How to hire a mechanical engineer

How to hire a mechanical engineer, step by step

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

What does a mechanical engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a mechanical engineer, 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a mechanical engineer to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a mechanical engineer that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of mechanical engineers.

   Type of Mechanical Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Mechanical 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.	$27-46
   Product Design Engineer	A Product Design Engineer designs new products that customers will want to purchase. They are responsible for designing, modeling, and testing prototypes for products.	$33-62
   Development Engineer	A Development Engineer is responsible for the development and validation of products, systems, and components. They are also responsible for quality control of work and continuous improvement of engineer activities.	$33-58

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CAD
   • Solidworks
   • Mechanical Systems
   • Mechanical Design
   • HVAC
   • Plumbing
   • Engineering Design
   • Project Management
   • Creo
   • UL
   • GD
   • Finite Element Analysis
   • Fire Protection
   • System Design

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage machine shop and Sr. Machinist/Toolmaker.
   • Lead the implementation of Syteline MRP software.
   • Manage component work orders and failure test scheduling to parts as per DFMEA with design team.
   • Use of PLM software tools such as WindChill to manage data, revisions, iterations and approvals.
   • Lead a brainstorming session for review with supplier & management and follow through the successful implementation of a corrective action.
   • Attain SolidWorks CSWP certification and maintaining proficiency within CREO & AutoCad

   More mechanical engineer duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, mechanical engineers' average salary in arkansas is 34% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level mechanical engineers 40% less than senior-level mechanical engineers.
   • Certifications. A mechanical 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 mechanical engineer's salary.

   Average mechanical engineer salary

   $75,352yearly

   $36.23 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level mechanical engineer salary

   $58,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average mechanical engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$96,117	$46
   2	Washington	$91,094	$44
   3	Massachusetts	$87,043	$42
   4	District of Columbia	$87,024	$42
   5	Oregon	$84,505	$41
   6	Texas	$80,296	$39
   7	Arizona	$79,728	$38
   8	New York	$78,764	$38
   9	Illinois	$74,536	$36
   10	Oklahoma	$73,341	$35
   11	Michigan	$72,597	$35
   12	Georgia	$71,021	$34
   13	Minnesota	$70,016	$34
   14	Indiana	$69,699	$34
   15	Ohio	$69,668	$33
   16	Pennsylvania	$69,404	$33
   17	Alabama	$68,514	$33
   18	North Carolina	$67,620	$33
   19	Florida	$66,663	$32

   Average mechanical engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$136,019	$65.39	476
   2	Google	$126,142	$60.65	132
   3	Apple	$125,094	$60.14	502
   4	Lyft	$123,156	$59.21
   5	DoorDash	$121,601	$58.46	16
   6	Microsoft	$120,447	$57.91	126
   7	Zoox	$120,444	$57.91	51
   8	Waymo	$118,071	$56.76	52
   9	NVIDIA	$114,055	$54.83	155
   10	Amazon	$113,653	$54.64	530
   11	Neuralink IT Solutions	$112,833	$54.25	16
   12	BP America Inc	$112,533	$54.10	5
   13	Western Digital	$112,246	$53.96	26
   14	Cisco	$112,079	$53.88	88
   15	Chevron	$111,253	$53.49	1
   16	Shell Trading	$110,698	$53.22	1
   17	Argo AI	$110,553	$53.15
   18	Exxon Mobil	$110,505	$53.13	32
   19	ConocoPhillips	$110,186	$52.97
   20	Applied Materials	$109,725	$52.75	85

4. Writing a mechanical engineer job description

   A good mechanical 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 mechanical engineer job description:

   Mechanical engineer job description example

   Together We Saves Lives!
   
   The keys to success are yours at Joyson Safety Systems! We are a global leader in design, development and manufacturing of safety-critical systems and components for automotive and non-automotive markets. We are committed to bringing life-saving technology to customers worldwide. Joyson Safety Systems leverages the power of collaboration and innovation to provide quality and service excellence for our customers worldwide. Our company is headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA, with a global network of more than 50,000 employees in 25 countries.
   
   Our team is passionate about the automotive industry, focused on delivering quality and innovation for the future. We encourage lifelong learning and provide the resources to help our team members build the foundation for a strong future with us. We strive to promote from within, offering excellent opportunities for career growth and advancement.
   
   Our talented team is hard working and dedicated to keeping people safe. We promote a collaborative, open culture; as a global business, we encourage our team members to communicate and work with colleagues around the world. As our operations continue to expand, we are always on the lookout for top talent to join our winning team.
   
   We are currently seeking a Mechanical Engineer for our Moses Lake facility. If you are looking to enhance your career with a dynamic, growing company, then we encourage you to apply and join the JSS team!
   
   Summary: The individual will be responsible for providing hands-on troubleshooting support, preparing product process reporting by collecting, analyzing and summarizing information trends. Developed and design manufacturing process improvements. Investigate equipment failures and difficulties to diagnose faulty operations and make recommendations to the maintenance and production support groups in the assembly and/or propellant manufacturing operations areas. Minimum qualifications would be a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering with 2-years work experience and an understanding of solid modeling (Inventor Preferred).
   
   Must be able to pass a drug/alcohol screen and a background check on criminal/work history.
   
   We are an Affirmative Action/EEO employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability or veteran status.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting mechanical engineers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 mechanical engineer

   Once you've selected the best mechanical engineer candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new mechanical 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 mechanical engineer?