How to hire a mechanical engineering manager

How to hire a mechanical engineering manager, step by step

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

What does a mechanical engineering manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a mechanical engineering manager, 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 engineering manager 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 engineering manager that fits the bill.

   This list presents mechanical engineering manager salaries for various positions.

   Type of Mechanical Engineering Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Mechanical Engineering Manager	Architectural and engineering managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities in architectural and engineering companies.	$39-79
   Research And Development Director	A research and development director spearheads and oversees the research and development initiatives and projects in a company. It is their duty to set goals and guidelines, establish timelines and budgets, direct and manage different departments, liaise with internal and external parties, gather and analyze data to implement solutions against problem areas, and utilize expertise in developing strategies to optimize company operations... Show more	$45-96
   Research And Development Manager	A research and development manager is responsible for supervising project development procedures to support business operations and identify business opportunities that would pave the way for more revenue resources and profits. Research and development managers monitor the production plans from the conceptualization to the final outputs, inspecting inconsistencies and flaws in every phase and revising strategies as needed to achieve the required specifications and requirements... Show more	$37-83

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CAD
   • Mechanical Design
   • Solidworks
   • Project Management
   • Continuous Improvement
   • Mechanical Systems
   • FEA
   • Mechanical Engineering Design
   • HVAC
   • Direct Reports
   • UL
   • Performance Reviews
   • Design Reviews
   • Structural Analysis

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Coordinate and manage prototype development and validation testing.
   • Manage QA for research orient development efforts and for high visibility, production focuse development efforts tie to revenue generation.
   • Work with the in-house UL and compliance engineers, ESD engineers, and the shock/vibration engineers.
   • Design various hand-held and permanently mount RF instruments for use in RF broadcast and transmission installations.
   • Engineer and/or design and/or value engineer (redesign) new and/or existing HVAC systems for commercial and/or industrial applications.
   • Select HVAC equipment such as boilers, chillers, cooling towers, air handling units and roof top units.

   More mechanical engineering manager duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, mechanical engineering managers' average salary in missouri is 40% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level mechanical engineering managers earn 50% less than senior-level mechanical engineering managers.
   • Certifications. A mechanical engineering manager 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 mechanical engineering manager's salary.

   Average mechanical engineering manager salary

   $116,922yearly

   $56.21 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level mechanical engineering manager salary

   $82,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average mechanical engineering manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$158,592	$76
   2	Washington	$143,039	$69
   3	Nevada	$135,851	$65
   4	Massachusetts	$126,813	$61
   5	Maryland	$121,006	$58
   6	Texas	$115,922	$56
   7	New York	$114,546	$55
   8	Arizona	$110,587	$53
   9	Michigan	$110,176	$53
   10	Indiana	$106,099	$51
   11	Oklahoma	$103,811	$50
   12	Colorado	$103,232	$50
   13	Illinois	$101,802	$49
   14	Ohio	$101,141	$49
   15	Florida	$100,974	$49
   16	Nebraska	$96,565	$46

   Average mechanical engineering manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$188,891	$90.81	445
   2	Apple	$172,540	$82.95	227
   3	Rivian	$162,240	$78.00	22
   4	Intuitive Surgical	$158,638	$76.27	28
   5	Tesla	$152,267	$73.21	14
   6	Amazon	$147,622	$70.97	308
   7	Applied Materials	$145,432	$69.92	60
   8	Clover Network	$143,072	$68.78
   9	Magic Leap	$139,923	$67.27
   10	Formlabs	$139,281	$66.96	10
   11	KLA	$139,272	$66.96	31
   12	Intel	$137,322	$66.02	17
   13	EMCOR Group	$136,623	$65.68	37
   14	Western Digital	$135,857	$65.32	5
   15	Lt Engineering	$132,522	$63.71
   16	Cymer	$131,711	$63.32
   17	The Davis Companies	$128,962	$62.00
   18	NJOY	$128,583	$61.82
   19	Abbott	$127,647	$61.37	15
   20	Air Products	$126,935	$61.03	4

4. Writing a mechanical engineering manager job description

   A mechanical engineering manager 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 a mechanical engineering manager job description:

   Mechanical engineering manager job description example

   SSOE works with the world's leading high-tech companies to power technology at our fingertips-from smart phones to smart cars-and meet the ongoing global chip demand. We're looking to hire a Mechanical Engineering Manager to our team, who will have the opportunity to participate in the design of state of the art industrial and high-tech manufacturing facilities.
   
   The Mechanical Engineering Manager leads and manages a team of designers, engineers, and support staff to ensure the technical competency and quality of work performed by the staff. This person will also coordinate with various disciplines within the organization (architectural, electrical, process/chemical, structural, etc.) and will be an integral part of problem-solving complex design challenges.
   Responsibilities Effectively lead, manage, and mentor the Mechanical Engineering staff with an emphasis on employee growth, project success, and overall performance. Set clear goals and objectives, assess progress, and instill a performance-oriented culture with a focus on accountability. Deploy a strategy that builds, retains, and engages all employees through inclusion and teamwork. Coordinates with various disciplines within the organization (architectural, electrical, process/chemical, structural, etc.) to collaborate, optimize, and improve work and staff sharing by participating in multi-discipline strategy sessions. Assists all levels of Management in articulating discipline capability requirements in support of strategic and business objectives. Identifies, champions, mentors, and coaches the development of our less experienced staff and looks for ways to elevate the technical and professional expertise of the team. Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering is required. Active Professional Engineering (PE) license or ability to obtain an active PE license is required. Demonstrated leadership, mentorship, and problem-solving skills. Experience in semiconductor, high technology, and/or battery manufacturing industry. SSOE - The Best of Both Worlds
   At SSOE, our growth trajectory allows us to offer the opportunities normally associated with a large firm while embracing the collaborative and supportive culture often found in smaller firms. As a member of the SSOE team, you'll work on exciting and diverse projects for Fortune 100 clients around the globe, supported by the best technology for the task at hand. You'll experience our employee-centric culture that strives to offer a healthy balance, flexible working arrangements, direct access to leadership at all levels, and a mindset of continuous learning.
   
   Named a Top 5 Semiconductor Design Firm for the past nine years by ENR, we have more than 30 years of tool install projects under our belt and effectively execute over 1,000 construction packages and 300 structural packages per year. From ceiling and platform-mounted support equipment to non-conventional fabrication spaces and single-level cleanrooms, our tool install team takes an integrated whole-facility approach to tool and process design. #columbus
   #ohio
   #mechanical
   #management #tool-install
   #semiconductor
   #high-tech
   #LI-hybrid

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find mechanical engineering managers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any mechanical engineering managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level mechanical engineering managers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your mechanical engineering manager job on Zippia to find and recruit mechanical engineering manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting mechanical engineering managers 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 engineering manager

   Once you've decided on a perfect mechanical engineering manager 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.

   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.

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 engineering manager?