How to hire a senior controls engineer

How to hire a senior controls engineer, step by step

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

What does a senior controls engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

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

   Type of Senior Controls Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Controls Engineer	Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacturing of electrical equipment, such as electric motors, radar and navigation systems, communications systems, and power generation equipment. Electronics engineers design and develop electronic equipment, such as broadcast and communications systems—from portable music players to global positioning systems (GPSs).	$39-66
   Engineering Trainee	An engineering trainee is responsible for shadowing engineers in their duties and performing administrative tasks as needed. Engineering trainees assist the engineers in inspecting construction sites and conducting field research... Show more	$20-39
   Radio Frequency Engineer	A radio frequency engineer, also known as RF engineer, specializes in designing and developing communication systems using radio waves. One of their primary responsibilities revolves around creating networks and systems and testing equipment... Show more	$32-55

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Control Systems
   • HMI
   • C++
   • Allen-Bradley
   • SCADA
   • MATLAB
   • Project Management
   • UL
   • System Design
   • Hmi Programming
   • Technical Support
   • Process Control
   • Servo
   • Software Development

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage all G/L, A/R, A/P, bank, loans and equity accounts.
   • Design reporting system using MatLab program to automate daily and weekly report.
   • Lead the management team in implementing MISys which fully intergrade QuickBooks regarding the manufacturing process.
   • Manage all aspects of business start-up, advance daily accounting, and month- and year-end functions.
   • Establish communication links and prepare machines for bench-testing to attain UL certification.
   • Develop motion control code to communicate with an Allen-Bradley PLC through TCP/IP.

   More senior controls engineer duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, senior controls engineers' average salary in montana is 47% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior controls engineers earn 41% less than senior-level senior controls engineers.
   • Certifications. A senior controls engineer 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 senior controls engineer's salary.

   Average senior controls engineer salary

   $107,298yearly

   $51.59 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior controls engineer salary

   $82,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average senior controls engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$141,830	$68
   2	Washington	$118,997	$57
   3	District of Columbia	$117,091	$56
   4	Texas	$115,197	$55
   5	Massachusetts	$111,376	$54
   6	Michigan	$103,451	$50
   7	New York	$99,269	$48
   8	Colorado	$96,471	$46
   9	New Hampshire	$96,209	$46
   10	Missouri	$95,377	$46
   11	Minnesota	$93,400	$45
   12	Illinois	$90,953	$44
   13	Georgia	$89,421	$43
   14	Oregon	$89,410	$43
   15	North Carolina	$86,216	$41
   16	Ohio	$84,562	$41
   17	South Carolina	$84,233	$41
   18	Indiana	$81,157	$39

   Average senior controls engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Sagent Pharmaceuticals	$139,938	$67.28
   2	Intuitive Surgical	$135,147	$64.97	8
   3	Rivian	$131,117	$63.04	20
   4	Microsoft	$130,143	$62.57	83
   5	Seres	$129,570	$62.29	1
   6	Vicarious	$125,424	$60.30
   7	Citi	$124,697	$59.95	2
   8	BlueCrest Capital Management	$124,207	$59.71
   9	Tesla	$122,963	$59.12	10
   10	BorgWarner	$122,800	$59.04	8
   11	ViacomCBS	$122,526	$58.91
   12	Nikola Motor	$121,779	$58.55
   13	Lucid Motors	$121,034	$58.19	15
   14	Nexteer Automotive	$120,904	$58.13	4
   15	Nordstrom	$120,297	$57.84	2
   16	Oshkosh	$118,801	$57.12	20
   17	City National Bank	$118,744	$57.09
   18	Dana Incorporated	$118,143	$56.80	3
   19	FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies	$118,140	$56.80	1
   20	Allison Transmission	$116,973	$56.24	2

4. Writing a senior controls engineer job description

   A job description for a senior controls engineer 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 senior controls engineer job description:

   Senior controls engineer job description example

   Sr. Controls Engineer - Strong knowledge of the construction and/or HVAC/R industry, control theory, automatic temperature controls, building automation systems and industrial control systems. The controls engineer must have in-field experience interpreting industry standards, specifications, schedules, control diagrams, sequence of operations and energy management concepts. with the ability to carry a product design from conception into production through design, implementation, commissioning and turn-over. Familiarity with hardware and software used to monitor and control industrial systems to include Programmable Logic Controllers, analog and digital instrumentation and Supervisor Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) components. Experience with Building Automation and Control Networking Protocol (BACNet) and Modbus inter-operable standard network protocol.
   
   The Engineers will interface with the Government's Design and Construction Management teams for communication of technical information about the project(s). The personnel will support multiple projects in various stages of the Project Lifecycle as defined in the BPA.
   Requirements
   
   Candidate must have successfully completed a bachelor's degree in engineering from a college or university that has ABET accredited engineering programs. Degrees in engineering technology are NOT considered qualifying for this position.
   
   Engineering degrees earned outside the United States must be recognized by a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) often known as accords. These are non-governmental agreements among organizations that accredit academic degree programs. MRAs recognize the substantial equivalence of mature accreditation systems and programs accredited by signatory organizations within their jurisdictions.
   
   Candidate must be able to demonstrate at least seven (7) years' relevant experience. Professional Engineering license preferred.
   
   In addition to the scope of work defined in the BPA, the Senior Controls Engineer shall:
   
   a. Provide Industrial Control and Building Automation System Controls expertise to support system design and performance analysis for facility and infrastructure projects across the Center
   
   b. Provide expertise, proficiency, and knowledge in the installation and operation of direct digital controls and/or Programmable Logic Units.
   
   c. Be proficient with the use of the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Outlook), Adobe Pro and AutoCAD and cost estimating software. The government will issue a computer for use.
   
   d. Be fluent in American English, both written and spoken, grammar, spelling and technical report writing.
   
   e. Be capable of walking on uneven surfaces such as may be encountered on a construction site inspection up to 1 mile. Be capable of standing for extended periods in the heat and a variety of weather conditions. Be able to climb stairs and a ladder without assistance. Be able to bend and reach to visually inspect equipment installations and site conditions.
   
   Benefits
   
   Medical, dental, vision insurance
   
   Life insurance
   
   Short-term and long-term disability insurance
   
   11 paid federal holidays
   
   Paid vacation
   
   401K with company match

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit senior controls engineers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up 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.

   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 senior controls engineer

   Once you've decided on a perfect senior controls engineer 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 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.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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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