How to hire a scada operator

How to hire a scada operator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step scada operator hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a scada operator, 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a scada operator 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 scada operator that fits the bill.

   This list presents scada operator salaries for various positions.

   Type of Scada Operator	Description	Hourly rate
   Scada Operator	Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators manage a system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.	$15-30
   Water Treatment Technician	Water treatment technicians work every day in observing agricultural plant functions, which includes obtaining the daily requirements and making suitable adjustments to satisfy those demands. They carefully implement process sampling to exactly gauge and keep track of levels... Show more	$13-32
   Water Technician	Typically working at water treatment facilities, a water technician specializes in installing and repairing equipment to ensure the good quality of water and consumers' safety. It is their duty to operate tools and equipment, gather and analyze samples to detect any contaminants, participate in adjusting chemical levels, and perform regular maintenance checks on machines to ensure efficiency... Show more	$13-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • SCADA

   Responsibilities:

   • Maintain buildings HVAC / lighting automation systems and make adjustments as needed for tenant's comfort and to manage energy consumption.
   • Acknowledge and answer SCADA alarms by identifying priority levels and notifying appropriate personnel.
   • Prepare asphalt mixtures per customer requirements, load and unload tankers and monitor tanks and assist with paperwork
   • Conduct leak surveys along pipelines using flame-pak and CGI units.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, scada operators' average salary in arkansas is 57% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level scada operators earn 50% less than senior-level scada operators.
   • Certifications. A scada operator 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 scada operator's salary.

   Average scada operator salary

   $45,474yearly

   $21.86 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level scada operator salary

   $32,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

4. Writing a scada operator job description

   A scada operator 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a scada operator job description:

   Scada operator job description example

   A Kforce client is seeking to hire a SCADA Operations Support in Juno Beach, Florida (FL).Responsibilities include:
   * Monitor SCADA support systems and assist in outage events
   
   * Assure the continuous operation of the SCADA environment
   
   * SCADA Operations Support will monitor production, stage environments, and applications to assure a minimal outage to all SCADA applications
   
   * Improves speed, efficiency, stability of deployment and production environments
   
   * SCADA Operations Support creates appropriate documentation
   
   * Makes recommendations for improving existing architecture
   
   * Participates, plans disaster recovery testing, and implementation
   
   * Participates in regular staged releases to production and other environments as needed
   
   * SCADA Operations Support works in a cooperative and professional manner with all levels of employees, clients, and/or vendor
   
   * Analyze historical alarm logs to assure efficient resolution
   
   * Cross train others in group on new application environments and practices
   
   * Communicate with all members of the SCADA support team of outstanding issues and areas needing attention
   
   * SCADA Operations Support will backfill documentation and procedures when new functionality is determined to be affective
   
   * Bachelor's degree in a related field is desired
   
   * 5 years of experience in a combination of the following areas: 3 years of understanding of server architectures and Operating Systems (Windows/LINUX/Unix)
   
   * 3 years of identifying, troubleshooting, resolving technical problems using critical thinking and analytical skills in fast paced environment preferred
   
   * Understanding or project life cycles (Waterfall and Agile)
   
   * Working knowledge of server operating systems and virtual environments
   
   * Understand SAN and Database technologies (EMC/Oracle, MSSQL) performance and communications
   
   * Experience with network and file p1rotocols including HTTP, SFTP, XML, HTML, Modbus, REST, and SSH
   
   * Understanding of networking concepts (firewalls, routers, and switches)
   
   * Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and SharePoint
   
   * Motivated individual, who can work independently
   
   * Proficient verbal and written communication skills
   
   Kforce is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status.*Compensation Type:*Hours

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find scada operators for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any scada operators they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level scada operators with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your scada operator job on Zippia to find and recruit scada operator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with scada operator 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.

   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 scada operator

   Once you've decided on a perfect scada operator 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.

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