How to hire a head electrical engineer

How to hire a head electrical engineer, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the head electrical engineer you need to hire. Certain head electrical 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 head electrical engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, head electrical 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 head electrical engineer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Head Electrical Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Head Electrical 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).	$43-82
   Instrumentation & Control Engineer	An instrumentation and control engineer is responsible for installing and designing technical components for engineering systems that would support production and manufacturing processes. Instrumentation and control engineers inspect control systems, modify features and infrastructure, configure controllers, and run multiple quality checks to ensure stability and optimal performance... Show more	$33-58
   Engineer	Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects... Show more	$31-62

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • MEP
   • Electrical Design
   • Electrical Systems
   • Oil Gas
   • Shop Drawings
   • Retrofit
   • Electrical Equipment
   • HVAC
   • PLC
   • Switchgear
   • Control Systems
   • Troubleshoot
   • Electric Motors
   • Control Panels

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and perform verification activities to insure device meet all safety and EMC requirements.
   • Used electrical theory and concepts to perform troubleshooting procedures on power generation equipment and HVAC systems.
   • Develop a system software using LabView to emulate system operation to provide production the capability to build and troubleshoot units.
   • Integrate avionics installations into existing aircraft.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your head electrical engineer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A head electrical engineer can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, head electrical engineers' average salary in ohio is 40% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level head electrical engineers 48% less than senior-level head electrical engineers.
   • Certifications. A head electrical engineer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a head electrical engineer's salary.

   Average head electrical engineer salary

   $124,952yearly

   $60.07 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level head electrical engineer salary

   $90,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 30, 2026

4. Writing a head electrical engineer job description

   A job description for a head electrical engineer role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a head electrical engineer job description:

   Head electrical engineer job description example

   The Head of Electrical Engineering will be responsible for the design, development, and testing of electrical systems to support R&D and product development functions; as well as leading a team to develop design requirements, work with sensor R&D, mechanical, software, and supply chain teams throughout the product life cycle, develop and validate designs that meets those requirements and ensure a successful transition into mass production.
   
   You'll make an impact by: Lead the development of electrical designs that meet ID requirements with an intense focus on size, cost, time to market, and quality targets.Work in a close interdisciplinary team for new product design, providing electrical design expertise to ensure a successful product bring up. Define EE architecture and execute EE product development through the entire life cycle Define and lead the design, test and validation plans for the electronics to interface with new biosensors Collaborate closely with the sensor R&D team to develop custom test fixtures and electronics to support biosensor R&D efforts.Define test criteria, draft test plans for internal or remote teams Collaborate closely with ME and ID to maintain original design intent Work with ME on decisions that affect performance of ESD, EMI, RFHelp define product features at concept stages Travel to Asia for builds and tactical problem solving (10-25%)
   
   You'll bring: 8+ years of industry experience, connected device and medical device experience a plus2+ years of experience leading a team.Self-directed, creative, and maintains a high need for excellence. Comfortable with managing outsourced design teams as well as full local design responsibility Deep knowledge in some of the following areas: batteries, power supplies, displays, touch, wireless protocols, RF & antennas, MCUs, signal integrity, mixed-signal analog & digital, power management, biometric sensors Track record in portable consumer electronics, especially low-power platforms Experience with ODM or CM model of product development.Able to articulate and defend engineering decisions.Nice-to-Haves: Experience with biosensors and medical device development Experience managing firmware teams
   
   You'll get:To deeply impact the lives of people with chronic conditions The opportunity to contribute at an early stage startup and help develop the future of healthcare Competitive salary and equity commensurate with experience and performance Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance and 401k plan Yearly Professional Development budget Unlimited vacation days Weekly catered lunches, company swag, company outings, and other surprises when you start
   
   One Drop is the future of healthcare. Our mission is to develop technology that ensures all people living with diabetes and other chronic conditions can thrive. We harness the power of data science and mobile computing to make healthcare more affordable, accessible, and effective.
   
   Our clinically proven mobile platform combines AI-powered predictive insights, personalized health coaching, and FDA-approved connected devices to simplify self-care. And it works. People using the One Drop platform have seen significant improvements in their health in just a few weeks.
   
   Today, the rate of people living with chronic conditions is increasing dramatically, and traditional approaches to healthcare cannot possibly scale to reach them all. We exist to serve those people and help them lead their best lives. www.onedrop.today
   
   At One Drop, we recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job. If your experience is close to what you see listed here, please still consider applying. One Drop provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and excellence. Therefore, we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our positions. Please let us know if you require accommodations during the interview process.
   To all recruitment agencies: One Drop does not accept unsolicited agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias or One Drop employees. One Drop is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.

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5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit head electrical engineers, 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.

   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 head electrical engineer

   Once you've found the head electrical engineer 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.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them 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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