How to hire a senior field engineer

How to hire a senior field engineer, step by step

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

What does a senior field engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your senior field engineer 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 senior field engineer 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?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect senior field engineer 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 senior field engineer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Senior Field Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Field 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).	$32-66
   Electrical Designer	An electrical designer designs and develops electrical circuit and system layouts for electric power distribution. The responsibilities of an electrical designer include assembling electrical panels and leading a team of document control personnel in-charged to identify and organize facility maintenance drawings... Show more	$22-42
   Electrical Design Engineer	An electrical design engineer develops electrical systems for different applications. Electrical design engineers create system layouts and specifications... Show more	$30-52

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • RF
   • Technical Support
   • Excellent Interpersonal
   • Technical Problems
   • Test Equipment
   • Linux
   • DOD
   • Computer System
   • Preventive Maintenance
   • HVAC
   • Fiber Optic
   • National Security
   • Azure
   • Electrical Troubleshooting

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage a team of 10 engineers to install and repair commercial HVAC and refrigeration units.
   • Promote from original position as a staff engineer managing a variety of geotechnical engineering activities to a field engineer inspector position.
   • Upgrade firmware on all components in the SAN.
   • Provide UNIX host setup and provide administration for the duration of the engagement.
   • Work with vendor partners to troubleshoot hardware and software issues with core nodes.
   • Perform site acceptance testing and provide system maintenance support for FAA and DOD sites.

   More senior field engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your senior field engineer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A senior field engineer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a senior field engineer in Kentucky may be lower than in California, and an entry-level senior field engineer usually earns less than a senior-level senior field engineer. Additionally, a senior field engineer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average senior field engineer salary

   $97,104yearly

   $46.68 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior field engineer salary

   $67,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average senior field engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$153,746	$74
   2	Washington	$123,471	$59
   3	New Jersey	$114,294	$55
   4	Texas	$108,705	$52
   5	District of Columbia	$107,392	$52
   6	New York	$106,172	$51
   7	Nevada	$99,453	$48
   8	Massachusetts	$97,462	$47
   9	Arizona	$95,784	$46
   10	Pennsylvania	$91,576	$44
   11	Illinois	$87,067	$42
   12	Georgia	$85,628	$41
   13	Arkansas	$83,482	$40
   14	Colorado	$77,192	$37

   Average senior field engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$148,096	$71.20	75
   2	Microsoft	$140,913	$67.75	86
   3	Dotdash	$140,759	$67.67
   4	Amazon	$127,873	$61.48	120
   5	Peloton Interactive, Inc.	$127,224	$61.17
   6	Beck	$126,723	$60.92
   7	Mueller Reports	$123,390	$59.32
   8	AIG	$121,872	$58.59	11
   9	Impact Networking	$118,504	$56.97	11
   10	Samsung Electronics Device Solutions (Semiconductor & Display)	$117,758	$56.61	17
   11	Enel X	$117,492	$56.49
   12	SHI International	$115,027	$55.30	4
   13	National Railroad Passenger Corporation	$114,946	$55.26	1
   14	Woods Services	$114,547	$55.07
   15	Bagel Brands	$113,443	$54.54
   16	North American Corporation	$111,981	$53.84
   17	Robert Half	$111,436	$53.58	11
   18	Koch Industries	$107,075	$51.48	2
   19	Hilti	$105,625	$50.78	15
   20	Honeywell	$105,306	$50.63	170

4. Writing a senior field engineer job description

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

   Senior field engineer job description example

   EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS) is a premier global provider of satellite communication solutions. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., and conducting business around the globe, EchoStar is a pioneer in communications technologies through its Hughes Network Systems and EchoStar Satellite Services business segments. For more information, visit echostar.com. Follow @EchoStar on Twitter.
   
