How to hire a fuel cell engineer

How to hire a fuel cell engineer, step by step

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

What does a fuel cell engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the fuel cell engineer you need to hire. Certain fuel cell engineer 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

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

   The following list breaks down different types of fuel cell engineers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Fuel Cell Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Fuel Cell Engineer	Mechanical engineering is one of the broadest engineering disciplines. Mechanical engineers design, develop, build, and test mechanical and thermal sensors and devices, including tools, engines, and machines.	$32-61
   Staff Engineer	Staff engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and inspecting various products, equipment, or structures. These professionals may perform varied duties depending on their specialization that includes overseeing the design and construction of buildings, bridges, sewer systems, and other infrastructure, estimating the financial costs of construction projects, and ensuring compliance with health and safety laws and regulations... Show more	$33-80
   Product Engineer	A product engineer specializes in designing and developing commercial materials and services. They are primarily responsible for conducting thorough research and analysis of the latest trends and marketing conditions to come up with new ideas and products for the public... Show more	$32-56

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Data Analysis
   • FEA
   • LabVIEW
   • PEM
   • Test Results
   • Fuel Cell System
   • Electrical Performance
   • Test Data
   • R
   • Fuel Cell Technology
   • CAD
   • Cell Performance
   • Sops
   • FMEA

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead manufacturing development and production efforts around screen printing, coating and brazing of SOFC ceramic and metal components.
   • Manage Jenkins security by providing specific access to authorize developers/testers using project base matrix authorization strategy.
   • Design FMEA on performance characteristics of a fuel cell.
   • Evaluate alternative, low-cost membranes for advance PEM fuel cell systems.
   • Create new LabVIEW base software for test requirements or add test functionality.
   • Create VBA tools to expedite the resolution of common problems in test.

   More fuel cell engineer duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, fuel cell engineers' average salary in arkansas is 42% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level fuel cell engineers earn 47% less than senior-level fuel cell engineers.
   • Certifications. A fuel cell 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 fuel cell engineer's salary.

   Average fuel cell engineer salary

   $92,756yearly

   $44.59 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level fuel cell engineer salary

   $67,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 30, 2026

   Average fuel cell engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$125,339	$60
   2	Arizona	$99,673	$48
   3	Utah	$97,447	$47
   4	Massachusetts	$93,059	$45
   5	New York	$92,511	$44
   6	Michigan	$91,488	$44
   7	Texas	$90,357	$43
   8	Wyoming	$89,817	$43
   9	Indiana	$85,445	$41
   10	Missouri	$78,946	$38
   11	Florida	$75,827	$36

   Average fuel cell engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$142,691	$68.60	40
   2	AbbVie	$114,942	$55.26	18
   3	Sanofi US	$111,147	$53.44
   4	Rivian	$102,653	$49.35	14
   5	Micron Technology	$102,291	$49.18	11
   6	Tesla	$101,575	$48.83
   7	Lucid Motors	$100,963	$48.54	4
   8	General Motors	$98,868	$47.53	59
   9	Ford Motor	$98,435	$47.32	56
   10	Eurofins	$98,163	$47.19	10
   11	FCA US LLC	$98,109	$47.17	3
   12	Bosch USA	$96,840	$46.56
   13	Caterpillar	$96,532	$46.41	6
   14	Plug Power	$95,606	$45.96
   15	Science	$95,166	$45.75
   16	EnPower	$95,166	$45.75
   17	Upside Foods	$95,166	$45.75
   18	AvL Technologies	$94,982	$45.66
   19	SES	$93,161	$44.79	1
   20	Nikola Motor	$93,123	$44.77

4. Writing a fuel cell engineer job description

   A good fuel cell engineer 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 fuel cell engineer job description:

   Fuel cell engineer job description example

   Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino),California,United States
   
   Hardware
   
   + Five years of direct battery design development experience including mechanical design, fabrication processes, performance characterization
   
   + Familiarity with state of the art production processes, test equipment, test procedures of rechargeable lithium battery products
   
   + Experience in mathematical modeling of lithium ion battery designs and use cases.
   
   + Experienced in using Matlab for data analysis and presentation. Working knowledge in VBA, C/C++/Python is a plus.
   
   + Proficiency in use of engineering tools and standards: 3D solid modeling CAD, GD&T, tolerance analysis, FEA, FMEA
   
   + Strong analytical/problem solving skills and ability to use statistical tools and techniques to support proposed solutions.
   
   + Excellent written and verbal communication skills including the ability to articulate technical issues and design trade-offs
   
   + Motivated, hands on self-starter with solid time management skills, and strong process and data driven approach to the engineering process, comfortable working in a dynamic environment
   
   **Description**
   
   - You will develop battery cell designs and mechanical dimension required to meet product application requirements and use-cases. - Act as technical contact point of cell design team interfacing with product development, battery modeling and technology development teams. - Gather product requirements and evaluating designs via mathematical modeling and electrochemical characterization. - Collaborate with cell modeling teams and battery engineering groups to verify accuracy of mathematical models and performance details to meet application requirements - Develop internal mathematical design tools to guide cell designs against performance requirements. - Build out technology specific modeling capability within cell design team.
   
   **Education & Experience**
   
   MS or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering or related field.
   
   **Additional Requirements**
   
   **Apple Footer**
   
   Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We take affirmative action to ensure equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. Learn more about your EEO rights as an applicant (Opens in a new window) .
   
   Apple will not discriminate or retaliate against applicants who inquire about, disclose, or discuss their compensation or that of other applicants. United States Department of Labor. Learn more (Opens in a new window) .
   
   Apple is required to comply with a COVID-19 vaccination mandate issued by the New York City Department of Health. We will verify the vaccination status of all New York City team members who are working at an Apple Store, office, or partner store in New York City. New York City Department of Health Learn more (Opens in a new window) .
   
   Apple will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable law. If you're applying for a position in San Francisco, review the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance guidelines (opens in a new window) applicable in your area.
   
   Apple participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations as required by law. Learn more about the E-Verify program (Opens in a new window) .
   
   Apple is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to applicants with physical and mental disabilities. Apple is a drug-free workplace. Reasonable Accommodation and Drug Free Workplace policy Learn more (Opens in a new window) .

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with fuel cell engineer 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 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 fuel cell engineer

   Once you've decided on a perfect fuel cell 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 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 fuel cell engineer?