How to hire a senior electronic engineer

How to hire a senior electronic engineer, step by step

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

What does a senior electronic engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The senior electronic engineer hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A senior electronic engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, senior electronic 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.

   Here's a comparison of senior electronic engineer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Senior Electronic Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Electronic 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).	$38-67
   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
   Hardware Engineer	Hardware engineers or computer hardware engineers are responsible for developing, designing, and examining computer hardware. They help speed up new computer technology by creating enhancements in computer hardware... Show more	$37-68

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Power Electronics
   • Analog
   • C++
   • MATLAB
   • PCB
   • Firmware
   • RF
   • AC
   • Circuit Design
   • FPGA
   • Test Equipment
   • Design Reviews
   • UL
   • System Design

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage product lines through UL, CE and other safety and emissions requirements.
   • Utilize system engineering to identify and achieve compliance for module/vehicle functionality, design direction, and EMC redesign support.
   • Apply technical knowledge in electromagnetic theory and microwave technology to plan and manage projects concern with ground-base radar systems.
   • Board designs include USB, SPI, I2C, RS232, SDI, CameraLink interfaces.
   • Assist the senior engineer with circuit prototyping.
   • Develop VHDL source code for test stations including test benches.

   More senior electronic engineer duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, senior electronic engineers' average salary in montana is 47% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior electronic engineers 43% less than senior-level senior electronic engineers.
   • Certifications. A senior electronic 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 senior electronic engineer's salary.

   Average senior electronic engineer salary

   $106,931yearly

   $51.41 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior electronic engineer salary

   $80,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average senior electronic engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$141,681	$68
   2	Arizona	$111,020	$53
   3	Texas	$109,212	$53
   4	Massachusetts	$107,829	$52
   5	Maryland	$106,621	$51
   6	Michigan	$103,704	$50
   7	Alabama	$101,200	$49
   8	Minnesota	$97,957	$47
   9	Colorado	$97,519	$47
   10	Florida	$95,491	$46
   11	Pennsylvania	$93,217	$45
   12	North Carolina	$91,818	$44
   13	Ohio	$91,506	$44
   14	Utah	$91,402	$44
   15	Illinois	$88,262	$42
   16	Georgia	$87,464	$42
   17	Indiana	$81,552	$39
   18	Wisconsin	$72,153	$35

   Average senior electronic engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$147,341	$70.84	246
   2	Bloomberg	$131,945	$63.44	7
   3	Rivian	$129,346	$62.19	34
   4	Tesla	$127,573	$61.33	89
   5	Amazon	$124,332	$59.77	365
   6	Lucid Motors	$122,835	$59.06	45
   7	Intuitive Surgical	$121,033	$58.19	11
   8	Dolby Laboratories	$118,640	$57.04
   9	Volvo Trucks	$117,456	$56.47
   10	Oplink Communications	$115,084	$55.33
   11	Meritor	$114,565	$55.08
   12	Enphase Energy	$114,048	$54.83	5
   13	CTS Corporation	$114,038	$54.83
   14	TRW Automotive Holdings	$113,926	$54.77
   15	Randstad North America, Inc.	$113,421	$54.53	4
   16	American Axle & Manufacturing	$113,155	$54.40	3
   17	Lindsay	$113,110	$54.38	3
   18	3M Company	$112,638	$54.15	8
   19	Natera	$112,557	$54.11	3
   20	D&Y Staffing	$112,214	$53.95

4. Writing a senior electronic engineer job description

   A senior electronic 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a senior electronic engineer job description:

   Senior electronic engineer job description example

   US Citizen:Security Clearance: Applicants selected for this position will be required to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.
   Contract 6-12+ months 40 hours weekly
   
   Candidate will be expected to be on site as needed for the project. Hybrid as current model, 2/3 days on site.
   
   Client is seeking a senior engineer for a role focused on electronics packaging. Specific responsibilities include: - Perform mechanical design and development associated with the physical arrangement of electronic circuits including assembly design, analysis, build, test, and documentation support -
   
   Requires candidate to have "diel level packaging experience" Execute the design, tolerance analysis, evaluation, or failure analysis of assigned projects using mechanical design principles - Drive solutions to complex, customer driven problems with limited direction - develop requirements, propose ways forward when customer requirements are unclear or incomplete, and adapt appropriately to changes in requirements - Communicate effectively and openly with multi-disciplinary program teams, senior management, and sponsors - Track record of leading teams of 3 or more people to accomplish program goals, developing time/budgetary estimates, and mentoring junior engineers - Strong organization, planning and time management skills to achieve program goals Qualifications:
   
   Required Qualifications: - Bachelor of Science degree with 7+ years of experience in a relevant field such as mechanical engineering, materials science, or manufacturing engineering - Master of Science degree with 5+ years of experience in a relevant field such as mechanical engineering, materials science, or manufacturing engineering - Team player able to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to handle multiple competing tasks and demands - Experience with materials, fabrication, and assembly techniques associated with printed circuit assemblies including surface mount technology, high density substrates, rigid-flex designs, and integrated circuit assembly -
   
   Experience designing/directing the physical layout of electrical circuits including SMD, interconnect definition, and integrated circuit assembly techniques - die level experience. Experience designing in 3D CAD using SolidWorks and/or CREO
   
   Preferred Qualifications: - Experience with analysis tools such as ANSYS, COMSOL, and/or MatLab - Familiarity with machine shop tools and processes, prototyping, and vendor coordination - Experience writing proposals, executing feasibility studies, and generating ROM estimates of system performance/size, weight, power/cost with imperfect or incomplete information

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with senior electronic engineer 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.

   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 electronic engineer

   Once you've selected the best senior electronic engineer candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   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.

   To prepare for the new senior electronic engineer 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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How much does it cost to hire a senior electronic engineer?