How to hire a product engineering manager

How to hire a product engineering manager, step by step

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

What does a product engineering manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a product engineering manager, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

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

   Here's a comparison of product engineering manager salaries for various roles:

   Type of Product Engineering Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Product Engineering Manager	Architectural and engineering managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities in architectural and engineering companies.	$43-83
   Design Manager	A design manager is responsible for creating graphic and digital designs, following clients' specifications, and managing project deliverables efficiently. Design managers work closely with the marketing and public relations department, developing strategies to promote the brand to the target audience... Show more	$33-72
   Manager, Systems Engineering	A systems engineering manager is responsible for monitoring the efficiency of the company's technology systems and network infrastructure. System engineering managers inspect the output deliverables of computer systems, identifying process improvement techniques to improve optimal performance and maintain high-quality results... Show more	$46-84

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Project Management
   • Product Management
   • Product Engineering
   • Product Line
   • Java
   • Continuous Improvement
   • C++
   • Product Development
   • API
   • Software Development
   • R
   • UL
   • Product Design
   • CAD

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Design, build and manage the ParagusIT OpenStack base private cloud.
   • Lead global engineering team in pursuit of major European OEM's medium and heavy-duty axle business.
   • Manage and coordinate communication with SME teams during disasters.
   • Manage outsourced/contract vendors and suppliers including HVAC, elevators, electrical and mechanical systems.
   • Manage a group of engineers that design semi-custom commercial / industrial HVAC and refrigeration equipment.
   • Participate and lead multiple Kaizen events, including facility layout, productivity, system integration and setup reductions.

   More product engineering manager duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, product engineering managers' average salary in wyoming is 36% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level product engineering managers 48% less than senior-level product engineering managers.
   • Certifications. A product engineering manager 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 engineering manager's salary.

   Average product engineering manager salary

   $125,592yearly

   $60.38 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level product engineering manager salary

   $90,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average product engineering manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$158,934	$76
   2	Washington	$128,478	$62
   3	Pennsylvania	$123,780	$60
   4	Arizona	$122,748	$59
   5	Virginia	$120,419	$58
   6	Massachusetts	$120,339	$58
   7	New York	$118,450	$57
   8	Michigan	$117,419	$56
   9	Texas	$114,838	$55
   10	Indiana	$110,607	$53
   11	Georgia	$108,053	$52
   12	Minnesota	$107,939	$52
   13	Illinois	$105,927	$51
   14	District of Columbia	$105,607	$51
   15	North Carolina	$105,299	$51
   16	Wisconsin	$104,960	$50
   17	Colorado	$101,262	$49
   18	Ohio	$101,176	$49
   19	Florida	$99,556	$48

   Average product engineering manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Airbnb	$199,016	$95.68	2
   2	Apple	$191,135	$91.89	245
   3	Google	$190,233	$91.46	422
   4	eBay	$185,120	$89.00	28
   5	DoorDash	$184,591	$88.75	85
   6	Crunchbase	$183,559	$88.25
   7	Asana	$179,604	$86.35	5
   8	Dropbox	$171,989	$82.69	12
   9	Arcturus Therapeutics	$171,958	$82.67
   10	The Walt Disney Company	$170,606	$82.02	99
   11	Rubrik	$169,935	$81.70	173
   12	NVIDIA	$165,342	$79.49	56
   13	Citi	$161,960	$77.87	43
   14	Snowflake Computing	$158,459	$76.18	20
   15	Amazon	$158,362	$76.14	581
   16	Cisco	$157,785	$75.86	439
   17	Wayfair	$156,814	$75.39	21
   18	Tally	$156,145	$75.07
   19	Lowe's Companies	$155,578	$74.80	9
   20	Koch Industries	$155,506	$74.76	5

4. Writing a product engineering manager job description

   A job description for a product engineering manager 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 product engineering manager job description:

   Product engineering manager job description example

   At Pensar we are passionate about design and engineering, solving tough problems, thrilling our Clients, and having fun while doing it. We bring leading-edge product development to a wide range of Clients through our world-class team, and we're looking for a Technical Project Manager to join us!
   
   Much of our success relies upon providing each Client with a customized experience that is tailored to their unique product, portfolio, and market goals. We strive to understand what is distinctly valuable to them and how they define success. We articulate key insights and risks in a timely, transparent, and concise manner to empower them to be better prepared in making pivotal decisions. We get our hands dirty, honor our commitments, and are personally engaged in driving the success of their projects.
   
   Pensar supports Clients throughout the entire product development process. As a Product Engineering Project Manager, you will have the opportunity to lead the Pensar team through project inception, concept ideation and refinement, detailed design, pre-production, manufacturing release, and sustaining.
   
   Job OverviewProject Leadership - Lead cross-discipline engineering teams while providing the support they need to be effective, efficient, and successful. Client Management - Thrill Clients by being resourceful, responsive, and ultimately responsible for their project's success. Employ effective communication and expectation management while serving as Pensar's primary point of contact for the project. Synthesize and distill complex information into summaries and trade-offs to enable Clients to make better decisions for their business. Technical Expertise - Utilize your engineering experience and deep understanding of the product development process to assess and navigate architectural decisions, technical options, trade-offs, and risks with the team and Clients. Risk Management - Develop and master advanced risk management skills, including how to establish acceptable risk criteria, when to escalate issues, and how to communicate risk positions to Clients. Resource Planning - Analyze project needs and resource options, coordinate planning with team members and stakeholders, and implement new project staffing plans. Fundamentals - Develop and manage project logistics including proposals, schedules, budgets, requirements, plan of record, risk analysis, mitigation plans, technical documentation, design reviews, and presentations.
   
   Required Experience3+ years in hardware product development (concept through production) 3+ years technical project management 3+ years technical design Managed multiple projects simultaneously Led cross-discipline teams (e.g., EE, ME, SW, FW, ID) Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills (for all audiences, including executive management) Fully competent in MS Project, Excel, and PowerPoint Bachelor's degree in engineering or technical discipline (e.g., EE, ME, CE, CS, ID)
   
   Preferred ExperienceConsulting Firmware and/or software product development, SDLC, Agile, Scrum Formal project management training (e.g., PMP, PMI-ACP) Regulated environment and development (e.g., medical [60601, 62304], aerospace)
   Diversity & Inclusion
   The individual skills and personalities that make up our incredible Pensar Crew are truly what set us apart and allow us to continue delivering results that exceed Client expectations. Pensar fosters an environment of respect, learning, and growth.
   
   Pensar is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we value diversity. All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business needs.
   
   *Pensar is not accepting Candidates from 3rd Party Agencies*

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right product engineering manager for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your product engineering manager job on Zippia to find and recruit product 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 product 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 product engineering manager

   Once you have selected a candidate for the product engineering manager 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

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

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