How to hire a process control technician

How to hire a process control technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step process control technician hiring guide:

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

What does a process control technician do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The process control technician 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?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a process control technician 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 process control technician that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of process control technician salaries for various roles:

   Type of Process Control Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Process Control Technician	Industrial engineering technicians help industrial engineers implement designs to use personnel, materials, and machines effectively in factories, stores, healthcare organizations, repair shops, and offices. They prepare machinery and equipment layouts, plan workflows, conduct statistical production studies, and analyze production costs.	$19-32
   Validation Technologist	A validation technologist works with a process chief and applies validation methods to complete tasks and carry out installations. They perform operational protocol duties and do reviews daily... Show more	$18-31
   Manufacturing Engineering Technician	A manufacturing engineering technician is responsible for supporting the manufacturing processes of industrial operations by providing technical assistance on the design development procedures. Manufacturing engineering technicians inspect the efficiency and consistency of plans and perform multiple diagnostic tests to ensure that the product performs to its highest condition... Show more	$17-36

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • PLC
   • Control Systems
   • Logic Controllers
   • Continuous Improvement
   • HMI
   • Data Entry
   • DCS
   • Control Loops
   • Windows
   • AC
   • Wonderware
   • Ethernet
   • Control Room
   • Preventive Maintenance

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Spearhead inspection and packaging equipment for pharmaceutical products per FDA regulations to achieve production goals ahead of schedule.
   • Help develop standard operating procedure and perform safety reviews to meet OSHA standards.
   • Create safety programs and lead the site in safety training in compliance with OSHA CFR29 regulations.
   • Direct activities to ensure that workmanship and testing conform to ISO and QS9001 specifications per customer requirements.
   • Maintain appropriate PLC and computer software/hardware information.
   • Full knowledge and understanding of an organize ISO manufacturing environment.

   More process control technician duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your process control technician job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A process control technician salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a process control technician in Iowa may be lower than in Maryland, and an entry-level process control technician usually earns less than a senior-level process control technician. Additionally, a process control technician with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average process control technician salary

   $52,452yearly

   $25.22 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level process control technician salary

   $40,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average process control technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Texas	$68,357	$33
   2	Washington	$63,349	$30
   3	Michigan	$60,120	$29
   4	New York	$58,728	$28
   5	Colorado	$58,483	$28
   6	Nebraska	$56,913	$27
   7	California	$55,055	$26
   8	New Jersey	$54,563	$26
   9	Arizona	$53,605	$26
   10	Missouri	$53,147	$26
   11	Ohio	$51,765	$25
   12	Mississippi	$49,120	$24
   13	Virginia	$47,708	$23
   14	Oregon	$47,239	$23
   15	Iowa	$46,994	$23
   16	Connecticut	$46,172	$22
   17	Wisconsin	$44,826	$22

   Average process control technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Stanford University	$68,253	$32.81
   2	Tesla	$63,072	$30.32	89
   3	Kohler Co.	$61,673	$29.65	2
   4	Oil States International	$61,163	$29.41	2
   5	United States Gypsum Company Inc	$59,237	$28.48
   6	Northern Star Industries	$58,326	$28.04
   7	Precision Castparts	$55,415	$26.64	26
   8	Wells Enterprises	$55,347	$26.61	3
   9	Westlake Chemical	$55,115	$26.50	14
   10	Belcan	$54,710	$26.30	27
   11	Dairy Farmers of America	$54,699	$26.30	31
   12	Nashville State Community College	$54,452	$26.18
   13	Views	$54,137	$26.03
   14	Hi-Crush	$54,013	$25.97
   15	Mc Cormick Co	$53,867	$25.90	4
   16	Reynolds Polymer Technology	$53,844	$25.89
   17	McCormick & Company	$53,734	$25.83	13
   18	American Red Cross	$53,476	$25.71	35
   19	Martin Marietta	$53,314	$25.63	3
   20	System One	$53,024	$25.49	39

4. Writing a process control technician job description

   A job description for a process control technician 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 process control technician job description:

   Process control technician job description example

   **R&D Process Control Technician - Wilmington, DE**
   
   Outsourcing & Consulting Group (KellyOCG), a managed solution provider and business unit of Kelly Services, Inc., is currently seeking a **Process Control Technician** for a long-term engagement at one of our Global clients in **Wilmington, DE.** This role is a full-time, fully benefitted position. As a OCG employee you will be eligible for Medical, Dental, 401K and a variety of other benefits to choose from. You'll also be eligible for paid time off, including holiday, vacation and sick/personal time.
   
