How to hire a hardware specialist

How to hire a hardware specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step hardware specialist hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a hardware specialist, 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 hardware specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, hardware specialists 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 shows salaries for various types of hardware specialists.

   Type of Hardware Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Hardware Specialist	Computer support specialists provide help and advice to people and organizations using computer software or equipment. Some, called computer network support specialists, support information technology (IT) employees within their organization... Show more	$26-53
   Hardware Technician	A hardware technician is typically in charge of providing technical support to clients or employees, ensuring efficiency and client satisfaction. In a company setting, a hardware technician is responsible for performing initial assessments on computer hardware, troubleshooting, diagnosing problems, and providing step by step solutions to solve the issues... Show more	$15-34

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Plumbing
   • Configuration Management
   • Printers
   • Customer Service
   • Computer System
   • Troubleshoot
   • Desktop Support
   • Hardware Inventory
   • Problem Resolution
   • Hardware Support
   • PCB
   • Ethernet
   • Windows XP
   • Linux

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Create, manage, and troubleshoot user network, email accounts, and distribution lists.
   • Lead effort to develop and maintain client's database by customizing existing computer information systems to support operating objectives.
   • Fix system issues using Linux and Unix commands.
   • Utilize SQL servers and databases per ticket requirements.
   • Handle filing of customer POs and complete company paperwork for records use.
   • Used Cisco web administration utility to reset VOIP phone settings for users.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, hardware specialists' average salary in nebraska is 39% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level hardware specialists earn 51% less than senior-level hardware specialists.
   • Certifications. A hardware specialist 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 hardware specialist's salary.

   Average hardware specialist salary

   $79,167yearly

   $38.06 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level hardware specialist salary

   $55,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

4. Writing a hardware specialist job description

   A good hardware specialist 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 hardware specialist job description:

   Hardware specialist job description example

   EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS) is a premier global provider of satellite communication solutions. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., and conducting business around the globe, EchoStar is a pioneer in communications technologies through its Hughes Network Systems and EchoStar Satellite Services business segments. For more information, visit echostar.com. Follow @EchoStar on Twitter.
   
   Hughes has an opportunity for SMTS - Hardware. This position will be located at our office in Germantown, MD.
   Responsibilities:
   Perform the lead role in the high-level electrical engineering design of Satellite Communication Systems hardware and components and plan and implement the engineering development effort for various sub-modules comprising the firmware necessary for satellite ground-station systems. Execute the high-level electrical engineering design tasks required for projects, including defining networking protocols and formats; defining system architecture and the interfacing between system components (gateways, terminals, etc.). Establish the functional requirements for proposed hardware and systems and select the parts and components to best meet the requirements. Recommend new engineering processes and optimization techniques to the organization's management to improve the overall quality of satellite network operations, engineering design, and maintenance.Draft and present engineering reports describing the planned functionality, as well as trade-offs in proposed engineering designs. Create project schedules for the design, testing, and verification processes, and distribute task assignments within the project team. Design engineering test cases and direct the integration testing for new or modified sub-systems or modules within the existing network hardware and firmware. Provide professional mentorship to entry-level engineers.
   
   Basic Requirements:
   Master's Degree in an Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering field and 3 years of experience.As an alternative, a Bachelor's degree in an Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering field and 5 years of experience will be acceptable.
   
   Special Requirements:
   3 years Domain experience in the satellite communication network industry sector. 3 years experience performing electrical engineering design tasks related to satellite telecommunication hardware (e.g. ground stations, terminals, modems).
   #DNPCB
   #DNPAJE
   #DNPGD
   #LI-DNI
   
   EchoStar is committed to offering a comprehensive and competitive benefits package. Our programs are designed to provide you with the ability to customize your benefits to best meet the needs of you and your family. Our philosophy for these programs is to support and encourage healthy living and wellness. Our benefits package covers it all-from healthcare savings plans to education assistance and more!
   Financial: 401(k) retirement savings plan with company match; employee stock purchase plan; profit-sharing; company-paid life insurance, AD&D and disability Work-Life Balance: Paid Time Off (PTO), company-paid holidays, health and wellness events, exercise and sports facilities (locations may vary) Employee Incentives: Tuition reimbursement, employee referral program, year round employee events and community programs, discounts on Dish Network and HughesNetHealth: Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Health Savings Account (HSA) with opportunities to earn employer contributions; Health Care, Dependent Care and Transportation Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
   
   EchoStar and its Affiliated Companies are committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, protected veteran status, disability, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal law. U.S. Persons or those able to obtain and maintain U.S. government security clearances may be required for certain positions. EEO is the law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find hardware specialists for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any hardware specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level hardware specialists with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your hardware specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit hardware specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit hardware specialists, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   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.

   Sometimes, it's not enough to interview hardware specialist candidates, so you can ask them to do a test project. If you are not a technical person and don't know what a test project should be, you can use these websites:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   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 hardware specialist

   Once you've selected the best hardware specialist 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 hardware specialist. 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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