How to hire a health specialist

How to hire a health specialist, step by step

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

What does a health specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The health specialist 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a health specialist to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a health specialist that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of health specialists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Health Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Health Specialist	Occupational health and safety specialists analyze many types of work environments and work procedures. Specialists inspect workplaces for adherence to regulations on safety, health, and the environment... Show more	$14-34
   Safety Representative	A safety representative is responsible for reiterating safety protocols and regulations in the workplace to prevent potential hazards and operational delays. Safety representatives facilitate training and programs for the employees and inform them of any communications related to their safety and wellbeing... Show more	$15-37
   Safety Officer	A safety officer specializes in maintaining a safe and healthy work environment for employees in a building or establishment. Aside from adhering to the safety standards and regulations within a company, a safety officer also has to craft and improve policies that prioritize the physical and mental health of workers... Show more	$13-35

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Health Education
   • Public Health
   • Data Collection
   • Veterans
   • Technical Assistance
   • Health Services
   • Patient Care
   • Customer Service
   • Social Work
   • Health Insurance
   • Home Health
   • Crisis Intervention
   • OSHA

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and maintain medical and legal case files in compliance with HIPAA.
   • Hire, manage payroll and provide oversight for research and administrative assistants.
   • Provide and coordinate a wide range of rehabilitation counseling and case management services to disable veterans and other eligible individuals.
   • Coordinate and facilitate workgroup and committee meetings.
   • Assist in running a life skills group for young adults with autism.
   • Work one-on-one with an individual who have autism and are visually impair.

   More health specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your health specialist job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A health specialist 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 health specialist in Florida may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level health specialist usually earns less than a senior-level health specialist. Additionally, a health specialist 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 health specialist salary

   $47,740yearly

   $22.95 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level health specialist salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average health specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$66,149	$32
   2	District of Columbia	$55,481	$27
   3	Washington	$55,019	$26
   4	Oregon	$54,179	$26
   5	Rhode Island	$52,564	$25
   6	Maryland	$50,779	$24
   7	Illinois	$50,601	$24
   8	Massachusetts	$49,711	$24
   9	Oklahoma	$49,107	$24
   10	Georgia	$47,231	$23
   11	Maine	$46,613	$22
   12	North Dakota	$46,005	$22
   13	Texas	$44,163	$21
   14	Nebraska	$43,892	$21
   15	Colorado	$43,329	$21
   16	New York	$43,199	$21
   17	Florida	$42,087	$20
   18	Minnesota	$42,051	$20
   19	Missouri	$41,879	$20
   20	Utah	$41,661	$20

   Average health specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	City of Seattle	$88,097	$42.35
   2	CVS Health	$82,986	$39.90	142
   3	Orange County Sanitation District	$82,373	$39.60
   4	Williams International	$76,264	$36.67	1
   5	Hawaii Pacific Health	$72,353	$34.79	7
   6	City of York	$67,975	$32.68
   7	Square	$65,055	$31.28
   8	Boulder County	$64,621	$31.07	1
   9	Granite Construction	$63,992	$30.77	10
   10	The Williams Companies	$63,811	$30.68
   11	Deschutes County	$63,029	$30.30	4
   12	Natera	$62,782	$30.18	6
   13	Cook Children's Medical Center	$62,748	$30.17	5
   14	Bayer	$62,182	$29.90
   15	Battelle	$62,098	$29.85	12
   16	Oakland County, Michigan Government	$60,418	$29.05
   17	Tesla	$60,056	$28.87
   18	Lake County	$59,200	$28.46
   19	Multnomah County	$58,738	$28.24	8
   20	Bechtel Corporation	$58,360	$28.06	10

4. Writing a health specialist job description

   A good health 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 health specialist job description:

   Health specialist job description example

   Building a career at Granite may be the most valuable thing you could do...
   Are you interested in the opportunity to work for an industry-leading company that will give you the experience and exposure you need to build your career and personal brand? If so, then you've come to the right place!
   
   General Summary
   The position is responsible for supporting in the administration of the Company's Safety and Health Management System (SHMS) and the corresponding regulations that relate to the safety of our work, for an assigned location in a manner consistent with the code of conduct.
   
   Essential Job Accountabilities
   Support with Company team members, owner representatives, regulatory agencies, clinics, medical/testing facilities to ensure effective working relationships.Promote engagement with the company safety program and local incident prevention efforts to foster involvement and reduce at risk behaviors.Assist in the implementation of safety related programs to ensure strategic goals are met.Perform and document inspections, observations and audits to reduce incidents and ensure health and the well-being of our employees.Assist in the preparation and performance of safety meetings and training programs to improve knowledge and understanding of hazards and risks relative to work performed.Participate in regulatory agency inspections and investigations to assist in ensuring compliance and protecting Company interests. Assist in the development and review of job hazard analysis to ensure successful completion of work through identification of hazards and control measures.Assist in the investigation and communication of near misses, incidents and claims to make certain that Company interests are preserved.Perform periodic checks to ensure plans, corrective actions and deficiencies are corrected and documented in a timely fashion.
   Education
   Bachelor's Degree in Safety, Occupational Health or related field, preferred or,
   Work Experience
   Minimum 3+ years' experience in construction or applicable industry with safety related responsibilities required.
   Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
   Knowledge of applicable state and federal safety and health regulations Demonstrate good verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills Strong organizational, follow through and time management skills Ability to work in high production environment and respond swiftly Attention to detail and ability to prioritize effectively Motivated self-starter Microsoft Office Suite
   Physical Demands
   
   The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
   While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear.The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, sit and use hands to operate a computer keyboard.The employee will frequently walk on uneven ground and surfaces at job sites.The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and must have the ability to work at height, in enclosed or confined spaces and climb stairs and ladders in a construction/plant environment.The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds from floor to waist.Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and ability to adjust focus.Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.Subject to outside working conditions.
   Additional Requirements/Skills
   Valid state issued driver's license Travel may be required Bi-lingual preferred
   
   About Granite Construction IncorporatedGranite Construction Incorporated is a member of the S&P 400 Index and is the parent company of Granite Construction Company, one of the nation's largest heavy civil contractors and construction materials producers. Granite Construction is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer of Minorities, Females, Protected Veterans, Individuals with Disabilities and a Drug-Free Workplace. For additional information on applicant/employee rights please click here.Notice to Staffing AgenciesGranite Construction, Inc. and its subsidiaries ("Granite") will not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from a candidate. Any unsolicited resumes sent to Granite, including unsolicited resumes sent to a Granite mailing address, fax machine or email address, directly to Granite employees, or to Granite's resume database will be considered Granite property. Granite will NOT pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume. Granite will consider any candidate for whom an Agency has submitted an unsolicited resume to have been referred by the Agency free of any charges or fees. Agencies must obtain advance written approval from Granite's recruiting function to submit resumes, and then only in conjunction with a valid fully-executed contract for service and in response to a specific job opening. Granite will not pay a fee to any Agency that does not have such agreement in place. Agency agreements will only be valid if in writing and signed by Granite's Human Resources Representative or his/ her designee. No other Granite employee is authorized to bind Granite to any agreement regarding the placement of candidates by Agencies.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right health specialist for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with health specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit health specialists who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your health specialist job on Zippia to find and attract quality health specialist candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit health 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.

   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 health specialist

   Once you've decided on a perfect health specialist 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 health specialist?