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How to hire a satellite installer

Satellite installer hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring satellite installers in the United States:

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

How to hire a satellite installer, step by step

To hire a satellite installer, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a satellite installer, you should follow these steps:

Here's a step-by-step satellite installer hiring guide:

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

    Before you post your satellite installer 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 satellite installer 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?

    You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a satellite installer to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a satellite installer that fits the bill.

    Here's a comparison of satellite installer salaries for various roles:

    Type of Satellite InstallerDescriptionHourly rate
    Satellite Installer$13-24
    Cable Installation TechnicianThe primary duties of a cable installation technician involve the installation, repair, and maintenance of residential cabling for television and internet services. Cable installation technicians service and sets up equipment and devices that carry signals like wiring, TV cable boxes, and internet routers... Show more$14-24
    Satellite TechnicianSatellite technicians are responsible for giving installation and repair solutions for satellite dishes, which generally deliver TV or internet signals. Primary tasks include installing, upgrading, and maintaining residential satellite products and optimizing the service they give... Show more$13-21
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Customer Service
    • Broadband
    • Site Surveys
    • Strong Customer Service
    • Direct TV
    • Customer Satisfaction
    • Service Calls
    • Customer Education
    • Customers Homes
    • Installation Sites
    • Installation Process
    • Cable Lines
    • Test Equipment
    • Safety Policies
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage telecommunications, data and CCTV equipment.
    • Connect HD receivers to broadband services, perform customer education as well as selling smart home services to customers.
    • Install cutting edge technology - place mounts, satellite dishes and receivers while ensuring broadband connectivity.
    • Install electronic burglar, fire, CCTV and card access systems in large commercial, small business and retail environments.
    • Pull low voltage wire (Siamese, CAT5, CAT6 and RG59) to necessary locations to deploy camera system.
    • Configure Cat6 cabling/wall jack terminations, testing voice/data line activity to confirm connections.
    More satellite installer duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your satellite installer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A satellite installer salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, satellite installers' average salary in alaska is 41% less than in california.
    • Seniority. Entry-level satellite installers earn 44% less than senior-level satellite installers.
    • Certifications. A satellite installer 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 satellite installer's salary.

    Average satellite installer salary

    $38,080yearly

    $18.31 hourly rate

    Entry-level satellite installer salary
    $28,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 16, 2025

    Average satellite installer salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$42,071$20
    2Arizona$39,684$19
    3New York$38,740$19
    4Massachusetts$38,399$18
    5New Hampshire$38,148$18
    6Pennsylvania$37,860$18
    7New Jersey$37,577$18
    8Florida$35,733$17
    9New Mexico$35,635$17
    10Virginia$35,155$17
    11Missouri$34,905$17
    12Michigan$34,895$17
    13Indiana$34,816$17
    14Maine$34,722$17
    15Colorado$34,310$17
    16Tennessee$34,223$16
    17Ohio$33,857$16
    18Utah$33,785$16
    19Kansas$33,281$16
    20Minnesota$33,201$16

    Average satellite installer salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1DISH Network$37,686$18.12
  4. Writing a satellite installer job description

    A job description for a satellite installer 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 satellite installer job description:

    Satellite installer job description example

    Do you like being active and working hands-on with the latest cutting-edge technology?

    Join our J.D. Power award-winning In-Home Services team!

    Check out our video to experience a day in the life of a DISH Technician:

    The In-Home Services organization supports thousands of talented employees in 125+ facilities delivering service solutions to customers in every zip code. Our installation technicians are leading the charge for better customer experience, educating and connecting more Americans with every home they visit. Our dedication to customer experience is paying off: in 2022, DISH earned the J.D. Power award for being #1 in Overall Customer Satisfaction for the fifth year in a row.

