How to hire a knowledge engineer

How to hire a knowledge engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step knowledge engineer hiring guide:

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

What does a knowledge engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The knowledge engineer 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

   Hiring the perfect knowledge engineer 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.

   This list presents knowledge engineer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Knowledge Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Knowledge Engineer	Mechanical engineering is one of the broadest engineering disciplines. Mechanical engineers design, develop, build, and test mechanical and thermal sensors and devices, including tools, engines, and machines.	$28-55
   Developer	Developers are usually system or application developers in a company who work on specific projects related to networks or applications from conception to implementation. They attend planning sessions to ensure that the program is feasible... Show more	$36-62
   Software Development Engineer	A software development engineer is responsible for designing and developing software systems and applications based on clients' specifications and business needs. Software development engineers manage operating systems and analyze network codes to maintain the compatibility of the software applications and control systems... Show more	$38-70

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Python
   • SharePoint
   • JavaScript
   • Java
   • Knowledge Management
   • HTML
   • Process Improvement
   • Visualization
   • Extraction
   • Data Analysis
   • KE
   • API
   • Subject Matter Experts
   • DOD

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage DoD website development and implementation task.
   • Manage Jenkins security by providing specific access to authorize developers/testers using project base matrix authorization strategy.
   • Design and implement the front end components using JSP, XML and HTML.
   • Present papers on behalf of DoD at industry conferences.
   • Research, create, and conduct training for writers across the globe to improve and harmonize product UI.
   • Establish SAN laboratory environment for information storage and management software development firm.

   More knowledge engineer duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, knowledge engineers' average salary in hawaii is 51% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level knowledge engineers 48% less than senior-level knowledge engineers.
   • Certifications. A knowledge engineer 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 knowledge engineer's salary.

   Average knowledge engineer salary

   $83,626yearly

   $40.20 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level knowledge engineer salary

   $60,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average knowledge engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$109,279	$53
   2	Massachusetts	$103,941	$50
   3	District of Columbia	$92,900	$45
   4	Oregon	$86,749	$42
   5	Maryland	$86,402	$42
   6	New York	$85,304	$41
   7	New Jersey	$80,868	$39
   8	Virginia	$78,331	$38
   9	Illinois	$76,060	$37
   10	Delaware	$74,034	$36
   11	Pennsylvania	$73,006	$35
   12	Oklahoma	$70,925	$34
   13	Georgia	$70,451	$34
   14	Utah	$70,331	$34
   15	Texas	$67,930	$33
   16	Minnesota	$65,965	$32

   Average knowledge engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$115,202	$55.39	440
   2	Amazon	$114,390	$55.00	846
   3	LinkedIn	$111,985	$53.84	44
   4	Booz Allen Hamilton	$111,290	$53.50	254
   5	Novartis	$110,790	$53.26	8
   6	Agilent Technologies	$105,427	$50.69	2
   7	Mayo Clinic	$102,487	$49.27	13
   8	IBM	$98,786	$47.49	127
   9	Intermountain Healthcare	$90,974	$43.74
   10	Bosch USA	$90,518	$43.52	29
   11	C² Technologies	$89,254	$42.91	2
   12	NCI Group Inc.	$87,354	$42.00
   13	EBSCO Industries	$86,207	$41.45	1
   14	DMI Technology	$85,363	$41.04	6
   15	Glaxosmithkline	$84,740	$40.74
   16	Stevens Institute of Technology	$80,178	$38.55	3

4. Writing a knowledge engineer job description

   A knowledge engineer 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 knowledge engineer job description:

   Knowledge engineer job description example

   Imperva is a multi-billion dollar cybersecurity company, protecting the world's largest organizations from cyber-attacks
   .
   
   Imperva , the leader in Application & Data Security, is looking for Experienced Knowledge Engineer to join our Knowledge team.
   
   Description As a Knowledge Engineer you will: Collaborate with Support Engineers and key stakeholders to assess knowledge gaps and plan, develop and deliver appropriate knowledge documents and training accordingly. Routinely assess knowledge management systems and practices to support the work and development of the department into the future. Establish proper measurement mechanisms to evaluate knowledge learning impact against objectives. Build, organize and arrange knowledge sharing sessions & training Identify knowledge gaps and gather information from relevant stakeholders to create appropriate and accurate content. Present complex processes/information in a clear and simple way. Knowledge base editor/contributor. Create and edit content. Knowledge preservation and retention. Requirements: At least 3 years of experience in technical knowledge management - must Technical background - must Excellent communicator who can initiate and continue interactions with the people who share their insights and knowledge Experience in knowledge management methods, Knowledge Base systems and tools. Excellent ability to explain complex content in an easy-to-follow way. (frontal / eLearning) Experience with eLearning Platforms (LMS) - define & build Experience in Knowledge evaluation methods & Tools Excellent English (Verbal & Written skills)
   
   Legal Notice
   
   Imperva is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, protected veteran status, medical condition or disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.
   
   *LI-OK1

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit knowledge engineers, 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 knowledge engineer

   Once you've found the knowledge engineer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new knowledge engineer. 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 knowledge engineer?