How to hire a requirements engineer

How to hire a requirements engineer, step by step

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

What does a requirements engineer do?

Post a requirements engineer job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a requirements engineer, 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 requirements engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, requirements 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 presents requirements engineer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Requirements Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Requirements Engineer	Software developers are the creative minds behind computer programs. Some develop the applications that allow people to do specific tasks on a computer or another device... Show more	$29-57
   SQL Server Developer	A structured query language (SQL) server developer is a specialist who is tasked to develop and maintain systems to store, organize, and access databases. With their experience in data architect and management, SQL server developers can develop and scale SQL databases based on the needs of their organization... Show more	$34-54
   Developer/Consultant	A developer/consultant is responsible for developing system databases and applications, depending on the business' needs and clients' specifications. Developers/consultants design their services to manage optimal performance and maximize productivity for timely submission of projects, ensuring client satisfaction and loyalty... Show more	$34-64

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Java
   • Software Development
   • PowerPoint
   • Project Management
   • Infrastructure
   • Design Reviews
   • Commercial Off-The-Shelf
   • Engineering Processes
   • NASA
   • System Design
   • Product Development
   • SQL
   • NGA
   • DHS

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead deployment of ClearQuest for UUNet.
   • Lead the requirements effort for several projects release to the FDA.
   • Lead acceptance test plan and procedure development in a UNIX environment.
   • Assist the scrum master to manage resources and facilitate for the team.
   • Report, manage and escalate defects using the defect management tools JIRA, TFS & ClearQuest.
   • Focuse on the planning, facilitating, capturing and managing of business requirements using the SDLC project methodology.

   More requirements engineer duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, requirements engineers' average salary in south dakota is 39% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level requirements engineers 48% less than senior-level requirements engineers.
   • Certifications. A requirements 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 requirements engineer's salary.

   Average requirements engineer salary

   $87,170yearly

   $41.91 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level requirements engineer salary

   $62,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average requirements engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$115,078	$55
   2	Washington	$105,026	$50
   3	Oregon	$95,509	$46
   4	Arizona	$90,285	$43
   5	New York	$86,727	$42
   6	Massachusetts	$86,438	$42
   7	Texas	$84,018	$40
   8	Utah	$83,980	$40
   9	Maine	$83,571	$40
   10	District of Columbia	$83,190	$40
   11	New Jersey	$81,925	$39
   12	Pennsylvania	$79,128	$38
   13	Virginia	$78,439	$38
   14	Florida	$77,636	$37
   15	North Carolina	$76,077	$37
   16	Michigan	$74,681	$36
   17	Georgia	$74,532	$36
   18	Colorado	$74,519	$36
   19	Minnesota	$74,103	$36
   20	Illinois	$74,081	$36

   Average requirements engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	The Citadel	$165,246	$79.45	6
   2	ByteDance	$161,534	$77.66	13
   3	Meta	$160,755	$77.29	3,241
   4	The Knot	$160,589	$77.21
   5	Mailchimp	$153,544	$73.82
   6	Airbnb	$152,593	$73.36	2
   7	Crunchbase	$152,556	$73.34
   8	BitGo	$151,594	$72.88	6
   9	Zenefits	$151,407	$72.79
   10	Netflix	$151,006	$72.60	24
   11	NING	$150,657	$72.43
   12	TikTok	$150,198	$72.21	86
   13	Quora	$150,176	$72.20	2
   14	StumbleUpon	$148,168	$71.23
   15	Match Group	$148,101	$71.20	15
   16	Flexport	$146,886	$70.62	16
   17	Upstart Network	$146,636	$70.50
   18	Lyft	$146,510	$70.44	6
   19	Atlassian	$146,017	$70.20	12
   20	Credit Karma	$144,949	$69.69	1

4. Writing a requirements engineer job description

   A good requirements 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 requirements engineer job description:

