How to hire a sanitation engineer

How to hire a sanitation engineer, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a sanitation 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

   Hiring the perfect sanitation engineer 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.

   This list presents sanitation engineer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Sanitation Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Sanitation Engineer	Janitors and building cleaners keep many types of buildings clean, orderly, and in good condition.	$12-20
   Floor Technician	A floor technician's role is to maintain the cleanliness and sanitation of various areas within an establishment. Their responsibilities include operating cleaning equipment, conducting minimal repairs and inventory checks, arranging furniture and fixtures, organizing supplies, and keeping floors free from obstructions... Show more	$11-18
   Custodian	A custodian, also referred to as janitor, is responsible for maintaining cleanliness and helping protect all facilities. Custodians make sure everything is clean, neat, in order, and free from clutter and safe... Show more	$11-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Safety Procedures
   • Restrooms
   • Building Floors
   • Hoisting
   • CDL
   • Glass Partitions
   • Squeegees
   • Safety Standards
   • Disposal Site
   • Recyclable Materials
   • Routine Maintenance
   • Hazardous Materials
   • General Maintenance
   • Polish Furniture

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Operate automate or semi-automate hoisting devices.
   • Maintain freezer cleanliness and functionality, assist and coach coworkers in their daily duties until complete
   • Maintain machinery for daily USDA inspection

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, sanitation engineers' average salary in louisiana is 57% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level sanitation engineers 40% less than senior-level sanitation engineers.
   • Certifications. A sanitation 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 sanitation engineer's salary.

   Average sanitation engineer salary

   $15.81hourly

   $32,877 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level sanitation engineer salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a sanitation engineer job description

   A sanitation 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 sanitation engineer job description:

   Sanitation engineer job description example

   The Sanitation Engineer is responsible for the overall upkeep of the property's public areas, common areas, exteriors, vacant units, model units, floor care, and trash removal.
   
   The Sanitation Engineer also assists with litter pick-up, sidewalk cleaning, snow removal, and maintenance and cleaning duties. The position reports to the Maintenance Supervisor (on properties with over 300 units) or Property Manager (On properties with less than 300 units).
   Essential Functions:
   
   + Read and carry out work orders and requests promptly, thoroughly, and efficiently.
   
   + Carry out cleaning schedules and functions.
   
   + Performs necessary inspections of exteriors, units, equipment, and systems to determine cleaning needed.
   
   + Performs necessary inspections of grounds, parking, and fields to determine work needed.
   
   + Perform a variety of groundskeeping functions.
   
   + Record work, cleaning, and improvements performed.
   
   + Inventory, care for and maintain cleaning products, equipment, materials, and other supplies owned by the property and/or the management company.
   
   + Report unusual or extraordinary circumstances regarding the property or residents.
   
   + Diagnose issues, replace or repair parts, test and make adjustments, and report those and any unusual situations to proper supervision.
   
   + Perform a variety of cleaning functions.
   
   + Use a variety of hand and power tools in performing duties.
   
   + Apply chemicals.
   
   + Operate and comply with OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Act) standards and company safety policies at all times. Maintain clean and orderly work areas.
   
   + Maintain the required uniform and ensuring a professional appearance and courteous attitude at all times.
   
   + Assume other duties and responsibilities as may be delegated.
   
   + This position requires regular and predictable attendance as an essential function of the job.
   
   Experience & Education
   
   + High school education or equivalent.
   
   + One year of experience working in maintenance, custodial, or groundskeeping role in any industry preferred.
   
   + Ability to read the English language sufficiently to understand written work orders and instructions is required.
   
   + Possess basic troubleshooting skills and the ability to identify and repair defective system components.
   
   Grooming & Uniform
   
   + Must maintain a neat, clean, and well-groomed appearance. A distinctive uniform must be worn at all times while on duty.
   
   Physical Demands
   
   + N (Not Applicable) Activity is not applicable to this position.
   
   + O (Occasionally) Position requires this activity up to 33% of the time (0 - 2.5+ hrs/day)
   
   + F (Frequently) Position requires this activity from 33% - 66% of the time (2.5 - 5.5+ hrs/day)
   
   + C (Constantly) Position requires this activity more than 66% of the time (5.5+ hrs/day)
   
   Physical Demands
   
   Lift/Carry
   
   Push/Pull
   
   Stand - C
   
   Grasp - C
   
   10 lbs or less - C
   
   12 lbs or less - C
   
   Walk - C
   
   Reach Outward - C
   
   11-20 lbs - C
   
   13-25 lbs C
   
   Manually Manipulate - O
   
   Reach Above Shoulder - C
   
   21-50 lbs - C
   
   26-40 lbs C
   
   Sit - C
   
   Speak - C
   
   51-100 lbs - O
   
   41-100 lbs O
   
   Climb - C
   
   Crawl - C
   
   Over 100 lbs - N
   
   Squat or Kneel - C
   
   Bend - C
   
   Other Physical Requirements:
   
   Vision - C
   
   Comfortable working with heights up to 25 feet.
   
   Ability to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - Hearing Protection
   
   To accomplish this job, an individual must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, each essential function satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to help enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
   
   Work Environment
   
   Work is performed indoors and outdoors in a residential setting with regular exposure to cold, heat, noise, people, and equipment
   
   EOE/Disabled/Veterans Statement
   
   We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Each applicant for employment is considered solely on the basis of job qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other classification protected by law.
   
   Background Check Process
   
   Your resume and application information, including employment history, educational history, and credentials/certifications, are subject to verification.
   
   Acknowledgment
   
   This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the associate for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting sanitation engineers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   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 sanitation engineer

   Once you've found the sanitation 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 important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

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