44,197	$21

   Average equipment worker salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	American Operations	$82,482	$39.65
   2	Freeport-McMoRan	$66,842	$32.14	25
   3	Health Alliance	$65,351	$31.42	3
   4	PSEA	$62,544	$30.07	3
   5	NANA	$56,906	$27.36	14
   6	Chenega	$55,625	$26.74	2
   7	Indian Health Service	$55,516	$26.69	5
   8	KBR	$55,452	$26.66	85
   9	Air National Guard	$53,983	$25.95
   10	City of Houston	$48,144	$23.15	4
   11	Cambridge City Hall, Minnesota	$45,845	$22.04
   12	Adecco	$37,244	$17.91	115
   13	The Bruce Company	$36,133	$17.37

4. Writing an equipment worker job description

   A job description for an equipment worker role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an equipment worker job description:

   Equipment worker job description example

   High school diploma or GED is required. Mathematics skills are desirable
   
   Must speak, read, write, and understand English with the ability to interpret technical data and special operating instructions in the same language.
   
   Knowledge of principles, concepts and applications of maintenance directives, data reporting, and using technical data is mandatory.
   
   Must be willing to deploy to support off-station requirements.
   
   Performs housekeeping duties within 100 feet of assigned work areas (excluding bathrooms). Performs vehicle use inspections, cleaning and washing.
   
   Performs any other supportive duties as assigned.
   
   Must be physically capable of performing all assigned duties.
   
   Must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance (or higher, if required).
   
   Must be able to, if required, obtain, and maintain a government driver's license. If controlled movement area (CMA) access is required must be able to pass color vision test.
   
   Environment ranges from office, hangar and flight line and requires extensive climbing, standing, stooping, bending, pushing, kneeling, stretching, and walking demands.
   
   May be required to work in other work sections throughout the contract where individual possesses required experience, training, and/or certifications.
   
   Requirements
   
   General Requirements: Conducts daily Aerospace Ground Equipment (AGE) servicing and dispatch operations. Services equipment with fuel, oil, coolant, water, hydraulic fluid, and air. Operates, cleans, inspects and services vehicles. Manages and maintains AGE Sub-Pools. Troubleshoots vehicle and equipment. Performs all required maintenance and inspections. Performs minor malfunction troubleshooting on vehicles and equipment repairs. Prepares AGE for storage and mobility deployment. May be required to solve and repair problems by studying drawings, wiring diagrams, schematics, and technical publications and analyzes or repair AGE using conventional and digital multi-meters, voltmeters, ohmmeters, frequency counters, oscilloscopes, circuit card testers, transistor testers, and hand tools. Stores, handles, uses, and disposes of hazardous material and waste according to environmental standards. Performs periodic and other hourly or calendar inspections as required.
   
   Provides technical guidance to lower-level technicians as required. Will be required to obtain and maintain special certifications as directed by management. Reviews and completes forms documentation pertinent to vehicle or equipment maintenance, enters maintenance actions into applicable MIS system and will make entries in forms, logs, records, or electronic equivalent as required. May be required to monitor and lead teams to perform more complex aircraft inspections and repairs. Will be required to write/initiate engineering technical assistance requests.
   
   Specific Requirements: Minimum of 6 years performing functions listed above. Extensive working knowledge of USAF Aerospace Ground Equipment or sister service Ground Support Equipment (GSE) is required. Additionally, experience of fighter AGE requirements and USAF MIS systems, forms documentation and strict adherence to technical data is required. Complete all assignments and tasks as directed by managers, leads, and more senior technicians.
   
   Benefits
   
   Competitive Salary
   
   Health Benefits package including, Medical, Dental, Vision, Life insurance Short-term and Long-term Disability
   
   Pension
   
   401k
   
   Vacation Pay
   
   Vacation
   
   Sick Leave
   
   AOC Global is an equal opportunity/veterans/disabled employer.
   
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right equipment worker 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 equipment worker job on Zippia to find and recruit equipment worker candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting equipment workers 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 worker

   Once you have selected a candidate for the equipment worker 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.

   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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