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How to hire a senior lead project engineer

Senior lead project engineer hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring senior lead project engineers in the United States:

  • The median cost to hire a senior lead project engineer is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per senior lead project engineer on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • There are a total of 13,693 senior lead project engineers in the US, and there are currently 128,828 job openings in this field.
  • Sidney, OH, has the highest demand for senior lead project engineers, with 4 job openings.

How to hire a senior lead project engineer, step by step

To hire a senior lead project engineer, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a senior lead project engineer:

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

    First, determine the employments status of the senior lead project engineer you need to hire. Certain senior lead project engineer 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?

    Hiring the perfect senior lead project 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.

    The following list breaks down different types of senior lead project engineers and their corresponding salaries.

    Type of Senior Lead Project EngineerDescriptionHourly rate
    Senior Lead Project EngineerIndustrial engineers find ways to eliminate wastefulness in production processes. They devise efficient systems that integrate workers, machines, materials, information, and energy to make a product or provide a service.$37-63
    Design EngineerA design engineer is responsible for creating systems and applications based on their expertise. Design engineers work through client specifications based on business needs... Show more$27-49
    Principal EngineerA principal engineer is responsible for monitoring the overall design phase of the construction process, including coordinating with the client for progress and updates, as well as performing adjustments as needed based on clients' specifications and requirements. Principal engineers also inspect the materials and resources used to ensure that the project stays within the budget goals and set timeframe... Show more$45-85
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Risk Management
    • R
    • Product Development
    • Technical Issues
    • QA
    • HVAC
    • CAD
    • Sigma
    • DOD
    • Earned Value Management
    • Solidworks
    • FEA
    • Program Reviews
    • AC
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage BOM to support staff and AS400 applications.
    • Manage the manufacturing of defense and aerospace electro-mechanical print circuit boards from prototype to production level.
    • Work with the enterprise architecture team to assess and resolve issues relating to enterprise wide deployment and QA involvement.
    • Design and develop prototype and production line tooling using Solidworks and AutoCad.
    • Develop detailed construction drawing sets for solar PV projects using AutoCAD, including mechanical equipment, electrical and structural installation.
    • Conduct geotechnical and environmental subsurface investigations.
    More senior lead project engineer duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your senior lead project engineer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A senior lead project engineer salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, senior lead project engineers' average salary in arkansas is 37% less than in washington.
    • Seniority. Entry-level senior lead project engineers earn 41% less than senior-level senior lead project engineers.
    • Certifications. A senior lead project 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 lead project engineer's salary.

    Average senior lead project engineer salary

    $102,402yearly

    $49.23 hourly rate

    Entry-level senior lead project engineer salary
    $78,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 20, 2026

    Average senior lead project engineer salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Washington$130,492$63
    2California$122,030$59
    3North Carolina$102,989$50
    4Missouri$101,624$49
    5Michigan$101,059$49
    6New York$100,691$48
    7Colorado$100,146$48
    8Georgia$97,581$47
    9Texas$94,483$45

    Average senior lead project engineer salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1ASML Holding$118,451$56.955
    2Moffatt & Nichol$106,078$51.002
    3Corning Incorporated$105,318$50.6345
    4Panasonic$104,920$50.4411
    5The Aerospace Corporation$103,476$49.754
    6Kion Group$103,258$49.649
    7ABB$99,687$47.9358
    8HNTB$99,333$47.76127
    9Emerson$93,753$45.0728
    10Lockheed Martin$86,995$41.82387
    11Raytheon Technologies$85,420$41.07104
  4. Writing a senior lead project engineer job description

    A good senior lead project engineer 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 senior lead project engineer job description:

    Senior lead project engineer job description example

    REQUIRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & SKILLS:
    • Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical engineering, or Mechanical Engineering Technology plus five (5) years of relevant industry experience.
    • Basic knowledge or working experiences with HVAC applications.
    • Independent thinker capable of leading cross-functional programs in a matrix organization.
    • Experience with 3D CAD software such as Siemens NX9.0, SolidWorks, or CREO.
    • Proven ability to integrate different technologies into a cohesive, technical system
    • Strong project management skills including developing program schedules, and driving team decisions
    • Basic working knowledge of advanced analytical techniques and how to deploy them
    • Ability to travel up to 10% for the position.
    • Legal authorization to work in the United States - Sponsorship is not available for this position.
    PREFERRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & SKILLS:
    • Master's Degree in Mechanical engineering plus five (7) years of relevant industry experience.
    • Experience with Heat exchanger design and development.
    • Knowledge with analytical methods (Thermal FEA, CFD, etc.) and the ability to assist in structuring studies.
    • Basic understanding of heat transfer and thermodynamics and application with HVAC applications.
    • HVAC system controls experience including but not limited to psychometric testing.
    • Experience with LEAN methodologies, LEAN product development, and passion for continuous improvement.
    • HVAC systems awareness, ability to integrate, sensors, compressor with power electronics and other system controls.
    • Experience using Teamcenter database software.
    • Modeling and programming using Visual Basic and C++.

    Benefits
    Emerson places a high value on ensuring that employees have a good work-life balance. We provide access to a competitive benefits package, including the following: medical insurance, dental and vision coverage, 401k participation with a competitive immediate match, fitness center, tuition reimbursement, parental leave, and an online wellness rewards program. Immediate vacation and holiday leave available, including a shutdown from December 24 through New Year's Day. Employee resource groups, including a very active Diversity and Inclusion committee, ensure that the Emerson values are incorporated into everyday employee life.


    Why Work in the Greater Miami Valley Area
    Our facility is located in Sidney, OH which is conveniently located within driving distance to several larger cities, such as Dayton, Troy, and Columbus. The area's generally low costs of living, excellent school systems, and low crime rates create a family-friendly environment. The area is home to several growing communities with restaurants, festivals, shopping, and arts scenes that make them exciting places to live and work.


    About our Location
    The newly renovated Sidney campus has 1M square feet of manufacturing floor with an additional 120k square feet of leading-edge lab facilities. This location is the headquarters for the air conditioning and cold chain businesses. Through our 30 years of scroll compressor expertise, our air conditioning related products help bring comfort and convenience in commercial, industrial and residential spaces. The cold chain business helps ensure that food safely and efficiently travels from farm to fork. Approximately 1600 employees work in Sidney, who all support a multitude of business functions. With the blend of businesses and functions represented under this one roof, there are many opportunities for advancement within the Sidney location.

    #LI-YM1

  5. Post your job

    There are various strategies that you can use to find the right senior lead project engineer 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 senior lead project engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit senior lead project 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 lead project 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 lead project engineer

    Once you've decided on a perfect senior lead project 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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How much does it cost to hire a senior lead project engineer?

There are different types of costs for hiring senior lead project engineers. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new senior lead project engineer employee.

You can expect to pay around $102,402 per year for a senior lead project engineer, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for senior lead project engineers in the US typically range between $37 and $63 an hour.

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