How to hire an ergonomist

How to hire an ergonomist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step ergonomist hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an ergonomist, 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?

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   Hiring the perfect ergonomist 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 ergonomists.

   Type of Ergonomist	Description	Hourly rate
   Ergonomist	Occupational health and safety specialists analyze many types of work environments and work procedures. Specialists inspect workplaces for adherence to regulations on safety, health, and the environment... Show more	$15-48
   Health & Safety Officer	A Health and Safety Officer is responsible for ensuring the workplace's safety and security to provide smooth operations and implement safety practices within the premises. They inspect the facilities and equipment's condition and report any failures and defects for immediate resolution... Show more	$17-40
   Plant Safety Leader	Plant Safety Leaders are responsible for ensuring the organization's facility adheres to all safety policies and regulations. Their duties include advising employees on safety work culture, develop safe work practices programs, and make sure projects' operations fulfill legal safety requirements... Show more	$21-59

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Analysis Tools
   • Assembly Plant
   • OSHA
   • Injury Prevention
   • Body Mechanics
   • Workstations
   • Analysis

   Responsibilities:

   • Maximize productivity through coordinating and managing efforts between service engineers, sales personnel and external OEM automation programmers.
   • Follow OSHA safety standards and help develop numerous hospital protocols of ongoing proficiency standards of excellence in multiple capacities.
   • Collaborate within teams to create essential safety documentation to satisfy ISO requirements.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the ergonomist job description is a good way to get more applicants. An ergonomist 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 ergonomist in Tennessee may be lower than in Connecticut, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level ergonomist. Additionally, an ergonomist with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average ergonomist salary

   $57,723yearly

   $27.75 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level ergonomist salary

   $33,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average ergonomist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$80,384	$39
   2	California	$71,089	$34
   3	California	$70,626	$34
   4	Michigan	$68,333	$33
   5	Michigan	$67,263	$32
   6	Michigan	$66,432	$32
   7	California	$64,035	$31
   8	Washington	$61,711	$30
   9	Texas	$51,541	$25
   10	Alabama	$49,230	$24
   11	Georgia	$47,331	$23

   Average ergonomist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Tesla	$106,720	$51.31	1
   2	General Motors	$105,332	$50.64	1
   3	Gulfstream Aerospace	$64,011	$30.77
   4	PRNpt	$60,346	$29.01
   5	Marsh & McLennan Companies	$59,026	$28.38
   6	Briotix	$58,703	$28.22
   7	Honda	$52,707	$25.34	1
   8	U.S. Physical Therapy	$47,341	$22.76

4. Writing an ergonomist job description

   An ergonomist 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 ergonomist job description:

   Ergonomist job description example

   The Ergonomic Program Coordinator serves as the Medical Center expert in Ergonomics and is responsible
   for day-to-day operation of the program to meet the mission, goals and objectives of UCSF
   Health. Responsibilities include coordinating and implementing of ergonomic standards, guidelines and
   system-wide strategies to reduce repetitive stress injuries (RSI's). Implements technology-based systems
   and manages the equipment product formulary. Develops and presents educational programs for managers,
   supervisors and staff. Consults on plans for new workspaces and renovations to existing workspace to ensure
   that ergonomic principles are adhered to. Conducts investigations for RSI related injuries and develops
   recommendations to help prevent reoccurrence. As a member of the Workers' Compensation Injury Review
   team and Environment of Care Committee leads the ergonomic program efforts. Serves as the lead quality
   reviewer forl of reports submitted by externalconsultants. Collaborates with other UC campuses and medical
   center ergonomic representatives to contribute to UC-wide programs. Able to conduct ergonomic
   assessments both on-site (SF bay area) and virtually.
   This position works closely and collaboratively with Workers' Compensation, Return-to-Work, Occupational
   Health Services, Environmental Health and Safety, and Disability Management staff to create a safer
   workplace for UCSF Medical Center employees.
   
   Department Description
   
   UCSF Health Workers' Compensation Department integrates claims management, ergonomics, return-to-work and partners with occupational health services, EH&S and disability management to improve the health and safety of medical center employees.
   
   Required Qualifications
   
   Bachelor's degree in Kinesology, Exercise Science, Safety, Ergonomics related area and / or equivalent experience / training. Five (5) years of ergonomics experience including complex evaluations in diverse work environments. Strong knowledge of Kinesology and Ergonomics principles. Strong ability to develop and conduct training programs. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including acumen to communicate effectively in a diverse environment. Strong analytical and organizational skills to organize, prioritize and able to manage multiple priorities at the same time. Excellent problem solving skills. Experience working with diverse populations who may be in crisis and/or needing a time sensitive response to information requests. Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team. Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint). Excellent customer service and conflict resolution skills.
   
   Preferred Qualifications
   
   Demonstrate knowledge of workplace wellness and fitness. General understanding of workplace safety principles used to mitigate employee injuries. Prior healthcare experience
   
   License/Certification
   
   Professional certification in one of the following related fields: Ergonomics, Safety, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy
   
   About UCSF
   
   At UCSF Health, our mission of innovative patient care, advanced technology and pioneering research is redefining what's possible for the patients we serve - a promise we share with the professionals who make up our team.
   
   Consistently ranked among the top 10 hospitals nationwide by U.S. News & World Report - UCSF Health is committed to providing the most rewarding work experience while delivering the best care available anywhere. In an environment that allows for continuous learning and opportunities for professional growth, UCSF Health offers the ideal atmosphere in which to best use your skills and talents.
   
   Pride Values
   
   UCSF is a diverse community made of people with many skills and talents. We seek candidates whose work experience or community service has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to professionalism, respect, integrity, diversity and excellence - also known as our PRIDE values.
   
   In addition to our PRIDE values, UCSF is committed to equity - both in how we deliver care as well as our workforce.We are committed to building a broadly diverse community, nurturing a culture that is welcoming and supportive, and engaging diverse ideas for the provision of culturally competent education, discovery, and patient care.Additional information about UCSF is available at diversity.ucsf.edu
   
   Join us to find a rewarding career contributing to improving healthcare worldwide.
   
   Equal Employment Opportunity
   
   The University of California San Francisco is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find ergonomists 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 ergonomist job on Zippia to find and recruit ergonomist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting ergonomists 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 ergonomist

   Once you've found the ergonomist candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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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