   Hughes Network Systems (Hughes), an EchoStar Company, is the world's leading provider of satellite broadband for home and office, delivering innovative network technologies, managed services, and solutions for enterprises and governments globally. HughesNet is the #1 high-speed satellite Internet service in the marketplace, with offerings to suit every budget. To date, Hughes has shipped more than 4 million systems to customers in over 100 countries, representing approximately 50 percent market share.
   
   Hughes is looking for a Senior Engineer - Field/Installation for our team in the North America Service Delivery division! This person's primary duties will include all aspects of field support.
   Responsibilities:
   All preventive and corrective maintenance for the 50+ remote and Jupiter sites across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, and South America, 10+ dedicated customer RFT'sAssist in maintaining the spares pool of hardware for the Jupiter product lines. This inventory is predominantly based out of the Detroit RMC location, but additional spare pools are dispersed in other geographic location.Work closely with the Detroit personnel on aspects of the field service operation.Assist in developing, updating and keeping reference material as needed Oversee installation, testing, operations, and maintenance of satellite earth station equipment Operate and maintain RFS, GSC, GBBF, MCP, SBSS, SBAS, and all mechanical and electrical elements of the TeleportAssume responsibility for escalation and emergency response requests in a 24 x 7 x 365 environment.Occasional work required during maintenance windows, outside of normal working hours.Monitor power, HVAC, fire detection/suppression, and local security and monitoring systems.Maintain equipment inventory and configuration management records, including software releases, patches, etc.Ensure compliance with applicable standards Travel required up to 50% of the time and flexibility is a must
   
   Basic Requirements:
   Must be U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident - position requires access to U.S. export restricted materials (ITAR) Bachelors Degree or combination of education and experience8+ years of directly related work experience is required Ability to work and manage in a 24 x 7 x 365 work environment, multi-task while meeting deadlines, and work well under pressure
   Essentials Qualifications:
   Able to lift and handle up to 75 lbs Must be physically able to climb to heights in excess of 20ft.
   Preferred Qualifications:
   Satellite Earth station RF equipment installation and maintenance experience Expertise with all aspects of telecom transmission facilities, infrastructure, and circuit termination equipment Working knowledge of Unix/Linux systems Excellent problem-solving, troubleshooting, customer relations, written and oral communication skills. Satellite Earth station RF equipment installation and maintenance experience Expertise with all aspects of telecom transmission facilities, infrastructure, and circuit termination equipment Experience with LAN/WAN industry standards, and working knowledge of TCP/IP and Ethernet configuration and functionality Working knowledge of Unix/Linux systems Experience with Cisco, HNS, CATV/IPTV and other Telco and IP protocol core network and equipment Basic electronics troubleshooting skills (ability to use and interpret readings from a range of test equipment including spectrum analyzer, oscilloscope, protocol analyzer, power meter, DVM etc.) Responsibilities and duties may evolve and expand, therefore flexibility and adaptation are important skills
   Will be eligible for discretionary bonus, with funding based on company performance.
   #LI-LT1
   
   EchoStar is committed to offering a comprehensive and competitive benefits package. Our programs are designed to provide you with the ability to customize your benefits to best meet the needs of you and your family. Our philosophy for these programs is to support and encourage healthy living and wellness. Our benefits package covers it all-from healthcare savings plans to education assistance and more!
   Financial: 401(k) retirement savings plan with company match; employee stock purchase plan; profit-sharing; company-paid life insurance, AD&D and disability Work-Life Balance: Paid Time Off (PTO), company-paid holidays, health and wellness events, exercise and sports facilities (locations may vary) Employee Incentives: Tuition reimbursement, employee referral program, year round employee events and community programs, discounts on Dish Network and HughesNetHealth: Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Health Savings Account (HSA) with opportunities to earn employer contributions; Health Care, Dependent Care and Transportation Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
   
   EchoStar and its Affiliated Companies are committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, protected veteran status, disability, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal law. U.S. Persons or those able to obtain and maintain U.S. government security clearances may be required for certain positions. EEO is the law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting senior field engineers 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. 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 senior field engineer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the senior field engineer position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the 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 senior field 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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