How to hire a field service technician

How to hire a field service technician, step by step

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

What does a field service technician do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the field service technician you need to hire. Certain field service technician roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   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 service technician 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 service technicians and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Field Service Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Field Service Technician	Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians inspect, maintain, and repair vehicles and machinery used in construction, farming, rail transportation, and other industries.	$16-39
   System Technician	A system technician is a professional responsible for supporting users with issues related to the computer system. System technicians conduct appropriate diagnostics on computer issues and must be able to explain technical issues to clients or team members... Show more	$12-32
   Technician	Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with... Show more	$11-27

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Preventative Maintenance
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Technical Support
   • Hand Tools
   • Test Equipment
   • Customer Sites
   • Work Ethic
   • PC
   • Ladders
   • Service Calls
   • Customer Locations
   • Math
   • Parts Inventory

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage onsite supporting contractors to achieve customers end result to satisfaction.
   • Lead initiatives to decrease manufacturing downtime and increase QA process inspection.
   • Manage a team of 12 field engineers and 130 MRI systems in NYC.
   • Collaborate to achieve a Citrix solution for the IADC shop floor and implement the current server farm.
   • Manage and administer network security, LAN, WLAN, desktops, servers, applications, and databases.
   • Manage and service access control technology to include Honeywell's StarII and TEMA, and PCSC MicroLPM and IQ series controllers.

   More field service technician duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, field service technicians' average salary in west virginia is 33% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level field service technicians earn 57% less than senior-level field service technicians.
   • Certifications. A field service technician 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 service technician's salary.

   Average field service technician salary

   $54,339yearly

   $26.12 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level field service technician salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

   Average field service technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$69,444	$33
   2	District of Columbia	$65,163	$31
   3	Massachusetts	$63,554	$31
   4	New York	$63,496	$31
   5	Nevada	$62,262	$30
   6	Minnesota	$61,652	$30
   7	Washington	$61,426	$30
   8	Arizona	$61,009	$29
   9	New Mexico	$60,417	$29
   10	Texas	$60,088	$29
   11	Oregon	$59,089	$28
   12	Illinois	$58,503	$28
   13	Pennsylvania	$57,312	$28
   14	Utah	$57,104	$27
   15	Kansas	$56,936	$27
   16	Maryland	$56,170	$27
   17	Maine	$55,956	$27
   18	Ohio	$54,813	$26
   19	Iowa	$54,539	$26
   20	Colorado	$54,537	$26

   Average field service technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Google	$105,745	$50.84	91
   2	Nokia	$102,918	$49.48	3
   3	Entegris	$97,746	$46.99	2
   4	HP	$97,250	$46.75	12
   5	Sysmex	$96,356	$46.33	5
   6	Adobe	$95,670	$46.00	13
   7	Compunetix	$95,282	$45.81
   8	Abiomed	$95,040	$45.69
   9	KLA	$94,368	$45.37	3
   10	Spirent Communications	$94,312	$45.34	1
   11	Apple	$93,740	$45.07	29
   12	GCP Applied Technologies	$91,974	$44.22
   13	Lam Research	$91,949	$44.21	12
   14	FUJIFILM Medical Systems USA	$91,386	$43.94	78
   15	General Motors	$90,525	$43.52
   16	NuVasive	$89,434	$43.00
   17	Varian Medical Systems	$88,995	$42.79	2
   18	ST Engineering iDirect	$88,406	$42.50
   19	Agilent Technologies	$87,159	$41.90	10
   20	Qorvo	$86,779	$41.72

4. Writing a field service technician job description

   A good field service technician job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a field service technician job description:

   Field service technician job description example

   Morrison Industrial Equipment is a family-oriented company that takes pride in the communication, attitude, and training opportunities provided to our employees. We offer great flexibility, work/life balance, competitive benefits, career progression, and so much more. This company is family owned and offers over 65 years of service to our strong customer base. We are a leading material handling equipment dealer offering a wide variety of products including LP, diesel, and electric forklifts of all sizes; scissor and boom lifts; floor cleaning equipment and much more!

   Morrison Is looking for Full Time Service Technicians in our Elkhart, IN location. This position would utilize a company vehicle regionally and therefore requires a valid, good standing driver’s license. This team member works Monday-Friday, first shift hours, and works 40 hours a week with opportunity for overtime. The job is responsible for providing on-site client installation, repairs, and maintenance of their equipment.

   Our Service Technicians Typically:

   • Have Good Customer Relations Skills
   • Enjoy being part of a Team, but can Work Independently
   • Are able to Utilize Technology such as a Laptop or Tablet
   • Have a Valid Driver’s License in Good Standing
   • Have a Strong Mechanical Aptitude and Abilities

   We train people that have been working in the industry and who are new to it. Once hired, technicians will automatically be enrolled into our training program. The program and trainings are completely paid for and offer Classroom training, hands-on/job shadow training, E-Learning, and mentoring.

   No tools, no problem! Our “Tools for Technicians” program provides all the tools you need upon onboarding. It’s an 18-month program and when completed the tools are property of the tech! Throughout the training we offer multiple opportunities to gain certifications and put money in your pocket that can be used for more/new tools.

   Our Field Service Technicians / Mechanics Enjoy These Benefits:

   • Health Care with 24-hour free access to WebDr
   • Dental, Vision and Company Paid Life Insurances
   • 401K with Automatic Company Sponsored Deposit
   • Paid time off, Company Supplied Uniforms and much more...
   • And most of our Service Technicians take their vans Home Nightly

   Check us out at Morrison Industrial Equipment

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5. Post your job

   To find the right field service technician 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 service technicians they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit field service technicians 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 service technician job on Zippia to find and recruit field service technician 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 service technicians, 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 service technician

   Once you've selected the best field service technician candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   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 a field service technician?