How to hire a heavy equipment technician

How to hire a heavy equipment technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step heavy equipment technician hiring guide:

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

What does a heavy equipment technician do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The heavy equipment technician 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

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

   Type of Heavy Equipment Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Heavy Equipment Technician	Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians inspect, maintain, and repair vehicles and machinery used in construction, farming, rail transportation, and other industries.	$14-28
   Mechanic Helper	The job of a mechanic helper is to support lead mechanics and perform a variety of duties and responsibilities. You will be assisting in the maintenance of cars, such as changing tires and oils, replacing brakes, and diagnosing vehicle issues... Show more	$11-19
   Automotive Mechanic	An automotive mechanic is responsible for inspecting the vehicle's engine, identifying defects and inconsistencies, and repairing malfunctioning components through diagnostic tests. Automotive mechanics diagnose problems and inform the customers of troubleshooting procedures and provide cost estimates for maintenance... Show more	$14-28

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • CDL
   • Mechanical Problems
   • OSHA
   • Air Brakes
   • HVAC
   • Diesel Engines
   • Diagnosis
   • Caterpillar
   • Electrical Systems
   • Safety Procedures
   • Loaders
   • Hand Tools
   • Electrical Troubleshooting

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Complete ASE certification for brakes.
   • Assure all OSHA codes are observe and follow in daily shop operations.
   • Work on military vehicles to include MRAP and HMMV and front end loader and backhoe
   • Complete electrical, engine, transmission, driveline parts axles and brake assemblies issues.
   • Assure that all OSHA standards, and shop safety precautions are followed while performing vehicle maintenance.
   • Perform maintenance on pile driving equipment, service john deere and caterpillar excavators and drill rigs.

   More heavy equipment technician duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your heavy equipment technician job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A heavy equipment technician 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 heavy equipment technician in Mississippi may be lower than in Massachusetts, and an entry-level heavy equipment technician usually earns less than a senior-level heavy equipment technician. Additionally, a heavy equipment technician 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 heavy equipment technician salary

   $43,601yearly

   $20.96 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level heavy equipment technician salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average heavy equipment technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$59,982	$29
   2	Minnesota	$56,084	$27
   3	Illinois	$53,411	$26
   4	Arizona	$46,311	$22
   5	Missouri	$45,616	$22
   6	Indiana	$45,246	$22
   7	Texas	$44,946	$22
   8	South Carolina	$44,041	$21
   9	Colorado	$43,720	$21
   10	Kansas	$43,573	$21
   11	Kentucky	$42,670	$21
   12	Wisconsin	$42,569	$20
   13	Utah	$42,373	$20
   14	New York	$42,071	$20
   15	Louisiana	$41,909	$20
   16	North Carolina	$39,934	$19
   17	Georgia	$38,726	$19
   18	Tennessee	$38,506	$19
   19	Florida	$38,437	$18
   20	Iowa	$38,427	$18

   Average heavy equipment technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Ascendum	$58,968	$28.35	16
   2	Black & Veatch	$58,885	$28.31	20
   3	Mars	$58,319	$28.04	15
   4	Canadian Pacific Railway	$57,583	$27.68	2
   5	Hunter Contracting	$55,836	$26.84
   6	Phillips and Jordan	$53,876	$25.90	36
   7	Brubacher	$53,867	$25.90	4
   8	Zachry Construction	$53,796	$25.86	4
   9	Southwest Construction Services	$53,631	$25.78
   10	Rummel Construction	$53,573	$25.76	2
   11	Dondlinger Construction	$53,536	$25.74	3
   12	Curtis Contracting	$53,315	$25.63	28
   13	Rifenburg Construction	$53,107	$25.53
   14	Eutaw Construction	$52,983	$25.47
   15	Medical Billing	$52,413	$25.20
   16	Oldcastle Infrastructure	$52,028	$25.01	218
   17	Republic Services	$51,920	$24.96	355
   18	FANN Contracting	$50,669	$24.36
   19	Waste Connections	$50,383	$24.22	66
   20	U.S. Silica	$49,570	$23.83	6

4. Writing a heavy equipment technician job description

   A heavy equipment technician 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a heavy equipment technician job description:

   Heavy equipment technician job description example

   You are an experienced Heavy Equipment Technician with your own service truck with crane, fully tooled for mining repairs.
   Responsibilities
   Performs preventative maintenance including filter and lube services Diagnoses faults or malfunctions and repairs or replaces defective parts, components or systems
   Tests repaired equipment for proper performance Writes service reports Interprets work orders and technical manuals May perform other related duties as assigned
   
   Requirements
   Must be an Interprovincial Red Seal or have a Journeyman Heavy Equipment Technician ticket from a recognized provincial training authority Must successfully complete pre-access drug and alcohol testing Must possess valid OSSA (Oil Sands Safety Association) Basic Safety Orientation certification or valid CSTS .09 (Construction Safety Training Systems) certification Must possess a valid form of government issued photo identification Must have a strong safety culture and willingness to work in a TEAM environment Must have demonstrated ability to work under minimal supervision Previous Fort McMurray plant site experience, as well as mining experience, are both assets
   
   Service Truck Documents Required
   Letter of Incorporation (Company Name or Company Number) GST #WCB Clearance letter (current within the last 30 days) - Must be for Province you will be working in
   $5 Million General Liability Insurance$5 Million Vehicle InsuranceVehicle Registration
   
   Work Conditions
   Camp work: Camp based position with full accommodations provided Shift: 14/7 shift or 14/14 shift available, 12 hours per day; night shift may be required Work conditions/weather: Work will be primarily outdoors in various weather conditions
   
   Additional Information:
   Company Description
   Ledcor builds and maintains infrastructure in various industries including oil and gas, transportation, and mining. We're experts in public and private infrastructure construction and maintenance. Our vast projects include: full-scale contract mining, earthworks, foundations, national highways, bridges, roads, waterways, dams, airports, underground utilities, independent power projects and site reclamation.
   
   But when you work for Ledcor, your experience will go far beyond the project. Do you want a career that means more? Join our True Blue team now!
   
   Employment Equity
   At Ledcor we believe diversity, equity, and inclusion should be part of everything we do. We are proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified individuals, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or any other identifying characteristic are encouraged to apply.
   Our True Blue team consists of individuals from all backgrounds who contribute diverse perspectives and experiences to Ledcor. We are committed to continuing to build on our culture of empowerment, inclusion and belonging.
   
   View our full Inclusion & Diversity statement here.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting heavy equipment technicians 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 heavy equipment technician

   Once you've selected the best heavy equipment technician 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 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new heavy equipment technician. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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 heavy equipment technician?