How to hire a flight paramedic

How to hire a flight paramedic, step by step

Here's a step-by-step flight paramedic hiring guide:

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

Post a flight paramedic job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   The flight paramedic 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

   A flight paramedic's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, flight paramedics 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.

   Here's a comparison of flight paramedic salaries for various roles:

   Type of Flight Paramedic	Description	Hourly rate
   Flight Paramedic	Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics care for the sick or injured in emergency medical settings. People’s lives often depend on the quick reaction and competent care provided by these workers... Show more	$19-29
   Emergency Department Volunteer	The Emergency Department (ED) Volunteer provides non-medical support by assisting medical and administrative staff. They deliver excellent service by visiting and monitoring medical results and helping patients expedite and improve patient care... Show more	$12-19
   Emergency Room Technician	An Emergency Room Technician works in emergency departments dealing with patients who suffer from medical emergencies. They also assist with transporting patients into and out of the department for different medical tests.	$13-21

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Advanced Life Support
   • Patients
   • EMT
   • BLS
   • Acls
   • EMS
   • CPR
   • Medical Equipment
   • ALS
   • Direct Patient Care
   • Life Support Care
   • PHTLS
   • Helicopter
   • Critical Care Transport

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Administer and manage advanced cardiac life support including medications and intubation of compromise airways.
   • Manage critically ill/injure patients effectively with rapid assessments, aggressive resuscitation, packaging and transport to appropriate definitive care emergency departments.
   • Schedule EMT's and paramedics for monthly shifts and training.
   • Coauthor unit medical protocols the paramedic skillset alongside AEMT and EMT.
   • Provide critical and ALS care and emergency service on domestic and international flights.
   • Provide all ALS care need to maintain a stable patient during the flight.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, flight paramedics' average salary in georgia is 34% less than in connecticut.
   • Seniority. Entry-level flight paramedics earn 35% less than senior-level flight paramedics.
   • Certifications. A flight paramedic 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 flight paramedic's salary.

   Average flight paramedic salary

   $50,261yearly

   $24.16 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level flight paramedic salary

   $40,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 31, 2026

4. Writing a flight paramedic job description

   A flight paramedic 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 flight paramedic job description:

   Flight paramedic job description example

   As our next Flight Paramedic, you and your Flight Nurse partner will be the go-to for high quality pre-hospital advanced life support, including assessment, triage, and treatment for critical patients. Each shift you will work with your team to find ways to improve safety and our standards of care by attending pre-mission briefings, mission debriefings, and completing necessary documentation. You'll participate in patient and referring institution follow-up and in planned outreach marketing and education activities.
   
   As a Flight Paramedic at Air Methods, we invest in our team's skills and safety every day. We've created a career ladder and offer paid certification programs that invest in your future, including paid continued education, annual high-fidelity human patient simulation training, and cadaver labs with company-paid travel. We also cover the cost of certain license and certification programs.
   
   To thrive in this role, you must have a minimum of three years of recent experience in a busy 911 system and the following:
   + EMT-P certification in state(s) served
   
   + National Registry Certification may be required to meet state licensure requirements
   
   + Current certifications in Healthcare Provider BLS/CPR; ACLS; PALS or equivalent (if state or county required) and advanced provider ITLS (if state or county required)
   
   + Willingness to work 2-24 hour shifts or 1-48 hour shift per week
   
   + FP-C certification is required for this base.
   
   Preferred Qualifications:
   
   Education: Bachelor's degree in health-related field
   
   Experience: Previous critical care transport experience and flight experience
   
   Operation and Safety Requirements:
   
   As a member of the Clinical Flight Crew, any person employed in this position shall maintain a weight not to exceed 225 pounds including empty flight suit and boots.
   
   About us:
   
   Air Methods is the most responsive and reliable provider of critical care transportation solutions. We partner with our EMS and hospital customers to solve the challenges of patient logistics and save lives. We deliver industry-leading performance in safety, clinical quality and patient advocacy, committing to the elimination of balance bills. In addition to caring for others, we care for our own teammates: building a high-performing culture where people are passionate about their work and always bring their best. We can't be the industry-leading air medical company without you.
   
   Air Methods is an EEO/AA employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.
   
   #LI-BC1
   
   Qualifications
   
   Education
   
   Required
   
   + High School or better
   
   Licenses & Certifications
   
   Required
   
   + Drivers License
   
   Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
   
   The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find flight paramedics 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 flight paramedic job on Zippia to find and recruit flight paramedic 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 flight paramedics, 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.

   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 flight paramedic

   Once you've found the flight paramedic 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 flight paramedic 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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a flight paramedic?