How to hire a flight technician

How to hire a flight technician, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The flight technician 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 technician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, flight technicians 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 technician salaries for various roles:

   Type of Flight Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Flight Technician	Aerospace engineering and operations technicians operate and maintain equipment used in developing, testing, and producing new aircraft and spacecraft. Increasingly, these workers are using computer-based modeling and simulation tools and processes in their work.	$14-27
   Engineering Operations Technician	An engineering operations technician provides technical support to engineers and staff. Their responsibilities include maintaining electrical and mechanical equipment, troubleshooting problems, understanding blueprints, performing installations and repairs, conducting regular inspections, and keeping daily operational readings... Show more	$30-66
   Field Operations Technician	Field operations technicians handle all on-site activities of services or operations provided or done by a company. The field operations technician is responsible for accomplishing daily tasks set by the company or requested by a client or customer... Show more	$13-24

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Troubleshoot
   • FAA
   • Preventive Maintenance
   • In-Flight
   • Aircraft Systems
   • Aircraft Maintenance
   • Technical Support
   • Flight Simulators
   • Corrective Maintenance
   • Technical Problems
   • Switches
   • Technical Manuals
   • Hydraulic Systems
   • CAE

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Recognize for enhancing EDP operations to boost productivity and meet schedules.
   • Resolve discrepancies report by training crews, the FAA, and support staff.
   • Perform require tasks to inspect, install, troubleshoot, maintain, repair, modify, and operate training devices.
   • Read schematics to troubleshoot and repair digital and analog electronics.
   • Perform in-flight avionics/communication systems operation.
   • Print and cut stripcharts on plotters.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, flight technicians' average salary in georgia is 37% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level flight technicians earn 47% less than senior-level flight technicians.
   • Certifications. A flight 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 flight technician's salary.

   Average flight technician salary

   $42,931yearly

   $20.64 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level flight technician salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

4. Writing a flight technician job description

   A good flight 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 flight technician job description:

   Flight technician job description example

   Airbus is an international pioneer in the aerospace industry. We are a leader in designing, manufacturing and delivering aerospace products, services and solutions to customers on a global scale. We aim for a better-connected, safer and more prosperous world.
   
   A commercial aircraft manufacturer, with Space and Defense as well as Helicopters Divisions, Airbus is the largest aeronautics and space company in Europe and a
   worldwide leader . Airbus has built on its strong European heritage to become truly international - with roughly 180 locations and 12,000 direct suppliers globally. The company has aircraft and helicopter final assembly lines across Asia, Europe and the Americas, and has achieved a more than sixfold order book increase since 2000. AIRBUS requires that all new employees and temporary workers of Airbus be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Airbus allows candidates who are not fully vaccinated at the time of hire a reasonable amount of time to obtain vaccinated status. This position requires vaccination against COVID-19 or, if applicable, an approved accommodation for religious or medical reasons. Position Summary: The successful candidate will collaborate with a team of simulator technicians from diverse backgrounds, engineers, and training instructors, to ensure operational and reliability goals are met on a wide variety of flight simulator equipment used for training by global airlines. Primary Responsibilities: Flight Simulator Maintenance: 70% Perform daily readiness checks, pre-flights and preventive maintenance tasks. Resolve maintenance and equipment performance related issues in a timely fashion. Perform installation and testing of new, modified, and repaired equipment. Demonstrate the ability and passion to learn and adapt to changing technologies. Logistics: 10% Supports the logistic operations, including part ordering and stocking. Quality and Regulatory Requirements: 10% Monitor processes and provides constructive feedback for continuous improvement. Understands and adheres to quality and regulatory requirements, including FAA Part 60. Other: 10% Other duties as assigned by Manager. Education: Minimum education is a high school diploma or GED. Preferred education is completion of an Associates/Bachelor degree in Electronics, Computer Science, Engineering, Aviation, or another discipline related to this position. Experience: We will consider candidates who possess a combination of education and experience that will allow them to be successful in this position. Preferred experience is 1-3 years in an aviation or flight simulation technical role. Licensure/Certifications: Computer or IT networks Certifications Preferred Knowledge, Skills, Demonstrated Capabilities: Must demonstrate the ability to repair at least one of avionics, computers, electronics, visual, electric motion, or related technical systems, down to the component level. Prefer a candidate with basic computer knowledge, such as MS Tools, computer administration, and networking. Experience maintaining FAA qualified simulator is a plus.
   Communication Skills (Spoken, Written, Influencing, Proficiency in Other Languages): English Travel Required: Up to 5% Domestic and International Eligibility: Eligible for employment in US Clearance: None Decision Making, Complexity: Works in a team environment supporting 24/7 operations Some shifts not supervised, requires independent drive and decision making when managers are unavailable Occasionally equipment in scheduled training goes down requires working under timelines
   
   Direct Reports: None
   Nature of Contacts: Communication with training customers on a daily basis. Communication with other Flight Simulator Technicians on a daily basis. Communication with Manager on a daily basis.
   Physical Requirements: Lift at least 50 pounds, climb stairs, bend and stand for long periods of time move/work within cramped spaces. Work rotating shifts including weekends.
   Equal Opportunity: Airbus is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Airbus is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status. As a leader in our field, Airbus provides relocation assistance for qualified positions and a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. As a matter of policy, Airbus does not sponsor visas for US positions unless specified. Only applicants with current work authorization will be considered. Airbus does not offer tenured or guaranteed employment. Employment with Airbus is at will, meaning either the company or the employee can terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause, with or without notice.
   
   Job Posted by ApplicantPro

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5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with flight technician candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 technician

   Once you've found the flight technician 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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