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How to hire a product assurance engineer

Product assurance engineer hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring product assurance engineers in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a product assurance engineer 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 product assurance engineer to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a product assurance engineer, step by step

To hire a product assurance engineer, 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 product assurance engineer:

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

    The product assurance engineer 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 product assurance engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, product assurance 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.

    This list shows salaries for various types of product assurance engineers.

    Type of Product Assurance EngineerDescriptionHourly rate
    Product Assurance EngineerIndustrial 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.$31-51
    Quality Control EngineerA quality control engineer is responsible for conducting quality assessments for the company's products and services to ensure adherence to federal regulations and quality standards. Quality control engineers recommend strategic methods by analyzing processes and writing test results... Show more$25-45
    EngineerEngineers 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
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Lean Manufacturing
    • Product Assurance
    • ISO
    • Dvp R
    • Test Data
    • Test Procedures
    • FMEA
    • Supplier Quality
    • R
    • Failure Analysis
    • Test Equipment
    • Test Cases
    • Quality Issues
    • Product Quality
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage CAPA systems integration of recent acquisitions.
    • Provide assistance in support of FMEA, MSG-3 analysis.
    • Participate in cooperate, third party and FDA audits.
    • Supervise safety clearance of 410K (FDA) regulation procedures.
    • Maintain an internal program audit system to ensure program compliance to ISO standards.
    • Develop ISO departmental documentation & perform ISO9000 audits.
    More product assurance engineer duties
  3. Make a budget

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

    • Location. For example, product assurance engineers' average salary in pennsylvania is 32% less than in texas.
    • Seniority. Entry-level product assurance engineers 39% less than senior-level product assurance engineers.
    • Certifications. A product assurance 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 product assurance engineer's salary.

    Average product assurance engineer salary

    $84,075yearly

    $40.42 hourly rate

    Entry-level product assurance engineer salary
    $65,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 22, 2025

    Average product assurance engineer salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$102,138$49
    2Texas$99,249$48
    3Colorado$95,571$46
    4New Jersey$92,815$45
    5Washington$92,117$44
    6Nevada$89,845$43
    7Arizona$89,066$43
    8Massachusetts$88,596$43
    9Utah$83,113$40
    10Michigan$81,939$39
    11Virginia$81,456$39
    12North Carolina$80,590$39
    13Maryland$78,868$38
    14Georgia$76,233$37
    15Indiana$75,000$36

    Average product assurance engineer salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1ConocoPhillips$117,425$56.452
    2Chevron$104,216$50.10
    3Autodesk$99,023$47.615
    4Micron Technology$91,669$44.0769
    5Veoneer$89,242$42.90
    6Seagate Technology$87,970$42.293
    7Pegasus$87,295$41.971
    8Autoliv$86,638$41.65
    9Ball$84,494$40.622
    10ZL Tech$84,334$40.55
    11Poly$84,099$40.43
    12Ferguson Enterprises$83,631$40.217
    13ADP$82,546$39.6924
    14IGT$82,161$39.50
    15ISYS Technologies$81,998$39.421
    16Ses Inc$81,985$39.42
    17Axonics Modulation Technologies$81,985$39.42
    18Huntington Ingalls Industries$81,985$39.4237
    19*n/a*$81,963$39.413
    20Northrop Grumman$80,607$38.7585
  4. Writing a product assurance engineer job description

    A product assurance 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. Below, you can find an example of a product assurance engineer job description:

    Product assurance engineer job description example

    Rocket Lab is a vertically integrated provider of small launch services, satellites, and spacecraft components. Our mission is to open access to space to improve life on Earth. Our team is over 1,300 people strong and we're adding to it every week. Collaboration is at our core – every idea is heard, and everyone makes a difference. Teams are nimble, decisions are made quickly, and we are action oriented.

    SPACE SYSTEMS

    This is a rare opportunity to play a key role in Rocket Lab's evolution into an end-to-end space company that delivers launch, spacecraft, and on-orbit operations. The Space Systems Division is shaping Rocket Lab's future with Photon, our brand of high-performance satellites, enabling innovative missions in low Earth orbit and beyond including missions for NASA to LEO, the Moon, and Mars and commercial customers, including leading the design and manufacture of 17 high-power telecommunication spacecraft buses for Globalstar.

    Rocket Lab is also growing our spacecraft components business, anchored on the acquisition of Sinclair Interplanetary manufacturing reaction wheels and star trackers in Toronto, SolAero Technologies manufacturing solar power and primary structure solutions in Albuquerque, Planetary Systems Corporation manufacturing launch separation systems in Silver Spring, and Advanced Solutions, Inc., provider of flight and ground software as a service in Denver. Our components business is key to vertically integrating our spacecraft solutions and enabling constellations for customers.

    MISSION ASSURANCE ENGINEER

    Based out of Rocket Lab's global headquarters in Long Beach, the Mission Assurance Engineer is responsible for carrying out quality and mission assurance for all mission assurance activities under Space Systems. You will support the Space Systems organization, with deliverables required for internal leadership, board of directors, and investors.

    WHAT YOU'LL GET TO DO:

    • Work closely with Program/Product Managers and their teams to ensure products meet requirements for mission success
    • Develop and implement quality plans based on company procedures, government/industry standards, and best practices to ensure products meet mission/customer requirements
    • Develop tools and processes for managing and tracking risks, non-conformances, and component pedigree
    • Develop and implement EEE parts requirements
    • Provide oversight at technical reviews to ensure that products are being designed based on sound engineering principles
    • Provide recommendations to programs and products to improve spacecraft and satellite component quality
    • Work with teams to understand and mitigate radiation and other space environment risks
    • Support programs as necessary on mission assurance deliverables, reliability analyses, and risk assessments
    • Review purchase orders and subcontracts
    • Perform inspections at vendors

    YOU'LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS (Note: you must meet every qualification in order to be considered):

    • Bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical, or other engineering degree
    • 3+ years of mission or quality experience
    • Experience with spacecraft or satellite development programs

    THESE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE:

    • Advanced degree in engineering
    • Understanding of key spacecraft subsystems and their associated components
    • Hands-on experience in spacecraft integration and test programs
    • Working knowledge of Quality Management Systems IS09001 and AS9100, configuration and data management, and implementation of internal and contractual quality requirements
    • Extensive experience with EEE parts and radiation effects for full-lifecycle space hardware electronics design
    • Experience with anomaly resolution and root cause analysis
    • Previous experience in a mission assurance, program management, or systems engineering role
    • Understanding of NASA Class A-D mission assurance requirements
    • Experience with environmental testing, such as thermal vacuum or random vibration testing
    • Experience with satellite operations
    • Extensive knowledge of industry standards, such as SMC-S-021 and/or NASA GEVS

    Important information:

    FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING TO WORK IN US OFFICES ONLY:

    To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen as defined by ITAR (22 CFR §120.15) or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S Department of State.

    Rocket Lab provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment at Rocket Lab, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find product assurance 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 product assurance engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit product assurance engineer 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 product assurance engineers, 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. 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 product assurance engineer

    Once you've found the product assurance engineer 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 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.

    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 product assurance engineer?

Before you start to hire product assurance engineers, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire product assurance engineers pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

You can expect to pay around $84,075 per year for a product assurance engineer, 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 product assurance engineers in the US typically range between $31 and $51 an hour.

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