How to hire a graduate engineer

How to hire a graduate engineer, step by step

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

What does a graduate engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a graduate engineer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

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

   This list presents graduate engineer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Graduate Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Graduate Engineer	Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacturing of electrical equipment, such as electric motors, radar and navigation systems, communications systems, and power generation equipment. Electronics engineers design and develop electronic equipment, such as broadcast and communications systems—from portable music players to global positioning systems (GPSs).	$26-42
   Engineering Trainee	An engineering trainee is responsible for shadowing engineers in their duties and performing administrative tasks as needed. Engineering trainees assist the engineers in inspecting construction sites and conducting field research... Show more	$20-39
   Design Engineer Internship	When it comes to a design engineer internship, an intern is primarily responsible for performing support tasks while under the supervision and directives of a manager or a more experienced engineer. Their duties typically revolve around processing documents, updating records and populating databases, responding to inquiries and correspondence, running errands, sharing insights, and even participating in designing projects... Show more	$18-37

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Civil 3D
   • Cost Estimates
   • Project Management
   • GIS
   • C++
   • Calculation
   • Data Analysis
   • Design Calculations
   • Product Development
   • R
   • Technical Support
   • Windows
   • Java
   • Auto CAD

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead the correction of production critical issues to increase beer availability, productivity, OEE and machine availability.
   • Design fixtures and tools using SolidWorks.
   • Field experience working on HMI, Bosch and Siemens PLC and vary sensors.
   • Support the acceptance testing for the PLC programming, control panels and remote I/O panels.
   • General knowledge in conducting a near-field and far-field RF ATP for in-house and installation testing.
   • Promote to current position after a few months having demonstrate knowledge of computers and RF.

   More graduate engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your graduate engineer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A graduate engineer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a graduate engineer in Louisiana may be lower than in Rhode Island, and an entry-level graduate engineer usually earns less than a senior-level graduate engineer. Additionally, a graduate engineer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average graduate engineer salary

   $70,395yearly

   $33.84 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level graduate engineer salary

   $55,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average graduate engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$92,185	$44
   2	Arizona	$85,027	$41
   3	District of Columbia	$84,168	$40
   4	Texas	$75,507	$36
   5	Nevada	$71,944	$35
   6	Colorado	$71,565	$34
   7	Oregon	$69,537	$33
   8	North Dakota	$69,147	$33
   9	Utah	$68,169	$33
   10	New York	$67,129	$32
   11	Pennsylvania	$66,974	$32
   12	Minnesota	$65,646	$32
   13	Georgia	$62,874	$30
   14	Missouri	$61,770	$30
   15	Florida	$60,656	$29
   16	North Carolina	$60,080	$29
   17	Mississippi	$55,824	$27
   18	Louisiana	$54,561	$26
   19	Wisconsin	$53,501	$26

   Average graduate engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Microsoft	$109,100	$52.45	84
   2	SiFive	$104,279	$50.13
   3	Lam Research	$102,028	$49.05	25
   4	Intel	$96,786	$46.53	33
   5	Siemens Enterprise Communications Inc	$89,813	$43.18
   6	GlobalFoundries	$85,541	$41.13	20
   7	Westinghouse Appliances Australia	$85,041	$40.89	35
   8	Minnesota Pollution Control Agency	$80,451	$38.68
   9	Jacobs Engineering Group	$77,710	$37.36
   10	Technip USA Corporation	$77,621	$37.32
   11	Energy Northwest	$76,376	$36.72
   12	U.S. Borax, part of Rio Tinto	$76,147	$36.61
   13	ARM	$76,023	$36.55	20
   14	Intertek	$75,414	$36.26	3
   15	Energy Inc.	$75,274	$36.19
   16	3M Company	$72,518	$34.86	68
   17	WGI	$71,756	$34.50	7
   18	Knauf Insulation North America	$71,429	$34.34	8
   19	Neighborhood Health Center of WNY	$71,427	$34.34
   20	Apex Supply Chain	$71,021	$34.14

4. Writing a graduate engineer job description

   A graduate 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. Below, you can find an example of a graduate engineer job description:

   Graduate engineer job description example

   Power Mobility Engineer
   
   To meet our growing demands, Cree|Wolfspeed has established a mobility program for our Power business unit. This is specifically targeting new or recent graduates who are interested in diving into all aspects of the semiconductor business. Our target start date is July 5th, 2021. We are looking for a highly motivated candidate with a strong track record of innovation and ingenuity.
   
   As a mobility program participant, you'll spend your first 6-12 months in a unique rotational training program before employment. Participants will have the opportunity to gain a strong understanding of the business by working on meaningful and strategic projects, building relationships with various groups within the organization, and developing leadership skills, all of which preparing you for the next stage in your career. You will be traveling between our Arkansas and North Carolina locations, sponsored by Cree|Wolfspeed.
   
   Responsibilities Include:
   Lead the development and improvement of plasma etch processes to drive the development of next generation power semiconductor devices, enhance product performance and improve product yields Spearhead collaborations with the R&D design and integration teams to create unit processes for plasma etch patterning to meet Automotive customer specifications Own the creation of operation specifications for new production processes and equipment Provide technical process development leadership Drive innovation and continuous improvement in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
   
   Requirements:
   Bachelor's or M.S. Degree in Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or any closely related field Strong understanding of semiconductor device fabrication Experience in process integration or process development in a semiconductor fab or lab environment.
   Exceptional knowledge of various plasma etch techniques, including: reactive ion etching, inductively coupled plasm etching Working knowledge of material characterization techniques, including: OES, SEM, Ellipsometry, AFM, XRF Experience with SPC and DOE methodology Excellent communication and presentation skills Candidate must be a US citizen or Green Card holder
   
   Preferred Qualifications:
   PhD. Degree in Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or any closely related Engineering field. Experience in the Semiconductor industry in process integration or process development in a semiconductor fab. Semiconductor processing experience related to wide-bandgap devices
   We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
   
   We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find graduate engineers 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 graduate engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit graduate engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting graduate 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 graduate engineer

   Once you've decided on a perfect graduate 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.

   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 graduate engineer?