How to hire a process engineer

How to hire a process engineer, step by step

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

What does a process engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the process engineer you need to hire. Certain process 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

   Hiring the perfect process engineer also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

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

   Type of Process Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Process 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.	$29-51
   Research And Development Engineer	Research and development engineers generally execute research and tests on product ideas, develop new products, and perform redesigns. They are employed in many industries, including manufacturing, electrical, and science-based companies... Show more	$35-64
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Continuous Improvement
   • Sigma
   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Project Management
   • Troubleshoot
   • Lean Six Sigma
   • Data Analysis
   • Product Quality
   • Technical Support
   • Statistical Analysis
   • CAD
   • Corrective Action
   • Minitab
   • Process Equipment

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead KAIZEN projects to eliminate waste categories stemming from corrugation process.
   • Create and manage SharePoint sites for teams to collaborate on the work.
   • Lead and participate in KAIZEN events, IQ, OQ, PQ activities, set-up reduction techniques.
   • Lead a team, scheduling, resource planning, to create 120 catheters on schedule for a clinical trial.
   • Manage the operated and non-operate AFE process from implementation to cost allocation.
   • Obtain referrals, track hospitalized patients, interface with manage care intermediaries/medical personnel.

   More process engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the process engineer job description is a good way to get more applicants. A process engineer salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a process engineer in Tennessee may be lower than in New Mexico, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level process engineer. Additionally, a process engineer with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average process engineer salary

   $82,443yearly

   $39.64 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level process engineer salary

   $62,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average process engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Mexico	$109,229	$53
   2	California	$103,758	$50
   3	Massachusetts	$90,554	$44
   4	Arizona	$90,302	$43
   5	Texas	$88,790	$43
   6	Nevada	$88,523	$43
   7	Louisiana	$87,995	$42
   8	Oregon	$85,582	$41
   9	New York	$80,368	$39
   10	Colorado	$80,192	$39
   11	Virginia	$79,892	$38
   12	Utah	$78,107	$38
   13	Oklahoma	$77,071	$37
   14	Illinois	$74,726	$36
   15	South Carolina	$73,431	$35
   16	Missouri	$73,073	$35
   17	North Carolina	$71,691	$34
   18	Georgia	$70,220	$34
   19	Pennsylvania	$69,869	$34
   20	Indiana	$68,703	$33

   Average process engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$124,141	$59.68	119
   2	Meta	$123,341	$59.30	280
   3	PayPal	$120,798	$58.08	1
   4	Cheniere Energy	$120,001	$57.69
   5	Google	$119,936	$57.66	42
   6	Zoox	$115,743	$55.65	19
   7	BP America Inc	$112,306	$53.99	17
   8	ConocoPhillips	$111,894	$53.80
   9	Marathon Oil	$110,668	$53.21
   10	Amazon	$109,661	$52.72	294
   11	Sandia National Labs	$107,345	$51.61	2
   12	Western Digital	$106,476	$51.19	142
   13	GoPro	$104,811	$50.39
   14	Marathon Petroleum	$104,571	$50.27	32
   15	Phillips 66	$103,501	$49.76	8
   16	Applied Materials	$102,911	$49.48	93
   17	Cruise Automation	$102,095	$49.08
   18	Exxon Mobil	$101,907	$48.99	18
   19	Pluralsight	$101,851	$48.97
   20	Chevron	$100,240	$48.19

4. Writing a process engineer job description

   A good process engineer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a process engineer job description:

   Process engineer job description example

   Responsible for the development and support of assembly lines and processes with a focus on continuous improvement that supports first pass yield, productivity, and material cost goals. Sound engineering skills with emphasis on product/part flow, ergonomics, safety, and error-proofing principles. Thorough knowledge of lean principles and ability to quickly identify waste in manufacturing processes.
   Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
   
   Identify, improve, recommend, and implement measures to improve production methods, equipment performance, process capability, and product quality using Bosch BPS methodologies.
   
   Develop advanced manufacturing processes, conduct defect and failure analysis, engineering evaluations, statistical analysis and implement corrective actions to support process improvement efforts and ensure root-cause analysis translates into process improvements.
   
   Perform periodic process capability studies on key-value stream operations.
   
   Streamline manufacturing processes, procedures, and work instructions to improve first-pass yield, reduce or eliminate rework and scrap, while consistently improving material costs and productivity.
   
   Standardize and reduce setup and changeover times, reduce waste, monitor processes, and establish robust, repeatable, and reproducible process parameters and process controls.
   
   Provide guidance and coordination to the process engineering staff thereby contributing to the improvement of skill levels, quality standards, process improvements, problem-solving abilities, and continuous technical development to achieve department goals.
   
   Release new processes and products Reman Product and Process Launch standards (Quality Gates).
   
   Interface with the equipment supply base to have key resources at our suppliers to assist in equipment problem solving when required. Know who to call when.
   
   Respond to any process downtime issues in the plant and establish any required outside resources to assist in responding to these issues quickly.
   
   Develop the preventative maintenance plan with the maintenance team for equipment within your respective value stream.
   
   Execute work assignments in accordance with company standards and quality systems.
   
   Ensure compliance and enforcement of company, safety, environmental, governmental policies, and regulations as they apply.
   
   Ability to read and create electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic schematics.
   
   High level of competence in the use of Microsoft Office, AutoCAD, and Solid Edge for 3D modeling. Ability to apply GD&T and fulfill drafting and print control requirements.
   
   Draft and design layout of equipment, materials, and workspace to illustrate maximum efficiency.
   
   Develop labor utilization standards, cost analysis systems, and capacities for value stream(s) of responsibility.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find process engineers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your process engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit process engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit process 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 engineer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the process engineer 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 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new process engineer. 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 process engineer?