How to hire a foundation engineer

How to hire a foundation engineer, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The foundation 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

   A foundation engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, foundation engineers 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 foundation engineer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Foundation Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Foundation Engineer	Civil engineers design, build, supervise, operate, and maintain construction projects and systems in the public and private sector, including roads, buildings, airports, tunnels, dams, bridges, and systems for water supply and sewage treatment.	$23-56
   Civil Designer	A Civil Designer plans, scales, and drafts drawings and maps for roads, bridges, and other construction projects. They work with engineers and project managers in determining material, labor, and other costs of the assigned projects.	$19-38
   Structural Designer	A Structural Designer designs, develops, and supervises the construction of new buildings and bridges, or extensions to existing properties or other structures. They review and update construction drawings as well as communicate project problems and flaws to managers.	$22-40

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Geotechnical
   • CSS
   • Deep Foundations
   • Foundation Drawings

   Responsibilities:

   • Calculate sub-contractors weekly accomplish work for payroll.
   • Prepare proposals, budgets, and geotechnical engineering reports.
   • Compile results and recommend design in a geotechnical design report.
   • Operate and troubleshoot vacuum deposition machinery used in the development of anodes vital to the design of novel lithium-sulfur battery technology.
   • Maintain safety records that meet OSHA standards and monitor emergency requirements.

3. Make a budget

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

   Average foundation engineer salary

   $76,200yearly

   $36.63 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level foundation engineer salary

   $49,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average foundation engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$100,749	$48
   2	New York	$82,312	$40
   3	Washington	$82,148	$39
   4	Oregon	$81,115	$39
   5	Alabama	$80,318	$39
   6	Missouri	$79,824	$38
   7	Pennsylvania	$78,723	$38
   8	Massachusetts	$77,532	$37
   9	Virginia	$77,242	$37
   10	Texas	$76,709	$37
   11	Nevada	$76,016	$37
   12	Louisiana	$75,854	$36
   13	Colorado	$73,315	$35
   14	Illinois	$72,433	$35
   15	District of Columbia	$71,995	$35
   16	New Hampshire	$71,979	$35
   17	North Dakota	$71,337	$34
   18	Utah	$70,454	$34
   19	Maryland	$65,739	$32
   20	Nebraska	$62,343	$30

   Average foundation engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$156,582	$75.28	16
   2	NVIDIA	$141,599	$68.08	1
   3	Amazon	$119,966	$57.68	10
   4	Parsons	$98,393	$47.30	151
   5	Hess	$97,579	$46.91	1
   6	HERE Holding Corporation	$91,707	$44.09
   7	Fluor Corporation	$78,157	$37.58	4
   8	Compass SLS and ILS	$75,619	$36.36
   9	Clark Construction Group	$74,363	$35.75	6
   10	Lessen	$73,722	$35.44
   11	Masters Building Solutions, Inc.	$73,162	$35.17
   12	URS E&C Holdings Inc	$71,563	$34.41
   13	Live Nation Entertainment	$68,385	$32.88
   14	DPIS Builder Services	$67,177	$32.30
   15	Installed Building Products	$66,775	$32.10
   16	Berkel & Company Contractors	$64,622	$31.07

4. Writing a foundation engineer job description

   A foundation 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 foundation engineer job description:

   Foundation engineer job description example

   The Company

   Now offering up to $1,000 sign-on bonus!

   Superior Insulation is part of the Installed Building Products (IBP) family of companies. Integrity, knowledge and excellent service - these aren't just words, they represent how Superior Insulation does business. Whatever your needs, you can trust us to offer high quality products and service. A variety of services - from insulation to garage doors, Superior Insulation can help you maximize energy efficiency and aesthetic. We install fiberglass, spray foam, cellulose, garage doors, gutters and more. Find your next career opportunity and join our team, with Superior Insulation!

   Why we love it here: benefits that include medical, dental, vision, retirement plans, vacation, paid holidays, and plenty of opportunities for growth and advancement!

   What You Can Expect

   As a foundation waterproofer, you are responsible for ensuring a proper seal is achieved to eliminate water leaks. Using a wide range of processes and techniques to fix leaky or wet areas, you will:

   • Installs caulk in joints and inspect them to make sure they are sound, that all joint filler material has been removed, and that joint size is acceptable
   • Provide preventative maintenance on joints requiring it, and install the backer rod to ensure proper joint depth, eliminate three side adhesion, and provide a sound backing
   • When using self-leveling products, use compatible material to 'dam' ends, penetrations, and holes, so that the material remains in the joint

   To Be Successful

   • Valid driver's license preferred
   • Experience in the construction industry helpful
   • Experience in the waterproofing industry helpful

   For Your Safety

   • Regularly required to stand, walk, use hands and fingers to handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl
   • Lift and/or move up to 15 lbs
   • Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus
   • Ability to perform job functions while wearing a respirator

   EEO Statement IBP is an equal opportunity employer.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right foundation engineer 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 foundation engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit foundation engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as dribbble, authentic jobs, working not working, coroflot.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting foundation engineers 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.

   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 foundation engineer

   Once you've selected the best foundation engineer 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 also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new foundation engineer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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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