How to hire a mechanical engineering technologist

How to hire a mechanical engineering technologist, step by step

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

What does a mechanical engineering technologist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

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

   Here's a comparison of mechanical engineering technologist salaries for various roles:

   Type of Mechanical Engineering Technologist	Description	Hourly rate
   Mechanical Engineering Technologist		$20-36
   Engineer	Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects... Show more	$31-62
   Product Engineer	A product engineer specializes in designing and developing commercial materials and services. They are primarily responsible for conducting thorough research and analysis of the latest trends and marketing conditions to come up with new ideas and products for the public... Show more	$32-56

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CAD
   • Solidworks
   • Prototype
   • Engineering Drawings
   • Hand Tools
   • Mechanical Systems
   • Troubleshoot
   • R
   • Test Data
   • Mechanical Equipment
   • PowerPoint
   • Machine Shop
   • Test Results
   • Preventative Maintenance

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and coordinate a company wide transition from 2D AutoCAD to a 3D modeling environment.
   • Manage and distribute cad standards to contributing design consultants and assist with any design issues as necessary.
   • Test, troubleshoot, disassemble and repair mechanical equipment supporting the U.S. navy's MK30 underwater target program.
   • Certify parts and write reports to the ASME, ASTM, and CSA standards.
   • Circuit design and PCB layout.
   • Design of assembly jigs and fixtures.

   More mechanical engineering technologist duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, mechanical engineering technologists' average salary in florida is 18% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level mechanical engineering technologists earn 43% less than senior-level mechanical engineering technologists.
   • Certifications. A mechanical engineering technologist 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 technologist's salary.

   Average mechanical engineering technologist salary

   $57,409yearly

   $27.60 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level mechanical engineering technologist salary

   $43,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average mechanical engineering technologist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$61,583	$30
   2	New York	$60,803	$29
   3	New Jersey	$60,703	$29
   4	Rhode Island	$60,560	$29
   5	Delaware	$60,502	$29
   6	Massachusetts	$60,243	$29
   7	Maryland	$60,197	$29
   8	District of Columbia	$59,960	$29
   9	Ohio	$59,728	$29
   10	Virginia	$58,946	$28
   11	Minnesota	$57,752	$28
   12	Arizona	$57,360	$28
   13	Utah	$57,056	$27
   14	Indiana	$56,953	$27
   15	Colorado	$56,242	$27
   16	North Carolina	$55,921	$27
   17	Texas	$54,968	$26
   18	South Carolina	$54,616	$26
   19	Georgia	$54,048	$26
   20	Alabama	$53,227	$26

   Average mechanical engineering technologist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$103,461	$49.74	90
   2	Cisco	$101,562	$48.83	276
   3	Applied Materials	$96,553	$46.42	66
   4	Lam Research	$90,270	$43.40	7
   5	Walmart	$83,857	$40.32	247
   6	Jacobs Engineering Group	$78,871	$37.92
   7	Ecovative	$75,649	$36.37
   8	Amazon	$72,667	$34.94	549
   9	Los Alamos National Laboratory	$72,522	$34.87	26
   10	Pactiv	$68,648	$33.00	8
   11	ITW	$68,645	$33.00	72
   12	Globus Medical	$68,180	$32.78	11
   13	Woodward	$67,892	$32.64	8
   14	Lennox International	$67,084	$32.25	11
   15	Cummins	$66,400	$31.92	27
   16	Ormat Technologies	$66,239	$31.85	1
   17	General Electric	$65,976	$31.72	273
   18	Blue Origin	$65,691	$31.58	89
   19	Array Networks	$64,866	$31.19	8
   20	Student Conservation Association	$63,967	$30.75

4. Writing a mechanical engineering technologist job description

   A job description for a mechanical engineering technologist role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a mechanical engineering technologist job description:

   Mechanical engineering technologist job description example

   · 5 Years of relevant work experience

   Preferred Qualifications:

   · Completion of an Accredited Engineering Technology program

   · Read and interpret electrical and electronic schematics.

   · Operate electrical and electronic test and measurement tools such as digital volt meters, oscilloscopes, power supplies, passive and electronic loads and logic analyzers.

   · Solder through-hole and fine pitch surface mount components.

   · Debug printed circuit board issues with guidance from process documentation and other members of the team.

   · Read, interpret and execute test plans for electronics sub-circuits and assemblies with support and guidance from other team members. Document test results.

   · Ability to work well with others in a team-oriented environment.

   Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

   · Work effectively in a fast-paced, team environment.

   · Coordinate multiple tasks simultaneously.

   · Demonstrate self-motivation to learn new concepts.

   · Communicate effectively though written, graphical, and oral means.

   · Understand and apply electrical techniques and theories.

   · Interpret and implement one-line drawings and electrical schematics.

   · Intermediate computer skills, including comfort with Microsoft Excel and Word

   · Demonstrate understanding of quality concepts, continuous improvement, statistical techniques, and preventative/corrective actions.

   · Excellent soldering and PCBA level rework capabilities

   · Strong mechanical aptitude and familiarity with hand tools and power tools.

   · Familiarity with a high voltage power electronics laboratory environment.

   · Nice-to-have: General familiarity with basic programming concepts and languages (C, Python, etc.) to support test activities.

   PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

   While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand. The employee frequently is required to use hands to manipulate objects, tools or controls; and talk and hear. The employee is regularly required to walk; stoop; crouch; bend and reach above shoulders. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds unassisted and up to 100 pounds with assistance, waist high, up to 10 feet away. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to differentiate colors. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be working in the typical conditions of a laboratory environment including seasonal variation in temperatures and occasional exposure to fumes or by-products. The employee must comply with the assigned location PPE requirements including but not limited to safety glasses, hearing protection, appropriate gloves, clothing and shields for required tasks.

   “We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.”

   Company DescriptionGenerac is not only a leader in power but also a believer in being responsive to our customers and our communities. Generac has a strong history of giving back to the communities where our employees live and work. Additionally, our employee volunteer storm response teams support communities across the nation impacted by natural disasters.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find mechanical engineering technologists 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 technologists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level mechanical engineering technologists 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 technologist job on Zippia to find and recruit mechanical engineering technologist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit mechanical engineering technologists, 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.

   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 technologist

   Once you have selected a candidate for the mechanical engineering technologist 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.

   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 mechanical engineering technologist. 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 engineering technologist?