How to hire an industrial maintenance mechanic

How to hire an industrial maintenance mechanic, step by step

Here's a step-by-step industrial maintenance mechanic hiring guide:

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

What does an industrial maintenance mechanic do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your industrial maintenance mechanic 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 an industrial maintenance mechanic 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?

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   Hiring the perfect industrial maintenance mechanic 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.

   Here's a comparison of industrial maintenance mechanic salaries for various roles:

   Type of Industrial Maintenance Mechanic	Description	Hourly rate
   Industrial Maintenance Mechanic	General maintenance and repair workers fix and maintain machines, mechanical equipment, and buildings. They paint, repair flooring, and work on plumbing, electrical, and air-conditioning and heating systems.	$17-32
   Mechanic	Mechanics are professionals responsible for assembling, maintaining, and repairing vehicles and types of machinery. They are knowledgeable of various tools and equipment, machinery, electrical systems, and other components... Show more	$16-30
   Maintenance Engineer	A maintenance engineer is responsible for the maintenance of industrial machinery and inspects equipment defects for immediate troubleshooting or replacement as needed. Maintenance engineers install and upgrade system components to improve system optimization and perform diagnostic systems to locate any adjustments... Show more	$13-35

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Industrial Maintenance
   • Hand Tools
   • Mechanical Equipment
   • PLC
   • Production Equipment
   • Conveyor Systems
   • Plumbing
   • Hydraulic Systems
   • Ladders
   • Production Machines
   • Cranes
   • Gearboxes
   • Electrical Systems
   • MIG

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Move equipment and machine components, using hoists, rollers, and hand trucks.
   • Perform testing of water heater, mixing valves, boilers, mechanically equipment throughout.
   • Familiarize with drill presses, lathes, mills, MIG and TIG welding techniques and tools.
   • Maintain, repair and update rooftop HVAC units, air handlers, exhaust fans, etc.
   • Repair chillers, cooling towers, and all heating and air conditioning systems in the plant.
   • Fabricate, bend and tig stainless steel hoppers, tanks, platforms, ladders and hand rails.

   More industrial maintenance mechanic duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your industrial maintenance mechanic job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An industrial maintenance mechanic can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, industrial maintenance mechanics' average salary in florida is 40% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level industrial maintenance mechanics 47% less than senior-level industrial maintenance mechanics.
   • Certifications. An industrial maintenance mechanic 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 an industrial maintenance mechanic's salary.

   Average industrial maintenance mechanic salary

   $50,082yearly

   $24.08 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level industrial maintenance mechanic salary

   $36,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average industrial maintenance mechanic salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$59,056	$28
   2	Minnesota	$56,905	$27
   3	Washington	$56,173	$27
   4	California	$55,089	$26
   5	Ohio	$53,890	$26
   6	Oregon	$53,362	$26
   7	Wisconsin	$51,039	$25
   8	Colorado	$50,914	$24
   9	Nevada	$50,352	$24
   10	North Carolina	$49,782	$24
   11	Kansas	$49,767	$24
   12	Iowa	$49,623	$24
   13	Pennsylvania	$47,718	$23
   14	Michigan	$47,612	$23
   15	Indiana	$47,339	$23
   16	Illinois	$46,542	$22
   17	Nebraska	$46,425	$22
   18	Utah	$46,171	$22
   19	Maryland	$45,119	$22
   20	New Jersey	$44,105	$21

   Average industrial maintenance mechanic salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Anheuser-Busch	$64,494	$31.01	26
   2	Merck	$61,037	$29.34	12
   3	Summit Career College, Colton	$60,585	$29.13
   4	Pactiv	$60,152	$28.92	66
   5	Praxair	$60,141	$28.91	2
   6	Sun Chemical	$60,006	$28.85
   7	MOST Trust	$59,436	$28.57
   8	Sherwin-Williams	$59,429	$28.57	5
   9	The Hershey Company	$58,882	$28.31	13
   10	UPS	$58,521	$28.14	123
   11	ITW	$58,440	$28.10	259
   12	Covanta	$58,421	$28.09
   13	West Hills College Lemoore	$58,265	$28.01
   14	HCSC	$58,179	$27.97	9
   15	Silgan Holdings	$57,685	$27.73	4
   16	O-I Glass	$57,334	$27.56
   17	Ferrara Candy	$57,186	$27.49	3
   18	The J.M. Smucker Co.	$57,073	$27.44	9
   19	H.B. Fuller	$56,941	$27.38	14
   20	BISSELL	$56,764	$27.29

4. Writing an industrial maintenance mechanic job description

   An industrial maintenance mechanic 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 an industrial maintenance mechanic job description:

   Industrial maintenance mechanic job description example

   Industrial Maintenance Mechanic FULL-TIME
   $27.75/hr, plus $5000 new hire bonus, see details below Duties include keeping machinery in working order to maintain continuous production. Responsible for troubleshooting, maintaining, and repairing all equipment and company assets while maintaining a safe work environment and adhering to Tyson's policies and procedures. MDT-04 WS-04
   Schedule
   Shift start: 5:00AM or 5:00PM
   Shift length: 12 hours
   Shifts are scheduled two days on and two days off with every other weekend off for 3 days on a rolling two week schedule.
   Benefits
   Health, dental, vision insurance - available after 59 days Paid time off 401(k) plan
   Qualifications
   Must pass drug screen Must pass background check Must be at least 18+ years old Must have prior industrial maintenance experience preferably in a manufacturing plant and/or formal completed education in a comparable trade.
   
   $5000 new hire incentive
   up to $5,000 sign on bonus About Tyson Foods
   Tyson Foods is one of the world's largest food companies and a recognized leader in protein. Founded in 1935 by John W. Tyson and grown under three generations of family leadership, the company has a broad portfolio of products and brands like Tyson , Jimmy Dean , Hillshire Farm , Ball Park , Wright , Aidells , ibp , and State Fair . Tyson Foods innovates continually to make protein more sustainable, tailor food for everywhere it's available and raise the world's expectations for how much good food can do. Headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas, the company had 121,000 team members at September 29, 2018. Through its Core Values, Tyson Foods strives to operate with integrity, create value for its shareholders, customers, communities and team members and serve as a steward of the animals, land, and environment entrusted to it.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right industrial maintenance mechanic 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 industrial maintenance mechanics they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit industrial maintenance mechanics 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 industrial maintenance mechanic job on Zippia to find and recruit industrial maintenance mechanic candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit industrial maintenance mechanics, 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.

   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 industrial maintenance mechanic

   Once you have selected a candidate for the industrial maintenance mechanic position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the 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 industrial maintenance mechanic 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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How much does it cost to hire an industrial maintenance mechanic?