How to hire a satellite technician

How to hire a satellite technician, step by step

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

What does a satellite technician do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the satellite technician you need to hire. Certain satellite technician roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   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 satellite 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.

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

   Type of Satellite Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Satellite Technician		$13-21
   Cable Installation Technician	The 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
   Communications Technician	A communications technician utilizes their expertise in electronics by diagnosing issues and repairing devices ranging from cellphones, laptops, tablets, and more. They are responsible for troubleshooting and discussing the extent of malfunction with clients... Show more	$13-43

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Work Ethic
   • Broadband
   • Strong Customer Service
   • Site Surveys
   • Customer Service
   • Service Calls
   • Review Order
   • RF
   • Direct TV
   • Customers Homes
   • Trouble Calls
   • Test Equipment
   • Crawl Spaces
   • Cable Lines

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Install, manage, and troubleshoot CAT3, CAT5, CAT6, and fiber optic infrastructures throughout the greater Tulsa area.
   • Install phone lines, satellite dishes, and run coax cable.
   • Insure signal strength are to standard and run cabling to appropriate rooms for receiver installation.
   • Clean tools, utensils and dishes using dishwashers.
   • Develop an easy to use web interface for field technicians to configure customers' static IP information.
   • Utilize volt meters, wiring diagrams and schematics to locate faulty relays, capacitors, and controls.

   More satellite technician duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, satellite technicians' average salary in idaho is 37% less than in maryland.
   • Seniority. Entry-level satellite technicians 34% less than senior-level satellite technicians.
   • Certifications. A satellite technician 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 satellite technician's salary.

   Average satellite technician salary

   $36,473yearly

   $17.54 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level satellite technician salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average satellite technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$40,115	$19
   2	Connecticut	$39,780	$19
   3	Arizona	$38,671	$19
   4	New Hampshire	$38,568	$19
   5	Massachusetts	$37,822	$18
   6	New York	$37,779	$18
   7	Pennsylvania	$37,367	$18
   8	New Jersey	$36,905	$18
   9	New Mexico	$36,794	$18
   10	Missouri	$36,393	$18
   11	Utah	$36,338	$17
   12	Virginia	$36,020	$17
   13	Indiana	$35,927	$17
   14	Florida	$35,758	$17
   15	Michigan	$35,440	$17
   16	Colorado	$35,218	$17
   17	Ohio	$34,786	$17
   18	Tennessee	$34,605	$17
   19	Maine	$34,572	$17
   20	Minnesota	$33,480	$16

   Average satellite technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	GLOBALTECH HOLDINGS	$36,858	$17.72
   2	PBS	$36,528	$17.56
   3	DISH Network	$36,400	$17.50

4. Writing a satellite technician job description

   A good satellite 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 satellite technician job description:

   Satellite technician 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

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting satellite technicians 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 to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 technician

   Once you've found the satellite technician 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 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.

   To prepare for the new satellite technician 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.)

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