How to hire a process engineering manager

How to hire a process engineering manager, step by step

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

What does a process engineering manager do?

Post a process engineering manager job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the process engineering manager you need to hire. Certain process engineering manager 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 engineering manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, process engineering managers 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 engineering managers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Process Engineering Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Process Engineering Manager	Architectural and engineering managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities in architectural and engineering companies.	$45-79
   Research And Development Director	A research and development director spearheads and oversees the research and development initiatives and projects in a company. It is their duty to set goals and guidelines, establish timelines and budgets, direct and manage different departments, liaise with internal and external parties, gather and analyze data to implement solutions against problem areas, and utilize expertise in developing strategies to optimize company operations... Show more	$45-96
   Research And Development Manager	A research and development manager is responsible for supervising project development procedures to support business operations and identify business opportunities that would pave the way for more revenue resources and profits. Research and development managers monitor the production plans from the conceptualization to the final outputs, inspecting inconsistencies and flaws in every phase and revising strategies as needed to achieve the required specifications and requirements... Show more	$37-83

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Project Management
   • Sigma
   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Lean Six Sigma
   • R
   • Direct Reports
   • SPC
   • Product Quality
   • Continuous Improvement
   • Product Development
   • FDA
   • Process Improvement
   • Process Equipment
   • ISO

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage QA for research orient development efforts and for high visibility, production focuse development efforts tie to revenue generation.
   • Support FDA regulatory and ISO requirements with QA department through process engineering and support of CAPA program.
   • Pioneer SPC program including implementation of methodologies for corrective action.
   • Ensure water systems are OSHA compliant.
   • Implement plant wide remediation plan to comply with FDA requirements.
   • Design, contract fabrication and testing of OSHA compliant safety harness anchors.

   More process engineering manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your process engineering manager job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A process engineering manager salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, process engineering managers' average salary in kentucky is 33% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level process engineering managers earn 43% less than senior-level process engineering managers.
   • Certifications. A process engineering manager with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a process engineering manager's salary.

   Average process engineering manager salary

   $124,640yearly

   $59.92 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level process engineering manager salary

   $94,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average process engineering manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$158,045	$76
   2	Nevada	$145,017	$70
   3	Oregon	$139,596	$67
   4	Missouri	$135,490	$65
   5	Washington	$134,870	$65
   6	Virginia	$131,145	$63
   7	New York	$128,263	$62
   8	Massachusetts	$126,949	$61
   9	Colorado	$125,844	$61
   10	Arizona	$122,987	$59
   11	Minnesota	$118,686	$57
   12	Texas	$117,419	$56
   13	Florida	$114,224	$55
   14	Illinois	$112,101	$54
   15	Wisconsin	$108,680	$52
   16	New Mexico	$106,630	$51
   17	Iowa	$103,000	$50
   18	Oklahoma	$102,260	$49

   Average process engineering manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Emergent BioSolutions	$170,820	$82.13
   2	PayPal	$164,516	$79.09	7
   3	Apple	$163,451	$78.58	236
   4	Zoox	$161,459	$77.62	15
   5	Intuitive Surgical	$159,407	$76.64	14
   6	Rivian	$156,055	$75.03	10
   7	Citi	$155,380	$74.70	52
   8	FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies	$154,909	$74.48	14
   9	Exterran Corporation HQ	$154,385	$74.22
   10	Walmart	$153,659	$73.87	80
   11	Micron Technology	$151,766	$72.96	98
   12	Applied Materials	$150,624	$72.42	101
   13	Infinera	$149,548	$71.90
   14	Gap Inc.	$148,446	$71.37
   15	Cargill	$147,579	$70.95	39
   16	Amazon	$147,133	$70.74	370
   17	Intel	$147,015	$70.68	22
   18	Broadcom	$146,947	$70.65	14
   19	Corning Incorporated	$146,780	$70.57	71
   20	Biogen	$145,215	$69.81	5

4. Writing a process engineering manager job description

   A process engineering manager 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. Below, you can find an example of a process engineering manager job description:

   Process engineering manager job description example

   SMTC Corporation was founded in 1985. SMTC is a mid-size provider of end-to-end electronics manufacturing services (EMS) including PCBA production, systems integration and comprehensive testing services, enclosure fabrication, as well as product design, sustaining engineering and supply chain management services. SMTC has facilities in the United States, Mexico, China and Canada. Services extend over the entire electronic product life cycle from the development and introduction of new products through to the growth, maturity and end-of-life phases.

   
   

   Benefits Highlights:

   *401K with company match

   *PTO, Paid Holidays

   *Tuition Reimbursement

   *Medical HRA Plan

   *Short term/Long term Disability Insurance, etc.

   
   

   The Process Engineering Manager position oversees the development and implementation of manufacturing processes to maintain proper product functionality as well as cost efficiency; ensures the engineering team and other manufacturing departments work together cohesively and is responsible for the development of equipment to aid in the manufacturing process; leads and directs the work of assigned manufacturing engineers and project engineers.

   
   

   Duties:

   • Analyze and design lean manufacturing cells using effective systems and simulation tools to optimize, use of space, equipment, material and personnel.

   • Assist in developing plant layout in planning rearrangement of facilities, equipment and operations for better utilization of space.

   • Work closely with research and development, quality assurance and maintenance personnel to prevent problems with products and tooling/fixtures.

   • Ensure all manufacturing safety regulatory policies and procedures are implemented and maintained at all times.

   • Stay informed concerning new manufacturing technologies and equipment in order to manufacture and reduce cost through efficiencies.

   • Support all current and new product introductions.

   • Ensure vendors/subcontractors are manufacturing products according to product specifications.

   • Determine and eliminate root causes and diminish occurrences in the manufacturing process.

   • Ensure that all manufacturing product specifications are developed and testing procedures are in places before starting up vendors/subcontractors.

   • Able to assist in reducing cost through re-engineering product/material.

   • Assist in the assessment of vendor/subcontractor evaluation for consideration.

   • Responsible for training vendors/subcontractors on new product launches to meet target date.

   • Working with the manufacturing, operations and quality manager, reviews and monitors quality and process improvements and new product development.

   • Oversees key projects, processes and performance reports, data and analysis. Plans documentation system

   • Performs other duties as assigned

   
   

   
   

   
   

   Education and Experience for the Manager of Process Engineering:

   • Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, Electrical Engineering, or extensive Contract Manufacturing Engineering Experience.

   • 7-10 years of progressive experience in manufacturing engineering

   • Management experience

   • Knowledge or certify Lean Manufacturing & 6 Sigma

   
   

   
   

   
   

   SMTC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, pregnancy, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information or other protected status.

   
   

   If you require assistance completing this application due to a disability, please contact Human Resources to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right process engineering manager 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 engineering managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit process engineering managers 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 engineering manager job on Zippia to find and recruit process engineering manager 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 process engineering managers, 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 process engineering manager

   Once you've selected the best process engineering manager candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new process engineering manager. 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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a process engineering manager?