How to hire a senior mechanic

How to hire a senior mechanic, step by step

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

What does a senior mechanic do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a senior mechanic, 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

   Hiring the perfect senior mechanic 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.

   This list shows salaries for various types of senior mechanics.

   Type of Senior Mechanic	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Mechanic		$17-33
   Aviation Maintenance Technician	An Aviation Maintenance Technician carries out repairs and maintenance on all sorts of aircraft, like airplanes and helicopters. They ensure that aircraft are in perfect working condition.	$16-36
   Aircraft Maintenance Technician	Aircraft Maintenance Technicians make commercial, government/private airplanes, and helicopters safe for their crew and passengers. They ensure that aircrafts meet Federal Aviation Regulations.	$17-36

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2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Hand Tools
   • Preventive Maintenance
   • HVAC
   • Plumbing
   • Diesel Engines
   • Shop Safety
   • Vehicle Maintenance
   • Maintenance Procedures
   • Electrical Systems
   • OSHA
   • Ladders
   • Routine Maintenance
   • Engineering Drawings
   • Hydraulic Systems

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Create and manage preventive and predictive routes using Maximo CMMS database.
   • Perform technical inspections on vehicle armor, corrective maintenance, and services (PMCS )
   • Test coolant conditions, inspects wires and repair if damage, replace wire harness, troubleshoot faulty electrical components.
   • Support GMP manufacturing and team with QA.
   • Replace electrical switches, lights and outlets.
   • Use table top grinders and tools for assembly.

   More senior mechanic duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your senior mechanic job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A senior mechanic 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 mechanic in Oklahoma may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level senior mechanic usually earns less than a senior-level senior mechanic. Additionally, a senior mechanic 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 mechanic salary

   $51,569yearly

   $24.79 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior mechanic salary

   $37,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average senior mechanic salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$66,665	$32
   2	Washington	$66,528	$32
   3	Utah	$60,059	$29
   4	New Jersey	$59,969	$29
   5	Oregon	$59,723	$29
   6	North Dakota	$57,833	$28
   7	Arizona	$53,939	$26
   8	Louisiana	$51,436	$25
   9	Maine	$50,962	$25
   10	Virginia	$49,579	$24
   11	Kansas	$49,453	$24
   12	New York	$47,971	$23
   13	Maryland	$47,404	$23
   14	Missouri	$46,651	$22
   15	Pennsylvania	$46,499	$22
   16	Tennessee	$45,248	$22
   17	Texas	$44,340	$21
   18	Georgia	$42,790	$21
   19	Florida	$41,255	$20

   Average senior mechanic salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Orange County Sanitation District	$74,443	$35.79
   2	Tri-State G&T	$73,726	$35.45	1
   3	Pacira BioSciences	$66,905	$32.17
   4	Hoffmann-LA Roche Inc	$65,004	$31.25
   5	Apache	$64,991	$31.25	1
   6	City of Roseville Michigan	$63,160	$30.37
   7	Marriott International	$60,692	$29.18	7
   8	Peabody Energy	$59,305	$28.51	5
   9	International Paper	$58,931	$28.33	32
   10	Genuine Parts	$58,518	$28.13
   11	ONEOK	$58,210	$27.99	12
   12	CentraState Healthcare System	$57,646	$27.71
   13	LCMC Health	$57,244	$27.52
   14	Lockheed Martin	$56,857	$27.34	71
   15	Wagner Spray Tech	$56,773	$27.29	13
   16	Henkel	$56,715	$27.27	4
   17	Vintage Wine Estates	$56,364	$27.10
   18	Cancer Treatment Centers of America	$56,243	$27.04
   19	Waste Management	$56,182	$27.01	113
   20	L3Harris	$55,934	$26.89	2

4. Writing a senior mechanic job description

   A job description for a senior mechanic 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 mechanic job description:

   Senior mechanic job description example

   Coordinates, schedules, installs, maintains, repairs and oversees all mechanical related work. Work involves performance of skilled mechanical tasks in maintaining, repairing, and servicing a variety of mechanical equipment. Routine maintenance, service, and repair work are performed independently with minimal direction. Provide direction and training for other facilities staff as needed to accomplish electrical tasks.
   
   STATUS: Full-time
   DEPARTMENT: Facilities
   SCHEDULE: Monday - Friday; Days
   
   ATTRIBUTES
   5 years of experience required Health care setting preferred ASSE 6040 Medical Gas Certification preferred American Welding certification preferred Asbestos Certification for (Operations & Maintenance) preferred
   
   RESPONSIBILITIES
   Plan, coordinate, schedule and oversee mechanical related work tasks.Perform all facets of mechanical tasks from minor (construction, wall, flooring, ceiling repairs, Door repairs, mounting of equipment to building surfaces, makes minor adjustments/repairs to HVAC systems, electrical lighting and outlet installations/services, plumbing faucet/fixture repairs, drain maintenance, patient care equipment maintenance) to more complex tasks such as (Pneumatic tube system maintenance/repair, medical gas system maintenance/repair, auto door maintenance/repair, bed maintenance/repair).Has the ability to layout special mechanical system projects and make necessary upgrades to mechanical distribution equipment/systems as necessary to complete scheduled tasks. Provides troubleshooting support for all other trade fields as needed for their successful completion of work assignments.Has the knowledge and ability to operate specialized tools and equipment such as power drills, saws, mechanical sockets/wrenches, meters, test gauge & analyzers equipment, welding equipment and other related tools and equipment necessary to effectively troubleshoot and resolve mechanical problems. Has the knowledge and ability to read, interpret and utilize plans, schematic drawings, line diagrams, specifications and work orders to determine work requirements and actions needed to successfully complete electrical related tasks.Has the knowledge and ability to interpret codes such as NFPA and other regulations related to the mechanical field to make effective decisions that result in compliant task outcomes.Utilizes advanced mechanical skills and knowledge to train other staff in accomplishing successful mechanical tasks.
   
   EDUCATION:
   
   LICENSES / CERTIFICATIONS:
   NYS DL - valid New York State Driver's License - New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (NYSDMV)
   
   PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
   M - Medium Work - Exerting 20 to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects; Requires frequent walking, standing or squatting.
   
   Any physical requirements reported by a prospective employee and/or employee's physician or delegate will be considered for accommodations.
   
   Rochester Regional Health is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.Minority/Female/Disability/Veterans by a prospective employee and/or employee's Physician or delegate will be considered for accommodations.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right senior mechanic 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 mechanic job on Zippia to find and recruit senior mechanic candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with senior mechanic 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 mechanic

   Once you've decided on a perfect senior mechanic 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 senior mechanic 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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