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How to hire a senior material specialist

Senior material specialist hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring senior material specialists in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a senior material specialist is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new senior material specialist to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a senior material specialist, step by step

To hire a senior material specialist, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a senior material specialist:

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

    Before you post your senior material specialist 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 material specialist 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?

    A senior material specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, senior material specialists 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 shows salaries for various types of senior material specialists.

    Type of Senior Material SpecialistDescriptionHourly rate
    Senior Material SpecialistBuyers and purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations to use or resell. They evaluate suppliers, negotiate contracts, and review the quality of products.$20-59
    LandmanLandmen are referred to as the public-facing side of a gas, mineral, and oil exploration and production team. They are professionals who interact and negotiate directly with landowners for the acquisition of gas and oil drilling leases... Show more$25-61
    Purchasing AgentA purchasing agent's general task is keeping purchase records and making sure that there won't be any discrepancies with the handling of orders. The purchasing agent should be responsible for the order processing and payment collection... Show more$17-34
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Inventory Control
    • BOM
    • ERP
    • Purchase Orders
    • MRP
    • Shipping Receiving
    • DOD
    • DOT
    • Production Control
    • Hazardous Materials
    • Cycle Counts
    • IATA
    • Production Schedules
    • Material Logistics
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Lead project to establish a Kanban system for hardware to a key station to reduce cycle time and increase efficiency.
    • Work with MRP and suppliers to endure jobsite delivery in Indonesia within the project schedule.
    • Support the management and planning of Maximo asset /inventory requirements to balance investment and demand accounting for operation conditions.
    • Provide production and delivery KPI reporting matrix for operations and management personnel both internal and externally.
  3. Make a budget

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

    • Location. For example, senior material specialists' average salary in south carolina is 42% less than in massachusetts.
    • Seniority. Entry-level senior material specialists 66% less than senior-level senior material specialists.
    • Certifications. A senior material specialist 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 material specialist's salary.

    Average senior material specialist salary

    $72,735yearly

    $34.97 hourly rate

    Entry-level senior material specialist salary
    $42,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 17, 2025
  4. Writing a senior material specialist job description

    A good senior material specialist 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 material specialist job description:

    Senior material specialist job description example

    Material Connexion , a Material Bank company, is the go-to material resource for the world's most well-known brands. We're known for our innovative problem-solving and thought leadership; we're recognized by the most influential brands across every industry. Our Material Insights help clients find and implement the materials that will support their next-generation product and meet their aggressive sustainability goals. We find the raw materials our clients need, and connect them with the suppliers who will help them achieve their vision so they may meet the demands of a 21st century consumer.

    We are looking for a Senior Materials Sourcing Specialist to join our Materials Research Team. In this role, you will find and source material samples for our global clients. In this remarkably dynamic role, you will work closely with our client's and research team members to understand the material challenges our client's face and perform research to find solutions which will solve their material/sustainability challenges. At the conclusion of your research, you will present your recommendations to the client.

    A working knowledge of raw materials, their applications, the material development process and product development are required. Successful candidates are typically "left and right brain thinkers" who are capable of stepping into the creative world of product design and support those creative teams in making their products a functional reality.

    This role is a great fit for someone with a remarkable attention to detail and outstanding organization skills who can balance competing priorities and timelines with ease and a commitment to patience and diligence.

    What you'll do:

    • Research and present material innovations for internal and external project work
    • Prepare and deliver in-depth materials research to Clients
    • Act in both lead Researcher and supporting Researcher roles based on the department's need and workload
    • Own the material research process end-to-end, including the preparation of presentations, scheduling client deliveries/meetings, and working closely with Sales partners to ensure client satisfaction and identify new opportunities between the Client and MCX
    • Identify 10 new material technologies for potential inclusion into the library per month
    • Expertly manage your work, balancing many projects and deadlines at once with polish and professionalism
    • Contribute to Material Insights, our proprietary content platform which may include, but is not limited to, on-camera and/or written content contributed on a monthly basis

    What you'll bring:

    • Masters of Material Science degree or equivalent (will consider Environmental Science, Textile engineering, Sustainable Design, and Industrial Design degrees if sufficient materials knowledge can be demonstrated)
    • 2-3+ years of client-facing experience in the consumer products industry
    • A willingness to own and manage all aspects of the client's Advisory Delivery experience as an individual contributor
    • Excellent research abilities and analytical skills
    • Excellent presentation and communication skills, both written an oral; must be comfortable presenting findings to diverse group of stakeholders who possess a wide range of material knowledge (from laymen to expert)
    • Exceptional organization skills
    • A "can-do" attitude and drive to do whatever it takes to complete the work, and to the client's satisfaction
    • A Customer Service mindset

    What you'll get from us:

    • Great Company Culture : Don't take our word for it check them out here
      • Adobe Experience Maker "The Disruptor" Award (2022)
      • ASID National Award for Design Innovation (2020)
    • Our people : If you thrive in an inclusive, innovative, and fast-paced organization, look no further! You will get to work alongside some of the brightest minds - Join a genuinely fun and supportive workplace where we keep our employees consistently engaged through internal communication and corporate events
    • Relaxation and Celebrations : 2 weeks' vacation to start, Generous PTO, Sick Days, 16 paid holidays, and even more (ask us about this when we connect).
    • Health Benefits : Medical with HSA and FSA options, dental, vision, strong employee assistance program. 0% contribution for single dependence and very affordable plans for spousal and family plans.
    • Plan for your Retirement : 401(k) with a 100% vesting starting at 90 days with 4% match
    • Giving Back : We sponsor multiple events throughout the year to help out our communities. You will receive time off to give back as well.
    • Growth : We'll help you take your career to the next level. We want you to be creative and take initiative which will allow you to grow and create within the company. Most importantly, be the best at what matters!
    • Flexible Work Schedules : With business units and employees across the globe, Material Technologies has embraced a hybrid working model allowing department leaders to decide on the best approach for their respective teams, whether that be remote, in person, or a little of both.

    About Material Bank

    Material Bank is the world's largest material marketplace for the architecture and design industry, providing the fastest and most powerful way to search and sample materials. Material Bank connects design professionals to hundreds of manufacturers through facilitating brand discovery, rep engagement, and material sampling.

    Material Bank has transformed the way an entire industry discovers and samples materials. By removing the friction that exists in the process, we drive business between architects and designers (members) and our Brand Partners (clients).

    Our powerful material database and proprietary robotic distribution facility allow members to order samples until midnight (ET) to be delivered free of charge anywhere in the US, in one box, by 10:30 AM the next morning.

    Connect with us and discover your career at Material Bank.

  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find senior material specialists for your business:

    • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your senior material specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit senior material specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Your first interview with senior material specialist 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.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 material specialist

    Once you've selected the best senior material specialist 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 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.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new senior material specialist. 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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How much does it cost to hire a senior material specialist?

Hiring a senior material specialist comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting senior material specialists involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of senior material specialist recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

The median annual salary for senior material specialists is $72,735 in the US. However, the cost of senior material specialist hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a senior material specialist for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $20 and $59 an hour.

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