How to hire a heavy vehicle technician

How to hire a heavy vehicle technician, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your heavy vehicle technician job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a heavy vehicle technician for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A heavy vehicle technician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, heavy vehicle 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 presents heavy vehicle technician salaries for various positions.

   Type of Heavy Vehicle Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Heavy Vehicle Technician	Automotive service technicians and mechanics, often called service technicians or service techs, inspect, maintain, and repair cars and light trucks.	$12-24
   Front End Mechanic	Unlike front-end specialists that have to specialize in the repair of just one system in a vehicle, front-end mechanics perform essential care and maintenance in a vehicle. Their job ranges from changing oil, checking out fluid levels, and rotating tires to fixing or replacing worn-out parts in a vehicle such as brake pads, wheel bearings, and sensors... Show more	$15-27
   Instrument Technician Apprentice	An instrument technician apprentice is responsible for performing installation and repairs on various electrical equipment and instruments such as control panels and motors, all while under the supervision and directives of a senior or master technician. Typically, their tasks revolve around conducting regular maintenance checks, coordinating with other technicians, organizing supplies, operating electrical tools, and understanding various electronic principles... Show more	$12-27

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • DOT
   • Hand Tools
   • CDL
   • Diagnosis
   • Electrical Troubleshooting
   • Preventive Maintenance
   • Troubleshoot
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • ASE
   • Vehicle Maintenance
   • Diesel Engines
   • Electrical Systems
   • Maintenance Services
   • Data Entry

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Hire specifically to test and troubleshoot main components and sub assemblies.
   • Work though rotation of all branches of auto troubleshooting, diagnosis, and repair.
   • Assign with diagnosis and repair of chassis, electrical, hydraulic and water pump systems.
   • Inspect, test, troubleshoot, repair and adjust electrical, hydraulic, fire control, mechanical and firing systems.
   • Demonstrate dependability and reliability by being punctual, working assign shifts, and completing responsibilities in a timely manner.
   • repair vehicles for a/c brakes, hybrid vehicles, transmissions, electronic and computer diag

   More heavy vehicle technician duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, heavy vehicle technicians' average salary in louisiana is 41% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level heavy vehicle technicians 47% less than senior-level heavy vehicle technicians.
   • Certifications. A heavy vehicle technician 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 heavy vehicle technician's salary.

   Average heavy vehicle technician salary

   $38,006yearly

   $18.27 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level heavy vehicle technician salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average heavy vehicle technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$45,981	$22
   2	Maryland	$43,901	$21
   3	Alaska	$42,028	$20
   4	Connecticut	$41,478	$20
   5	Minnesota	$40,846	$20
   6	Washington	$39,495	$19
   7	Colorado	$39,020	$19
   8	Oregon	$38,742	$19
   9	Rhode Island	$37,657	$18
   10	Ohio	$37,593	$18
   11	Maine	$36,977	$18
   12	Texas	$36,819	$18
   13	Florida	$36,581	$18
   14	Vermont	$35,044	$17
   15	New York	$34,748	$17
   16	Tennessee	$34,558	$17
   17	New Mexico	$29,176	$14
   18	Kentucky	$28,249	$14

   Average heavy vehicle technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Bruce Transportation Group	$42,465	$20.42
   2	Tesla	$41,474	$19.94
   3	City of Jacksonville	$40,895	$19.66
   4	FedEx	$40,774	$19.60	30
   5	Lucid Motors	$40,297	$19.37	26
   6	Alstom	$40,040	$19.25	4
   7	ICONMA	$39,440	$18.96
   8	FIRST	$39,175	$18.83
   9	Eagle County	$39,012	$18.76	1
   10	Faraday Future	$38,564	$18.54
   11	Ashley HomeStore	$37,819	$18.18	6
   12	Napleton Automotive Group	$37,715	$18.13	52
   13	Zoox	$37,604	$18.08
   14	Lexus of Pembroke Pines	$37,409	$17.99	12
   15	LAUNCH Technical Workforce Solutions	$37,395	$17.98	4
   16	First Transit	$37,358	$17.96
   17	Edgewell Personal Care	$37,238	$17.90	3
   18	El Paso County	$37,158	$17.86
   19	Kendall Auto Group	$36,693	$17.64
   20	Cleco	$36,615	$17.60

4. Writing a heavy vehicle technician job description

   A heavy vehicle 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. Below, you can find an example of a heavy vehicle technician job description:

   Heavy vehicle technician job description example

   • Relocation packages
   • Career path development opportunities
   • Competitive paid time off
   • Christmas bonuses based on flagged hours
   • Monthly bonuses in addition to flagged hours
   • Shop Manager on-site for assistance
   • Fair dispatching/team work environment
   • Large loyal customer base
   • Experienced and loyal service advisors
   • Clean/Safe shop with the equipment you need to get the job done
   • Discounts on parts, service and vehicle purchases for your immediate family
   • Medical, Dental and Vision insurance
   • Paid Life insurance
   • 401(k) plan w/ Fidelity
   • Accident and Illness supplemental plans

   This is not an entry level position. Candidates must have mechanical or tech experience at a dealership or large independent shop. ASE certifications are a plus but not required. Must have ability to operate a wide variety of vehicles both automatic and manual transmissions. A valid driver license and good driving record are required. Compensation is $25.00-$35.00/hourly depending on experience, with the potential of going flat rate.

   Job duties will include inspecting, diagnosing, and identifying work that needs to be completed on various vehicles. Performing adjustments and calibrations, replenishing fluids, disassembling and reassembling vehicle components, and repairing or replacing parts. Using independent judgment needed to make decisions, documenting all work and hours per manufacturer and company policies, and road testing all vehicles to ensure quality of work and issues resolution.

   Work is performed indoors in a shop environment, tool usage includes mechanic's hand and power tools that produce significant vibration and force, standing and walking will be required for entire work shift in order to complete job duties. Pushing, pulling, crouching, squatting, reaching, and kneeling will be required frequently to access all parts of vehicles being worked on. Lifting as well as pushing and pulling weights and forces from 20 to 100 pounds occasionally required.

   To apply, please follow the link to our job board site.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find heavy vehicle technicians 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 heavy vehicle technicians they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level heavy vehicle technicians 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 heavy vehicle technician job on Zippia to find and recruit heavy vehicle technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting heavy vehicle 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 vehicle technician

   Once you've decided on a perfect heavy vehicle technician 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 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 heavy vehicle technician first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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