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How to hire a piping/mechanical designer

Piping/mechanical designer hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring piping/mechanical designers in the United States:

  • There are currently 6,584 piping/mechanical designers in the US, as well as 60,742 job openings.
  • Piping/mechanical designers are in the highest demand in Toledo, OH, with 5 current job openings.
  • The median cost to hire a piping/mechanical designer is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new piping/mechanical designer to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a piping/mechanical designer, step by step

To hire a piping/mechanical designer, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a piping/mechanical designer:

Here's a step-by-step piping/mechanical designer hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a piping/mechanical designer job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new piping/mechanical designer
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    The piping/mechanical designer hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A piping/mechanical designer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, piping/mechanical designers 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.

    Here's a comparison of piping/mechanical designer salaries for various roles:

    Type of Piping/Mechanical DesignerDescriptionHourly rate
    Piping/Mechanical DesignerMechanical 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.$17-37
    Lead EngineerA lead engineer's duties vary on their line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities will revolve around overseeing the progress of operations and performance of the workforce, ensuring that everything is running smoothly... Show more$28-57
    Project EngineerA Project Engineer develops the plan that the entire team or company will undertake. The project engineer develops the plans, strategies, and goals of a project and then gives it to the management for approval and allocation... Show more$26-48
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Autocad
    • Isometric Drawings
    • CAD
    • Plumbing
    • Construction Drawings
    • Equipment Layout
    • P Id
    • HVAC
    • CADWorx
    • Mechanical Design
    • IDS
    • Solidworks
    • Aided Design
    • PDMS
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Work with JPL / NASA packaging and fabrication engineering leads (on-site).
    • Modele equipment and piping using 3D (InterGraph PDS) software, produce 2D construction drawings using AutoCAD.
    • Produce detailed drawings for fabrication shop, using ANSI Y14.5 standards.
    • Design AutoCAD 3D temp stack-up to test new type of grinder in real world conditions.
    • Respond to emergency calls pertaining to HVAC, electrical, mechanical, and utility system failures and interruptions.
    • Work directly with process, piping, electrical, and HVAC engineers on specific projects to capture all client specific requests.
  3. Make a budget

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

    • Location. For example, piping/mechanical designers' average salary in arkansas is 55% less than in california.
    • Seniority. Entry-level piping/mechanical designers 54% less than senior-level piping/mechanical designers.
    • Certifications. A piping/mechanical designer 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 piping/mechanical designer's salary.

    Average piping/mechanical designer salary

    $53,445yearly

    $25.69 hourly rate

    Entry-level piping/mechanical designer salary
    $36,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 25, 2025
  4. Writing a piping/mechanical designer job description

    A piping/mechanical designer 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 piping/mechanical designer job description:

    Piping/mechanical designer job description example

    Headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, with additional locations in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Colorado, our staff of more than 350 holds professional engineering licenses in all 50 states. Our work takes us across the nation and around the world to design an increasing variety of projects from highways to hospitals, water towers to wind turbines, midstream to downstream, aircraft manufacturing to chemical processing, and everything in between.

    The Power and Process Group is looking for individuals that can help us grow our Power & Process Division. If you enjoy leading, growing staff and have the entrepreneurial spirit, this is an opportunity for you. Our market focus is twofold: 1) the production and distribution of power for private, municipal and utility facilities; and 2) process focused heavy industrial, chemical, midstream/downstream oil & gas facilities.

    This position is for Tulsa, OK. Locations in Wichita, KS; Kansas City, MO; Oklahoma City, OK or Ft, Collins, CO may be considered.

    Position Requirements :

    • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Chemical or an Engineering degree with Mechanical/Chemical Process focus from an accredited program.
    • 3-10 years of related work experience in the field of pipe/pipe stress design, modeling and analysis.
    • P.E. (Professional Engineer) License not required but a plus.
    • Pipe stress analysis using pipe stress software (Caesar II or Bentley AutoPIPE) a plus but not required.
    • Candidate will have experience using Navisworks and shall be proficient in selecting catalog supports, designing new pipe supports, runs, expansion joints, evaluating existing expansion joints to determine if can be eliminated of replaced with a different pipe expansion configuration.
    • In depth knowledge of piping codes and standards like ASME B 31.3, API, etc. Design basis/criteria for piping, Knowledge of systems, calculations, equipment, PID's, materials selection and development of project deliverables within the discipline. Knowledge of engineering work planning and control methods.
    • Good working knowledge of AutoCAD and Excel.
    • Have experience in understanding and generating markups on PID's, layouts, isometrics.
    • Skilled in review of P&IDs, PFDs, Vender documents review (like general arrangement (GA) drawings of equipment, instruments & valves).
    • Organized, methodical and detail oriented.
    • Experience providing piping design for the chemical or oil & gas industries.
    • Customer-focused, good communicator and a good team-worker, with a strong work ethic.
    • Strong safety awareness.
    • Pro-active and willing to take initiative.
    • Responsive and sensitive to project needs.
    • Effectively manages multiple and conflicting priorities.
    • Organizational skills and ability to set priorities.
    • Ability to climb ladders in excess of 30 ft.
    • Occasional travel to field / project sites / other offices may be required.

    Position Duties :

    • Determine pipe stresses on metal and plastic piping using automated tools and visual analysis.
    • Generate pipe stress summary deliverables using standard software.
    • Work with multidiscipline team to plan work and provide design within schedule and budget.
    • Select pipe supports for metal and plastic piping from catalog supports and designed engineered supports when required.
    • Size and specify heat exchanges, pumps, vessels, tanks and other process related equipment.
    • Work with the piping and structural team members to suggest variations to the piping design to reduce pipe stress loads.
    • Visit field installations to assist customers' needs and existing conditions.
    • Ability to review supplier drawing submittals and performs technical bid analyses is preferred, but not required. Ability to prepare and issue specifications, data sheets, and other construction documents is preferred, but not required.
    • Provides technical guidance to CAD Designer/Drafters, Designers, and Engineers working on the same project.
    • Mentoring design staff.
    • Closely coordinate with Client and Project Manager to assure that project goals are met.
    • Comply with the PEC Quality Control (QC) Process on each project.
    • Other duties as assigned.

    All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or other legally protected status.

    PM21



    PI193856056

  5. Post your job

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

    Your first interview with piping/mechanical designer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

    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 piping/mechanical designer

    Once you have selected a candidate for the piping/mechanical designer 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.

  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 piping/mechanical designer?

There are different types of costs for hiring piping/mechanical designers. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new piping/mechanical designer employee.

You can expect to pay around $53,445 per year for a piping/mechanical designer, 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 piping/mechanical designers in the US typically range between $17 and $37 an hour.

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