How to hire a reliability technician

How to hire a reliability technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step reliability technician hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a reliability technician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new reliability technician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a reliability technician do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your reliability technician job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a reliability technician for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   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 reliability technician 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 reliability technicians and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Reliability Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Reliability Technician	Electrical and electronics engineering technicians help engineers design and develop computers, communications equipment, medical monitoring devices, navigational equipment, and other electrical and electronic equipment. They often work in product evaluation and testing, using measuring and diagnostic devices to adjust, test, and repair equipment... Show more	$17-32
   Technical Testing Engineer	A technical testing engineer is responsible for inspecting and reporting the quality of products across the production cycle. You will thoroughly check procedures, materials, and electrical and mechanical systems to produce high-quality products for customers... Show more	$29-60
   Instrument And Controls Technician	An instrument and controls technician is responsible for checking and inspecting the condition of production equipment and machinery, ensuring its stability to support business functions and manufacturing processes. Instrument and control technicians study schematics and blueprints of system components to assemble parts and analyze its features for measurement... Show more	$23-41

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Troubleshoot
   • Preventative Maintenance
   • Hand Tools
   • Ultrasound
   • Production Equipment
   • Data Collection
   • Gearboxes
   • CMMS
   • Vibration Analysis
   • AC
   • HVAC
   • Failure Analysis
   • PDM
   • PLC

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and analyze the SEO, SEM and analytics programs for both defensive and offensive marketing opportunities.
   • Experience in FDA cGMP standards, PAPR, and DEA clearances.
   • Used computer skills on a daily basis creating spreadsheets and charts for updating CMMS.
   • Develop a new PC rollout process for the team when replacing computers throughout the mill.
   • Perform standard lab tests using UV, humidity, hardness, gas and temperature chambers on metals and plastics.
   • Monitor the status of assign projects, troubleshoot incidents to determine possible source and initiate test incident report if require.

   More reliability technician duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, reliability technicians' average salary in tennessee is 40% less than in hawaii.
   • Seniority. Entry-level reliability technicians earn 45% less than senior-level reliability technicians.
   • Certifications. A reliability technician 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 reliability technician's salary.

   Average reliability technician salary

   $50,168yearly

   $24.12 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level reliability technician salary

   $37,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average reliability technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$65,137	$31
   2	Virginia	$62,937	$30
   3	Texas	$59,515	$29
   4	Nevada	$52,976	$25
   5	Illinois	$52,028	$25
   6	North Carolina	$51,690	$25
   7	Minnesota	$49,832	$24
   8	Oregon	$47,394	$23
   9	Washington	$46,845	$23
   10	Colorado	$46,837	$23
   11	Idaho	$46,655	$22
   12	South Carolina	$46,478	$22
   13	Missouri	$46,113	$22
   14	Georgia	$45,923	$22
   15	Wisconsin	$45,097	$22
   16	Utah	$42,444	$20
   17	Kansas	$39,574	$19

   Average reliability technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$65,283	$31.39	39
   2	Plug Power	$61,413	$29.53	2
   3	Owens Corning	$60,463	$29.07	2
   4	MasterBrand Cabinets	$57,575	$27.68
   5	BorgWarner	$56,375	$27.10	3
   6	WestRock	$56,112	$26.98	5
   7	Tesla	$55,728	$26.79	75
   8	ADM	$55,404	$26.64	17
   9	Sonoco	$55,189	$26.53	4
   10	Enterprise Products Partners	$54,927	$26.41	11
   11	Praxair	$54,741	$26.32
   12	Mars	$54,321	$26.12	6
   13	Clearwater Paper	$54,283	$26.10
   14	Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline	$54,021	$25.97
   15	Michelin	$53,505	$25.72	3
   16	Shaw Industries	$53,492	$25.72	32
   17	Novaspect	$52,258	$25.12	6
   18	Corning Incorporated	$52,117	$25.06	22
   19	EPCO Holdings, Inc.	$51,579	$24.80	18
   20	Enel Green Power	$51,532	$24.77

4. Writing a reliability technician job description

   A good reliability technician 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 reliability technician job description:

   Reliability technician job description example

   Starting Pay: $24.00 / hour
   
   Additional $2.00 shift differential from 3pm - 6am
   
   Shift: 1st
   
   This is a full-time position within our manufacturing facility with opportunities for advancement!
   
   What we want to do for you: We offer eligible employees competitive pay and a comprehensive benefits package designed to assist employees and their families with their financial security, health and well-being.
   
   + Health, Life, Dental, and Vision Plans
   
   + Earn up to 2 weeks paid time off during first year
   
   + 401k with Company Match
   
   Who we are:
   
   Schwan's Company, a U.S. affiliate of the global lifestyle company CJ CheilJedang Corporation, is a leading U.S. manufacturer and marketer of quality foods offered through retail-grocery and food-service channels. Its many popular brands include Red Baron , Tony's , Big Daddy's , Villa Prima™ and Freschetta pizza; Mrs. Smith's and Edwards desserts; and Pagoda Asian-style snacks. To learn more about Schwan's, visit www.schwanscompany.com .
   
   What we are looking for:
   
   + Here at Schwan's Company, we put a high priority on having safe, clean and healthy workspaces. We want individuals who take that seriously.
   
   + Candidates that possess a High School Diploma or equivalent and typically 3 years (preferably with predictive tool experience in an industrial setting)
   
   + Team players that will interact professionally with co-workers and train and mentor others on reliability methods
   
   + Bring high energy and positive attitude every day; always be curious and interested in learning
   
   + Speak up! Recommend areas for improvement or efficiency; always be an advocate for safety
   
   + Strong problem solving, analytical, troubleshooting, planning, and organizational skills
   
   + Good interpersonal and communication (both written and verbal) skills and strong computer skills
   
   + Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks simultaneously and ability to follow machine blueprints, diagrams, sketches, and maintenance standard operating procedures (SOPs)
   
   Responsibilities:
   
   + Assist with the improvement of the asset catalog, preventative maintenance optimization, and scheduling of corrective maintenance; write specifications, procedures, and test programs for reliability testing and characterization
   
   + Prepare technical reports, document test results, and assist in selection of new reliability equipment
   
   + Assemble and lead cross-functional teams (maintenance, operations, engineering, procurement) to support a wide variety of reliability improvement opportunities in the plant; act as a team resource for all types of breakdowns
   
   + Apply various reliability principles such as Asset Strategy Improvement (ASI), Operating Envelope (OE), Failure Modes & Effects Analysis (FMEA), Root Cause Analysis (RCA), Motor Circuit Analysis, various infrared thermography routes, structure and air bourn ultrasound routes, motor testing, vibration analysis, oil analysis, precision lubrication, and precision alignment
   
   + Resolve specific reliability issues and drive reliability improvements that support all areas of the plant
   
   + Install, move, remove, repair, and troubleshoot equipment
   
   + Work in a safe manner and report any unsafe conditions or practices
   
   + Other duties as assigned
   
   The employing subsidiaries of Schwan's Company are Equal Employment Opportunity Employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, age, race, color, religion, gender, vet status, national origin or other protected classes.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit reliability technicians, 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 reliability technician

   Once you've decided on a perfect reliability technician 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 equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new reliability technician. 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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