How to hire an implementation specialist

How to hire an implementation specialist, step by step

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

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

What does an implementation specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an implementation 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

   Hiring the perfect implementation specialist also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

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

   Type of Implementation Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Implementation 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	$17-41
   Implementation Consultant	An implementation consultant is a professional who travels to various job sites to help clients with the installation of different software and hardware solutions. Implementation consultants must be knowledgeable of the software application so that they can conduct training sessions for internal and external customers... Show more	$28-51
   Implementation Analyst	An implementation analyst is a professional who is responsible for conducting data analysis and software testing when a company is doing a software upgrade. Implementation analysts must ensure that the company has the appropriate equipment to meet its operational needs by determining which hardware and software they should use... Show more	$28-53

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Client Expectations
   • Customer Service
   • Business Processes
   • Project Management
   • Enterprise Resource Planning
   • Product Knowledge
   • Go-Live
   • Excellent Time Management
   • Troubleshoot
   • Client Facing
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Excellent Organizational
   • Payroll
   • PC

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Well verse on windows platform including managing the cluster services.
   • Select as CSS to manage clients with 500 plus employees.
   • Code and manage HTML email templates and landing pages for ongoing database marketing campaigns.
   • Manage a variety of major projects for SaaS EMR software used by nursing and anesthesia groups.
   • Lead the design, implementation, and configuration of EMC ControlCenter environment for new installs and upgrades.
   • Develop and manage SAAS solution implementation projects.

   More implementation specialist duties

3. Make a budget

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

   $56,545yearly

   $27.19 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level implementation specialist salary

   $36,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average implementation specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$73,324	$35
   2	New Jersey	$62,789	$30
   3	District of Columbia	$62,026	$30
   4	New York	$60,357	$29
   5	Virginia	$58,276	$28
   6	Arizona	$57,823	$28
   7	Texas	$56,572	$27
   8	North Carolina	$56,010	$27
   9	Pennsylvania	$55,753	$27
   10	Georgia	$54,824	$26
   11	Indiana	$54,742	$26
   12	Michigan	$54,072	$26
   13	Illinois	$54,009	$26
   14	Wisconsin	$52,247	$25
   15	Ohio	$49,904	$24
   16	Florida	$49,377	$24
   17	Nevada	$49,151	$24
   18	Washington	$48,147	$23
   19	Massachusetts	$47,749	$23
   20	Minnesota	$46,771	$22

   Average implementation specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Google	$123,745	$59.49	15
   2	Square	$114,769	$55.18
   3	ZS	$106,287	$51.10
   4	Cisco	$99,514	$47.84
   5	Kenandy	$98,779	$47.49
   6	Kronos Incorporated	$96,644	$46.46
   7	J.P. Morgan	$95,855	$46.08
   8	Citi	$95,458	$45.89	3
   9	Calamos Investments	$95,454	$45.89
   10	HID Global	$95,410	$45.87	1
   11	Bloomberg	$95,167	$45.75	7
   12	Vista Equity Partners	$92,845	$44.64	1
   13	Adobe	$91,760	$44.12	1
   14	Stryker	$91,250	$43.87	78
   15	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$91,035	$43.77	34
   16	RSM US	$89,450	$43.00	43
   17	Procore Technologies	$88,905	$42.74	2
   18	Agilysys	$88,757	$42.67
   19	Deloitte	$86,998	$41.83	975
   20	Thomson Reuters	$86,976	$41.82	3

4. Writing an implementation specialist job description

   A good implementation 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 an implementation specialist job description:

   Implementation specialist job description example

   The Caterpillar MineStar Implementation team has an opportunity for an energetic and committed person to join the technology group in our Perth or Brisbane offices.
   
   Job Purpose: Implement the MineStar product suite at new customer sites including upgrades to existing MineStar customers. Implement system design, configuration and solutions to meet commercial contracts and mining business needs. Have direct dealer and customer interactions during the design, planning, installation and configuration of the software, debugging, testing, and integration of other systems to MineStar projects. This role will focus primarily on Command/Fleet for underground mining with potential exposure to autonomous Command for Hauling/Fleet at surface mines.
   Job duties include by not limited too:
   Design, install and configure the complete MineStar system to meet commercial contract and site specific needs Support the implementation of system modules to specification and configure modules based on requirements gathered from customer's business analysis Plan and execute of integrated testing and customer acceptance testing Technical problem identification and resolution, including responding customer questions Provide implementation technical training to end users and system administrators Perform implementation and integration tasks for internal and external customers Assist with documentation, training and functional specifications Follow and/or execute project management process and implementation assignments Providing basic training on our standard implementation processes and MineStar systems
   
   Required qualifications and skills:
   Technical Bachelor's Degree with relevant experience or 4 years experience in a related technical/engineering role Extensive hands on experience with technical software system implementation, preferably in a mining environment Experience with IT system architectures, networking infrastructure and enterprise level computing hardware/applications Well-developed written and verbal communication skills Ability to work both independently and as part of a multi-disciplinary team Ability to undertake up to 25% domestic and international travel Ability to meet the ongoing COVID vaccination mandate requirements of our major mining customers and regional governments in Australia and Internationally
   
   Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO).
   
   Not ready to apply? Submit your information to our Talent Network here.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right implementation 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 implementation specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit implementation 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 implementation specialist job on Zippia to find and attract quality implementation specialist candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit implementation specialists, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   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.

   If your interviews with implementation specialist applicants aren't enough to make a decision, you should also consider including a test project. These are often the best, most straightforward, and least bias-prone ways of determining who will likely succeed in the role. If you don't know how to design an appropriate test, you can ask someone else on the team to create it or take a look at these websites to get a few ideas:

   • 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 implementation specialist

   Once you've decided on a perfect implementation 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new implementation 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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How much does it cost to hire an implementation specialist?