How to hire a field applications engineer

How to hire a field applications engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step field applications engineer hiring guide:

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

What does a field applications engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The field applications engineer 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 field applications engineer 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of field applications engineers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Field Applications Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Field Applications Engineer	Sales engineers sell complex scientific and technological products or services to businesses. They must have extensive knowledge of the products’ parts and functions and must understand the scientific processes that make these products work.	$38-68
   Sales Engineering Manager	A sales engineering manager specializes in developing systems and procedures to optimize a company's sales operations, aiming for client satisfaction and profit growth. It is their duty to set goals and timelines, establish guidelines, manage different teams, research new business and client opportunities, gather and analyze data to identify the strengths and weaknesses of existing operations, develop sales strategies, and implement solutions against problem areas... Show more	$42-80
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Technical Support
   • C++
   • Semiconductor
   • FAE
   • Post Sales
   • RF
   • Linux
   • Customer Service
   • Pre Sales
   • PCB
   • Java
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Technical Expertise
   • Product Development

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage all technical interactions (RFP responses, job site walk-through, design reviews, statement of work creation, etc . )
   • Develop and manage technical procedures for quality control to comply with ISO laboratory accreditation.
   • Assume responsibility for technical sales & support to aerospace & transit industries.
   • Present pre-sales technical presentations in Asia and Australia.
   • Train ISO inter- nal auditor.
   • Service building automation (HVAC) and process automation markets.

   More field applications engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your field applications engineer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A field applications engineer salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, field applications engineers' average salary in hawaii is 41% less than in virginia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level field applications engineers earn 44% less than senior-level field applications engineers.
   • Certifications. A field applications engineer 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 a field applications engineer's salary.

   Average field applications engineer salary

   $107,140yearly

   $51.51 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level field applications engineer salary

   $80,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average field applications engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$129,895	$62
   2	Virginia	$122,957	$59
   3	Arizona	$113,552	$55
   4	Colorado	$110,566	$53
   5	Oregon	$108,813	$52
   6	Idaho	$106,469	$51
   7	New York	$104,146	$50
   8	Washington	$101,316	$49
   9	Texas	$100,763	$48
   10	Massachusetts	$94,191	$45
   11	Minnesota	$93,995	$45
   12	Utah	$92,144	$44
   13	North Carolina	$92,055	$44
   14	Illinois	$91,750	$44
   15	Michigan	$77,957	$37

   Average field applications engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	NVIDIA	$125,998	$60.58	38
   2	Adobe	$124,982	$60.09	14
   3	Aldec	$123,806	$59.52
   4	SiFive	$123,236	$59.25
   5	Xilinx	$122,498	$58.89
   6	Dolby Laboratories	$122,424	$58.86
   7	Texas Instruments	$121,810	$58.56	7
   8	Sensory	$121,219	$58.28
   9	Waters	$121,022	$58.18	1
   10	Broadcom	$120,783	$58.07	61
   11	Wind River	$120,778	$58.07
   12	Altium	$119,841	$57.62	2
   13	Digi International	$118,874	$57.15
   14	Tesla	$118,045	$56.75	5
   15	Amd	$117,417	$56.45	24
   16	Microsemi	$116,549	$56.03
   17	ZTE USA	$115,953	$55.75
   18	Arrow Electronics	$115,799	$55.67	29
   19	Western Digital	$115,395	$55.48	12
   20	Agilent Technologies	$114,898	$55.24	10

4. Writing a field applications engineer job description

   A field applications engineer 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 a field applications engineer job description:

   Field applications engineer job description example

   The best NI Field Application Engineers effectively balance their time between face-to-face interactions with target customers, technical activities, and providing insight and feedback as the voice of the customer. Field Application Engineers serve as highly trusted technical consultants in the Aerospace, Defense & Government (ADG) Industry, allowing them to influence the technical direction of target accounts to ensure mutual customer and long-term NI success. This position is compensated by 80% base salary and 20% variable pay based on achievement of key sales objectives and account revenue.
   NI Field Applications Engineers spend most of their time:
   
   Building key technical relationships at top accounts by demonstrating great technical credibility that increases customer technical confidence in NI Understanding and assisting in creation of customer technical requirements Providing recommendations on software and hardware architectures while helping customers understand the test system development process to ensure success Collaborating with NI Account Managers as part of an account team to lead development and execution of the account technical strategy which provides better insight to the overall account strategy and opportunity pipeline Coordinating with and informing internal stakeholders to execute on account technical initiatives and provide feedback to increase account success Leveraging industry, application area, and account knowledge to uncover and influence customer future technical needs and challenges thereby generating further technical demand for NI products, services, and support
   
   Basic Qualifications:
   
   BS degree and/or equivalent years of relevant experience. 5+ years of Test and Measurement industry experience 3+ years of progressive software programming experience Willing and able to travel - Regionally and to Austin, TX up to 25% of time
   
   Other Qualifications that can help in this role:
   
   Degree concentration in electrical or computer engineering English Language Competency and effective oral and written communication skills Skill in choosing and applying software design patterns and Software Engineering concepts Advanced skill in at least one of the following programming languages: LabVIEW, .NET, Python, C++ 5 years of NI LabVIEW and NI TestStand development experience, including developer certifications 5 years of experience developing and supporting Automated Measurement Systems 5 years of experience in RF Fundamentals and Measurements Knowledge of RF in Radar and Electronic Warfare technologies Experience with NI PXI and Modular Instruments including RF, mixed signal and digital technologies 2 years of FPGA and fixed-point algorithm programming experience Vertical domain experience with common ADG testing methodologies, experience writing test cases and general ADG application workflow 2 years in a customer-facing role Experience contributing to organization, account, or engagement strategies Able to integrate business, operational, and interpersonal considerations into technical engagements
   
   #LI-KV1

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right field applications engineer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with field applications engineers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit field applications engineers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit field applications engineers, 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.

   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 field applications engineer

   Once you've decided on a perfect field applications engineer 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 field applications engineer 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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How much does it cost to hire a field applications engineer?