How to hire a lead design engineer

How to hire a lead design engineer, step by step

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

What does a lead design engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your lead design engineer 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 lead design engineer 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

   Hiring the perfect lead design 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of lead design engineers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Lead Design Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Lead Design 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.	$39-68
   Principal Engineer	A principal engineer is responsible for monitoring the overall design phase of the construction process, including coordinating with the client for progress and updates, as well as performing adjustments as needed based on clients' specifications and requirements. Principal engineers also inspect the materials and resources used to ensure that the project stays within the budget goals and set timeframe... Show more	$45-85
   Tool Engineer	A tooling engineer is responsible for creating and adjusting tools or parts for cars, heavy equipment, and other products that need customized or personalized components. Your duties and responsibilities will include creating design blueprints, using computer-aided (CAD) software to develop two- and three-dimensional prints, and validating and evaluating products... Show more	$36-64

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CAD
   • Project Management
   • Lead Design
   • FEA
   • UL
   • System Design
   • Engineering Design
   • MATLAB
   • Solidworks
   • Design Reviews
   • R
   • Product Development
   • Mechanical Design
   • Product Design

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Design the micro self-test libraries and achieve several projects s/w on the UL list.
   • Manage automation projects including purchasing, scheduling fabrication and assembly, debugging, and delivery to customer.
   • Introduce company to new rapid design and prototyping processes to include SLA and durable prototypes.
   • Provide assistance and technical support to regulatory department for UL, CE and CSA approval testing.
   • Lead a project for the FEA analysis-design of compressor wheel near net shape forging with common die sets.
   • Build and develop testing prototypes for reliability and FAA certification- dynamic and static testing (FMEA, FEA, DFMA).

   More lead design engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the lead design engineer job description is a good way to get more applicants. A lead design engineer salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a lead design engineer in Mississippi may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level lead design engineer. Additionally, a lead design engineer with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average lead design engineer salary

   $108,490yearly

   $52.16 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level lead design engineer salary

   $82,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 21, 2025

   Average lead design engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$146,237	$70
   2	Arizona	$121,968	$59
   3	Washington	$117,472	$56
   4	New York	$102,972	$50
   5	Texas	$102,426	$49
   6	Maryland	$101,169	$49
   7	Colorado	$99,825	$48
   8	Massachusetts	$98,841	$48
   9	Illinois	$97,668	$47
   10	Michigan	$95,771	$46
   11	Virginia	$89,713	$43
   12	Florida	$89,579	$43
   13	Minnesota	$88,211	$42
   14	Alabama	$87,162	$42
   15	Missouri	$86,770	$42
   16	Indiana	$86,125	$41
   17	Oklahoma	$85,533	$41
   18	North Carolina	$84,146	$40
   19	South Carolina	$83,516	$40
   20	Ohio	$83,002	$40

   Average lead design engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$174,183	$83.74	271
   2	Google	$159,920	$76.88	142
   3	Apple	$155,599	$74.81	605
   4	NVIDIA	$148,455	$71.37	182
   5	Amazon	$146,278	$70.33	536
   6	Rivian	$144,890	$69.66	43
   7	Micron Technology	$141,476	$68.02	148
   8	Volvo Trucks	$136,652	$65.70	5
   9	Nikola Motor	$132,941	$63.91
   10	Tesla	$132,610	$63.75	295
   11	Rambus	$131,678	$63.31	15
   12	Finisar	$130,991	$62.98
   13	Amd	$130,932	$62.95	135
   14	Ampere	$129,835	$62.42
   15	Chevron	$129,537	$62.28
   16	Target	$128,828	$61.94	33
   17	Lucid Motors	$128,272	$61.67	68
   18	Hyperloop Transportation Technologies	$126,019	$60.59
   19	Katalyst Technologies	$124,207	$59.71
   20	Shoals Technologies Group	$123,504	$59.38	1

4. Writing a lead design engineer job description

   A good lead design engineer 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 a lead design engineer job description:

   Lead design engineer job description example

   Essential Functions / Responsibilities:
   
   Translate Field Engineer (FE) needs to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system service requirements and procedures. Work with hardware, systems, and software engineers to implement Design for Service requirements. Complete Process Failure Mode Effects Analysis (PFMEA) to identify process improvements and safety requirements / mitigations. Develop field procedures for installation, hardware replacements, system calibration, on site troubleshooting, and remote troubleshooting. Provide support of Installed Base issues and requests. Participate in project management for service development activities. Complete service validation activities on relevant procedures. Serve as Subject Matter Expert (SME) on limitations and challenges to Field Engineers experience.
   
   Qualifications / Requirements:
   
   Bachelor's degree, or foreign degree equivalent, in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Software Engineering, Electronic Engineering, or Biomedical Engineering, and 4 years of experience in related occupation required. The position also requires: 2 years of experience with working in cross-functional relationships; 2 years of experience with technical content definition to be integrated into design; 4 years of experience with MRI hardware and debugging; 2 years of experience with leading teams on a project, sub-system, or platform initiative; 4 years of experience with servicing medical equipment; and 2 years of experience with developing service procedures and methods. Telecommuting may be permitted. When not telecommuting, must report/appear into/at the GE Precision Healthcare LLC offices in Waukesha, WI.
   
   Additional Information
   
   GE offers a great work environment, professional development, challenging careers, and competitive compensation. GE is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.
   
   GE will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States for this opening. Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen (as applicable).
   
   As a federal government contractor, GE may in the future be required to have U.S. employees fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Some GE customers currently have vaccination mandates that may apply to GE employees.
   
   Relocation Assistance Provided: No

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit lead design engineers, 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.

   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 lead design engineer

   Once you've decided on a perfect lead design engineer 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new lead design engineer. 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 a lead design engineer?