How to hire a process development engineer

How to hire a process development engineer, step by step

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

What does a process development engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the process development engineer you need to hire. Certain process development engineer roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A process development engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, process development engineers 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of process development engineers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Process Development Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Process Development Engineer	Industrial engineers find ways to eliminate wastefulness in production processes. They devise efficient systems that integrate workers, machines, materials, information, and energy to make a product or provide a service.	$33-54
   Manufacturing Engineer	Manufacturing Engineers are responsible for handling and developing an efficient manufacturing system or procedure that will help a company produce up to standard products while in adherence to the policies, regulations, and expected cost and schedule. Furthermore, Manufacturing Engineers must also monitor quality control, identify or detect errors, provide and suggest improvements, oversee the procurement of materials involved in the production, and coordinate with various teams or departments within the company to ensure the effectiveness of innovations or new developments.	$28-49
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Data Analysis
   • DOE
   • R
   • Process Engineering
   • Statistical Analysis
   • FDA
   • Continuous Improvement
   • GMP
   • Statistical Process Control
   • JMP
   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Product Development
   • Unit Operations
   • Process Improvement

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage implementation of improve paste compounding (including extrusion) process.
   • Perform process validation and product qualification per FDA standards for medical device submissions.
   • Perform IQ, OQ and PQ on the fixtures and equipment used.
   • Own and maintain product BOM, and operator instruction through prototype and pilot runs.
   • Draft and design layouts of materials and products using SOLIDWORKS 3D and AUTOCAD to company standards.
   • Participate in design reviews, product and process FMEA's and relate drug development management processes.

   More process development engineer duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, process development engineers' average salary in mississippi is 27% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level process development engineers 39% less than senior-level process development engineers.
   • Certifications. A process development 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 process development engineer's salary.

   Average process development engineer salary

   $89,754yearly

   $43.15 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level process development engineer salary

   $70,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average process development engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$107,450	$52
   2	Washington	$101,161	$49
   3	Massachusetts	$100,608	$48
   4	Texas	$100,097	$48
   5	Rhode Island	$98,636	$47
   6	New York	$90,769	$44
   7	Delaware	$89,400	$43
   8	Oregon	$88,559	$43
   9	Minnesota	$88,498	$43
   10	Indiana	$86,338	$42
   11	Utah	$85,930	$41
   12	Pennsylvania	$82,262	$40
   13	North Carolina	$79,153	$38
   14	Alabama	$76,860	$37
   15	Florida	$76,420	$37

   Average process development engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$117,324	$56.41	77
   2	Meta	$116,060	$55.80	230
   3	Pacira BioSciences	$105,914	$50.92
   4	24M Technologies	$105,821	$50.88
   5	AstraZeneca	$105,311	$50.63	8
   6	Shell Trading	$104,872	$50.42	1
   7	Dell	$104,361	$50.17
   8	Green Mountain Corpration	$103,329	$49.68
   9	Watson Pharma Pvt Ltd	$100,795	$48.46
   10	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$100,491	$48.31	8
   11	Momentive	$100,043	$48.10	18
   12	BASF	$99,013	$47.60	7
   13	Eastman	$98,278	$47.25	5
   14	Texas Instruments	$97,354	$46.80	36
   15	General Motors	$97,081	$46.67	33
   16	Sarepta Therapeutics	$97,009	$46.64
   17	Corteva	$96,950	$46.61	17
   18	Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.	$96,871	$46.57	33
   19	Genentech	$96,715	$46.50	16
   20	Celanese	$96,428	$46.36	7

4. Writing a process development engineer job description

   A process development engineer 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 process development engineer job description:

   Process development engineer job description example

   This position will provide technical development expertise in the area of glass container forming and light weighting. They will be an expert in glass container forming process (between the forehearth and the lehr, specifically with gob forming, gob delivery, blank molding, blow molding). Their experience in the design and operation of glass forming as well as in the development of new technologies will help shape and execute new process development projects. New forming technologies will help improve quality, throughput, cost, and breakthrough container manufacturing.
   Principal Responsibilities
   
   Lead a major development project in the area of glass container forming. Deliver project results on time and on budget. Hit milestone targets and successfully achieve budget approval for next phase. Communicate results/progress. Communicate resource needs. Communicate to directors and above.
   
   Expertise in glass container forming process (between the forehearth to the lehr, specifically with gob forming, gob delivery, blank molding, blow molding). Experienced in the design and operation of glass forming as well as in the development of new technologies will help shape and execute new process development projects.
   
   Technical lead of small team to execute new process development project and the development of new forming technologies (no direct reports). Lead brainstorming efforts. Creative solutions to problems and issues. Conduct experiment in a laboratory setting and as well as pilot new technologies in full scale factory pilot.
   
   Guide mechanical design of new glass forming technologies. Develop specifications for controls integration of those new technologies. Work with numerical analysis experts to model critical aspects of those new technologies. Development process maps for those new technologies. Create test plans and protocols to prove out and identify areas of improvements for those new technologies. Revise designs accordingly based on data from lab and full scale testing. Identify when technologies are ready for plant trial. Guide those technologies toward a plant trial.
   
   SCOPE AND IMPACT
   
   The Forming Glass Engineer will be responsible for providing technical support, engineering solutions and technical specifications as part of the Corporate Manufacturing & Engineering projects. They will be working independently and as part of larger teams.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right process development 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 process development engineers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit process development 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 process development engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit process development engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit process development engineers, 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 process development engineer

   Once you've decided on a perfect process development 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 good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new process development engineer. 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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