   Requirements engineer job description example

   This Artificial Intelligence Engineer opportunity is part of our Operational Transformation and Intelligent Automation Team. As an AI Engineer on our team, you will work with key systems across the PBM, HCB and Retail businesses, evaluating the latest technologies, designing, and delivering "art of the possible solutions" to improve operations and enhance member and client satisfaction.You will be a key member of our team, helping provide strategic solutions, evaluate processes and technologies, and develop AI applications to deliver production solutions to meet CVS goals and objectives. Some of the responsibilities you will have include:- Working with a team of professionals that examine end to end processes and design automation solutions using the latest technologies. - Working with third party technology providers and internal IT application and infrastructure teams to ensure timely delivery of the solution with a high degree of quality.- Performing calculations and applying computer skills to design and develop relevant software.- Collaborating with the project management office to ensure project reporting and escalation.- Technical presentations to key leadership and stakeholders.- Evaluation of Technology/Vendor Selection.- Analyzing data to uncover trends/patterns.- Creating test harnesses and manufactured data to test system efficacy.- Working with the Business team to address functional and performance defects.* Please note this position is available remote anywhere in the US.
   Pay Range
   
   The typical pay range for this role is:
   
   Minimum: 75,000
   
   Maximum: 167,000
   
   Please keep in mind that this range represents the pay range for all positions in the job grade within which this position falls. The actual salary offer will take into account a wide range of factors, including location.
   
   Required Qualifications
   
   - 4+ years of experience with application development.- 4+ years of experience programming with Python, R, Perl or any other Object-Oriented languages such as Java, LISP or Net.- 2+ years of hands-on experience with Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Deep Learning Technologies (AWS, Azure services, IBM Watson or other AI Platforms).- 1+ years of experience in Data Modeling and or Data Mining.
   
   COVID Requirements
   
   COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement
   
   CVS Health requires certain colleagues to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (including any booster shots if required), where allowable under the law, unless they are approved for a reasonable accommodation based on disability, medical condition, religious belief, or other legally recognized reasons that prevents them from being vaccinated.
   
   You are required to have received at least one COVID-19 shot prior to your first day of employment and to provide proof of your vaccination status or apply for a reasonable accommodation within the first 10 days of your employment. Please note that in some states and roles, you may be required to provide proof of full vaccination or an approved reasonable accommodation before you can begin to actively work.
   
   Preferred Qualifications
   
   - Strong Knowledge of Natural Language Processing, Computer Vision, IVR and RPA solutions.- Proficient in analyzing complex systems (applications/data structures) and their associated relationships.- Data visualization experience with Tableau or other package.- Strong understanding of XML and XSD structures.
   
   Education
   
   Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience in Computer Science, Engineering, Machine Learning, or related discipline.Master's degree preferred.
   
   Business Overview
   
   Bring your heart to CVS HealthEvery one of us at CVS Health shares a single, clear purpose: Bringing our heart to every moment of your health. This purpose guides our commitment to deliver enhanced human-centric health care for a rapidly changing world. Anchored in our brand - with heart at its center - our purpose sends a personal message that how we deliver our services is just as important as what we deliver.Our Heart At Work Behaviors™ support this purpose. We want everyone who works at CVS Health to feel empowered by the role they play in transforming our culture and accelerating our ability to innovate and deliver solutions to make health care more personal, convenient and affordable. We strive to promote and sustain a culture of diversity, inclusion and belonging every day. CVS Health is an affirmative action employer, and is an equal opportunity employer, as are the physician-owned businesses for which CVS Health provides management services. We do not discriminate in recruiting, hiring, promotion, or any other personnel action based on race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex/gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right requirements engineer 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 requirements engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit requirements engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with requirements engineer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   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.

   Sometimes, it's not enough to interview requirements engineer candidates, so you can ask them to do a test project. If you are not a technical person and don't know what a test project should be, you can use these websites:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   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 requirements engineer

   Once you've found the requirements 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.

   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.

   To prepare for the new requirements engineer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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 requirements engineer?