How to hire a material engineer

Material engineer hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring material engineers in the United States:

HR departments typically spend 15% of their expenses on recruitment.
It usually takes about 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
It typically takes 36-42 days to fill a job opening.
The median cost to hire a material engineer is $1,633.
Small businesses spend an average of $1,105 per material engineer on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
There are currently 10,997 material engineers in the US and 89,717 job openings.
Sunnyvale, CA, has the highest demand for material engineers, with 14 job openings.
Houston, TX has the highest concentration of material engineers.

How to hire a material engineer, step by step

To hire a material engineer, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a material engineer:

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

What does a material engineer do?

Materials engineers are responsible for developing, processing, and testing materials used to create a wide variety of products. These professionals study and evaluate the properties and structure of different materials, including plastics, metal, ceramics, and composites, to create new products. They also perform other tasks that include providing technical advice on suitable materials, diagnosing faults, and providing advice on planning and conducting inspections, repairs, and maintenance. Additionally, they may also oversee the work of other scientists like technicians and evaluate the technical and economic factors surrounding the design aspects of products.

Learn more about the specifics of what a material engineer does

Post a material engineer job for free, promote it for a fee

Identify your hiring needs

Before you post your material 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 material 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?

A material engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, material engineers 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 shows salaries for various types of material engineers.

Type of Material Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
Material Engineer	Materials engineers develop, process, and test materials used to create a wide range of products, from computer chips and aircraft wings to golf clubs and biomedical devices. They study the properties and structures of metals, ceramics, plastics, composites, nanomaterials (extremely small substances), and other substances to create new materials that meet certain mechanical, electrical, and chemical requirements.	$31-54
Research And Development Engineer	Research and development engineers generally execute research and tests on product ideas, develop new products, and perform redesigns. They are employed in many industries, including manufacturing, electrical, and science-based companies... Show more	$35-64
Product Development Engineer	A Product Development Engineer is responsible for creating and testing new product designs. They collaborate with market researchers to evaluate market needs, existing competition, and potential costs.	$30-54

Create an ideal candidate profile
Common skills:
- DOD
- Failure Analysis
- Data Analysis
- CAD
- ASTM
- Material Properties
- Quality Standards
- Material Selection
- Project Management
- SEM
- Technical Reports
- Continuous Improvement
- Lean Manufacturing
- Additive Manufacturing
Check all skills
Responsibilities:
- Manage and successfully complete carbon/epoxy material qualification and gain approval from FAA to use in manufacturing of composite aircraft parts.
- Position entails ownership of machinery and equipment performance used to produce supply for aluminum aerospace and automotive components.
- Determine processing for titanium bloom and slab.
- Perform QC checks throughout the process to continually improve.
- Oversee chemistry adjustment of molten before pouring into the molds.
- Evaluate material microstructure, chemistry makeup, and stress/strain properties.
More material engineer duties

Make a budget

Including a salary range in your material engineer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A material engineer salary can vary based on several factors:

Location. For example, material engineers' average salary in arkansas is 48% less than in new hampshire.
Seniority. Entry-level material engineers earn 42% less than senior-level material engineers.
Certifications. A material engineer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a material engineer's salary.

Average material engineer salary

$86,258yearly

$41.47 hourly rate

Entry-level material engineer salary

$65,000 yearly salary

Updated January 20, 2026

Average material engineer salary by state

Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	California	$101,167	$49
2	Massachusetts	$99,743	$48
3	Washington	$94,628	$45
4	New Mexico	$94,464	$45
5	Arizona	$92,195	$44
6	Oregon	$92,014	$44
7	New York	$91,860	$44
8	Virginia	$87,464	$42
9	Texas	$87,240	$42
10	Pennsylvania	$82,927	$40
11	Mississippi	$82,083	$39
12	Illinois	$78,474	$38
13	Georgia	$77,950	$37
14	North Carolina	$77,359	$37
15	Michigan	$76,144	$37
16	Kansas	$74,464	$36
17	Ohio	$74,345	$36
18	Utah	$73,611	$35
19	Alabama	$72,271	$35
20	Missouri	$70,754	$34

Average material engineer salary by company

Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
1	Apple	$136,874	$65.80	348
2	Meta	$133,495	$64.18	262
3	ConocoPhillips	$113,168	$54.41
4	Western Digital	$109,198	$52.50	12
5	Applied Materials	$108,280	$52.06	75
6	Chevron	$106,997	$51.44	3
7	HP	$102,957	$49.50	4
8	Neuralink IT Solutions	$101,464	$48.78	2
9	Adesto Technologies	$101,180	$48.64
10	PRO Unlimited	$100,291	$48.22
11	Texas Instruments	$100,128	$48.14	34
12	KLA	$99,432	$47.80	32
13	Baker Hughes	$98,594	$47.40	8
14	General Motors	$97,986	$47.11	95
15	Xilinx	$96,948	$46.61
16	OmniVision Technologies	$96,911	$46.59	7
17	Infinera	$96,802	$46.54
18	TÜV SÜD America	$96,638	$46.46	35
19	Lam Research	$96,276	$46.29	19
20	Eastman	$95,978	$46.14	3

Writing a material engineer job description
A material 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 material engineer job description:
Material engineer job description example

BS 2-4 Years, MS 0-2 or HS 8-10

Experience:

Must be familiar with material specifications and standards governing corrosion prevention and environmental material applications.
Additional knowledge of composites, cure cycles, hot and cold bonding and use of adhesives, is highly desirable.
Must have a strong understanding of qualification requirements for corrosion protection as applies to aircraft and knowledge of the impact of environment on structural properties.
Must have experience with quality control and NDT of hardware and structures.
Experience with the development of field repair for aerospace composite structure is desired.

Security: Must adhere to all U. S. government security rules, regulations and policies and possess or be eligible for a SECRET clearance.

Benefits : At Peraton, our benefits are designed to help keep you at your best, beyond the work you do with us daily. We are fully committed to the growth of our employees. From fully comprehensive medical plans to tuition reimbursement, tuition assistance, and fertility treatment, we are there to support you all the way.

Peraton drives missions of consequence spanning the globe and extending to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. As the world's leading mission capability integrator and transformative enterprise IT provider, we deliver trusted and highly differentiated national security solutions and technologies that keep people safe and secure. Peraton serves as a valued partner to essential government agencies across the intelligence, space, cyber, defense, civilian, health, and state and local markets. Every day, our employees do the can't be done, solving the most daunting challenges facing our customers.

An Equal Opportunity Employer including Disability/Veteran.

Post your job

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

Interview candidates

During your first interview to recruit material 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.

Send a job offer and onboard your new material engineer

Once you have selected a candidate for the material engineer 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 also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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.)

How much does it cost to hire a material engineer?

Hiring a material engineer comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting material engineers involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of material engineer recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

You can expect to pay around $86,258 per year for a material engineer, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for material engineers in the US typically range between $31 and $54 an hour.

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Hiring material engineers FAQs

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Updated January 20, 2026

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How to hire a material engineer