    What's in it for you?
    • $20.25 per hour
      • Plus, a promotion at 6 months with a $1.00 per hour pay increase!
    • Paid incentive with potential for up to $6,400 in your first year and $9,100 each year after that based on your performance!
    • Our greatest benefit is opportunity, as we promote from within
      • Over 300 current Field Managers started their career as DISH Technicians!
      • Continued pay increases of 10% built in with each new DISH Technician level achieved!
      • Grow four levels as a DISH Technician and beyond over the course of your career!
    • Paid time off - vacation and sick time
    • Free DISH TV programming at a value of $114.99/month at your home, plus deeply discounted SlingTV and Boost Mobile plans
    • Paid training, tools, and uniforms


    What will you be doing?

    We build our value around simplifying lives. With installation expertise and a passion for sharing it, our technicians are building opportunities for themselves far into the future.

    In this role, you will:
    • Install and manage customer products, while creating opportunities to sell them on new personalized technology
    • Work autonomously to upsell and offer smart home solutions to customers on a daily basis
    • Relocate power and place mounts, satellite dishes, televisions, routers, cameras, receivers and whole-home connectivity technology in customer homes
    • Conduct site surveys and in-person home assessments

    What's in it for you?
    • $22.25 per hour
      • Plus, a promotion at 6 months with a $1.00 per hour pay increase!
    • Paid incentive with potential for up to $6,400 in your first year and $9,100 each year after that based on your performance!
    • Our greatest benefit is opportunity, as we promote from within
      • Over 300 current Field Managers started their career as DISH Technicians!
      • Continued pay increases of 10% built in with each new DISH Technician level achieved!
      • Grow four levels as a DISH Technician and beyond over the course of your career!
    • Paid time off - vacation and sick time
    • Free DISH TV programming at a value of $114.99/month at your home, plus deeply discounted SlingTV and Boost Mobile plans
    • Paid training, tools, and uniforms


    What will you be doing?

    We build our value around simplifying lives. With installation expertise and a passion for sharing it, our technicians are building opportunities for themselves far into the future.

    In this role, you will:
    • Install and manage customer products, while creating opportunities to sell them on new personalized technology
    • Work autonomously to upsell and offer smart home solutions to customers on a daily basis
    • Relocate power and place mounts, satellite dishes, televisions, routers, cameras, receivers and whole-home connectivity technology in customer homes
    • Conduct site surveys and in-person home assessments

    From versatile health perks to new career opportunities, check out our benefits on our careers website .

    Employment is contingent on successful completion of a pre-employment screen, to include a drug test and an acceptable driving record.

    Additional Benefits!
    • Insurance Benefits including Medical, Dental, and Vision
      • HSA contributions of up to $520/year by taking the tobacco free pledge, health assessment, and enrolling in online Rx and Virtual Visits
    • 401(k) retirement plan with company-match vested funds of $.50 per dollar up to $2,500/year plus generous profit sharing
    • Stock Purchase Plan - Option to acquire DISH stock at 15% discounted rates
    • Deep discounts with Smart Home Services products such as soundbars, routers, and smart cameras/doorbells
    • Tuition Reimbursement of up to 75% of eligible expenses up to $2,000 per year at an accredited college or university after 90 days of employment plus discounts with several universities we've partnered with
    • Incredible Rewards and Recognition program - trophies and food days, branded clothing and high-value prizes, on and off-site events, elaborate rewards trips, and much more
    • Ability to promote two levels within your first year with commensurate title and hourly pay increase of 10%
    • DISH is committed to putting safety first by providing all personal protective equipment, including masks, gloves, protective eyewear and sanitizing solutions. Additionally, we train our technicians on current COVID protocols, stringent cleaning practices and how to limit one-on-one interactions while servicing customers' homes.
    • Ability to promote into multiple levels of leadership within IHS, Commercial, Sales, and Wireless
    • Ongoing training and development to maximize your career potential
  5. Post your job

    There are various strategies that you can use to find the right satellite installer 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 satellite installer job on Zippia to find and recruit satellite installer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting satellite installers 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.

    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 satellite installer

    Once you've found the satellite installer 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.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new satellite installer. 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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How much does it cost to hire a satellite installer?

Recruiting satellite installers involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

The median annual salary for satellite installers is $38,080 in the US. However, the cost of satellite installer hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a satellite installer for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $13 and $24 an hour.

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