   **This is a long-term contract role with no end date that includes benefits.** **Pay will be highly competitive based on background and experience, and relocation packages are offered for non-local candidates.**
   
   The R&D Process Control Technician will support activities relating to the support of Allen Bradley process automation system. This includes preventative maintenance and 7x24 troubleshooting support for installed base systems, minimizing plant downtime caused by process automation system failures, while providing services that are cost effective and sustainable. The process control technician will have an overall knowledge of all current hardware, operating system software, networking systems and system software.
   
   **_Key Job Responsibilities Include:_**
   
   + Assist with code creation to support changes driven by process needs and capital projects
   
   + Identify and assist with on-line documentation updates, graphics, and flowsheet modifications to support changes driven by process needs and capital projects
   
   + Assist with code fixes such as nuisance alarms and obvious code errors as identified by the run plant team
   
   + Assist the management of process information systems to fix nuisance alarms or low disc space problems
   
   + Assist with code testing and training for new equipment installations
   
   + Assist with Allen Bradley Process system loads and perform simulation system program loads
   
   + Participate in Root Cause Analysis of plant problems to help support solutions that require process control modifications or additions.
   
   + Work with Allen Bradley support group to effectively address identified problems beyond the Process Control Technician's level of expertise
   
   + Participate in audits and reviews of Process Control Strategy Descriptions (PCSD's) for new equipment installations
   
   **_Requirements_**
   
   + Minimum High School Diploma or GED is required.
   
   + In addition, successful candidates must have either:
   
   + Associate degree or higher in Process Technology, Automation, Information Technology, or similar discipline. In lieu of a degree, will consider those with 4 or more years of relevant military experience.
   
   + A minimum of 4 years of experience in an operation role in which the responsibilities included working with process automation systems and applications
   
   + Able to work overtime as needed.
   
   A minimum requirement for this U.S. based position is the ability to work legally in the United States.
   
   To learn more about KellyOCG and our Managed Solutions expertise, visit us at kellyocg.com **/Solutions/Business-and-Professional Services.**
   
   **Why Kelly** ** ** **Engineering?**
   
   Your engineering skills are in demand, but how do you find the right fit? Easy. At Kelly Engineering, our team creates expert talent solutions to solve the world's most critical challenges. We connect you with leading organizations where you can collaborate on innovative projects, work with cutting-edge technologies and accelerate your growth. Whether you prefer the variety and flexibility of short-term projects or are looking for a long-term opportunity, we're here to guide you to the next step in your engineering career.
   
   **About Kelly** ** **
   
   At Kelly, we're always thinking about what's next and advising job seekers on new ways of working to reach their full potential. In fact, we're a leading advocate for temporary/nontraditional workstyles, because we believe they allow flexibility and tremendous growth opportunities that enable a better way to work and live (plus, did we mention we provide a ton of benefits ?). Connecting great people with great companies is what we do best, and our employment opportunities span a wide variety of workstyles, skill levels, and industries around the world.
   
   Kelly Services is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We welcome, value, and embrace diversity at all levels and are committed to building a team that is inclusive of a variety of backgrounds, communities, perspectives, and abilities. At Kelly, we believe that the more inclusive we are, the better services we can provide. Requests for accommodation related to our application process can be directed to Kelly's Human Resource Knowledge Center.
   Kelly complies with the requirements of California's state and local Fair Chance laws. A conviction does not automatically bar individuals from employment.

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5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit process control technicians, 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 process control technician

   Once you've found the process control technician candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new process control technician. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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