How to hire a mechanical research engineer

How to hire a mechanical research engineer, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a mechanical research 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 research 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 research engineer that fits the bill.

   This list presents mechanical research engineer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Mechanical Research Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Mechanical Research 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.	$29-56
   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
   • Mechanical Design
   • CFD
   • Prototyping
   • Data Collection
   • FEA
   • Fluid Dynamics
   • LabVIEW
   • GD
   • Data Acquisition
   • Mechanical Properties
   • R
   • PI

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Organize and manage multi-disciplinary teams of scientists, business and other professionals to successfully commercialize NASA and other technology.
   • Perform stress analysis (FEA) on machine components for optimal design.
   • Design and modele the mechanical system using SolidWorks.
   • Prepare PowerPoint presentation on software evaluation, including recommendations for purchase.
   • Pinpoint dangerous proximity of carbon monoxide outlet to ventilation inlet for the building during safety inspection (potential life-threatening ramifications).
   • Pinpoint dangerous proximity of carbon monoxide outlet to ventilation inlet for the building during safety inspection (potential life-threatening ramifications).

   More mechanical research engineer duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, mechanical research engineers' average salary in arkansas is 50% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level mechanical research engineers 47% less than senior-level mechanical research engineers.
   • Certifications. A mechanical research 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 research engineer's salary.

   Average mechanical research engineer salary

   $86,381yearly

   $41.53 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level mechanical research engineer salary

   $62,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 29, 2026

   Average mechanical research engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$126,167	$61
   2	New York	$104,145	$50
   3	Massachusetts	$97,651	$47
   4	Texas	$93,467	$45
   5	Illinois	$89,162	$43
   6	New Jersey	$88,988	$43
   7	Michigan	$84,024	$40
   8	Virginia	$81,911	$39
   9	Florida	$81,229	$39
   10	Pennsylvania	$81,144	$39
   11	Ohio	$80,190	$39
   12	Colorado	$76,877	$37
   13	Minnesota	$73,185	$35
   14	Wisconsin	$72,032	$35
   15	Georgia	$71,668	$34
   16	North Dakota	$70,895	$34
   17	Kansas	$67,406	$32
   18	Mississippi	$61,500	$30

   Average mechanical research engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Fitbit	$124,571	$59.89
   2	Convergent Science	$103,813	$49.91
   3	General Electric	$103,741	$49.88	214
   4	Weg SA	$99,559	$47.86	5
   5	Alliance for Sustainable Energy	$95,532	$45.93
   6	ThyssenKrupp Elevator Corporation	$92,062	$44.26
   7	Lockheed Martin	$91,418	$43.95	331
   8	IHMC	$89,658	$43.10	1
   9	Global Engineering & Technology	$89,613	$43.08
   10	Home Innovation Labs	$89,452	$43.01
   11	Align Technology	$89,334	$42.95	8
   12	Panduit	$88,247	$42.43	3
   13	Centers For Disease Control And Prevention	$87,820	$42.22
   14	Schindler Elevator	$87,565	$42.10
   15	SharkNinja	$84,527	$40.64	6
   16	BMT Designers & Planners	$75,675	$36.38
   17	Lehigh University	$71,874	$34.55	2
   18	Cornell University	$71,763	$34.50	20
   19	The University of Texas at San Antonio	$67,198	$32.31	76
   20	Wichita State University	$67,131	$32.27	5

4. Writing a mechanical research engineer job description

   A job description for a mechanical research engineer 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 research engineer job description:

   Mechanical research engineer job description example

   Advantest America is the North American subsidiary of Advantest Corporation, the world's leading provider of automatic test equipment (ATE) to the semiconductor industry. We are looking for a candidate in our Device Interface (DI) R&D team. This position has ownership of mechanical products from concept through detailed design, prototype, validation and testing, and release to our NPI team. The ideal candidate has demonstrated skill with multidisciplinary teams that handle all phases of the project from customer requirements to product launch, and is hands-on solving technical problems. The candidate will utilize their strong engineering background and skill with design tools to conceptualize, develop and validate mechanical and thermal systems, and will coordinate with our customer, suppliers, electrical team, manufacturing and support groups in a fast-paced environment.
   Responsibilities include:
   
   * Design and test interface hardware for new development projects. Collaborate with customers and account managers to understand test requirements and schedule, and communicate with our design teams and manufacturing
   * Analyze and test product designs using structured experiments and data analysis
   * Design emphasis includes mechanical strength and thermal design for support and cooling of devices under test.
   * Analyze BOM cost and implement cost efficient manufacturing practices for plastic molding, sheet metal and machined components.
   * Develop prototypes for special projects and evaluations. Support design, procurement, testing and analysis of prototype performance.
   * Drive investigations regarding failure analysis, publish findings and determine corrective actions.
   * Understand and promote design and material choices to reduce manufacturing costs.
   * Proactively promote and represent our customer's technical and schedule interests inside Advantest America and Advantest subsidiaries in Asia
   * Navigate complex technical and project timelines by driving prompt decision making and setting appropriate priorities to focus the team for success
   
   Requirements:
   
   * BS in mechanical engineering or equivalent work experience.
   * Minimum eight years of experience developing overall product mechanical or thermal systems.
   * Demonstrated achievement with mechanical design and engineering
   * Proficient in all phases of the product development lifecycle including concept, design, implementation, verification, validation, and release
   * High proficiency with 3D CAD, Solidworks preferred, and simulation tools such as Matlab, Ansys and similar.
   * Skill with mechanical design tolerance analysis (stack up analysis) with a good understanding of GD&T principles and drafting standards.
   * Ability to create and complete design documentation including mechanical CAD models, BOMs, product specifications and test procedures.
   * Knowledge of Windchill PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) or other PLM systems to release drawings and change notices.
   * Knowledge of stress analysis and thermal design
   * Strong understanding of both component selection criteria and design for reliability and manufacturability.
   * Strong project management, planning, budgeting, and change management skills
   * Excellent teamwork with proven ability to cultivate collaboration across multiple disciplines to ensure timely project success
   * Excellent written and verbal communication, presentation, and documentation skills
   * A passion for creating robust/reliable products and willingness to learn and problem solve
   * Self-starter needing minimal supervision and able to react quickly under pressure

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right mechanical research 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 research engineers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit mechanical research 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 research engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit mechanical research 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 mechanical research 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 mechanical research engineer

   Once you've decided on a perfect mechanical research 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.

   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.

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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