How to hire a senior operator

How to hire a senior operator, step by step

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

What does a senior operator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the senior operator you need to hire. Certain senior operator 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?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a senior operator to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a senior operator that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of senior operators.

   Type of Senior Operator	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Operator	Material moving machine operators use machinery to transport various objects. Some operators move construction materials around building sites or excavate earth from a mine... Show more	$25-64
   Lead Operator/Machine Operator	A Lead Operator or an Industrial Machinery Mechanic is responsible for creating, installing, and repairing different types of machinery. This person does the adjustment and maintenance of machines as well as the industrial production and distribution of types of equipment and other systems... Show more	$13-25
   Console Operator	Console operators are responsible for controlling input and output devices used by computers in manufacturing and research units. They regularly monitor their company's systems to correct problems, remove bugs and viruses, and identify faults in the system... Show more	$14-27

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Safety Procedures
   • Math
   • PowerPoint
   • Windows
   • Logistics
   • CDL
   • Safety Rules
   • FDA
   • Process Improvement
   • Quality Standards
   • Frac
   • PC
   • Preventative Maintenance
   • PPE

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Measure and inspect parts with calipers, scale, MRP, leads, micrometers and taper.
   • Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
   • Operate QC testing equipment such as calipers and micrometers.
   • Experience with MVS and JES2 command sets, the weekly shutdown and initial power load of production systems.
   • Assist in migration to the LAN environment, perform quality control and JCL setup and interface with user and vendor communities.
   • Train with TSO, JES2, and UCC7.

   More senior operator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the senior operator job description is a good way to get more applicants. A senior operator salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a senior operator in Arkansas may be lower than in Massachusetts, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level senior operator. Additionally, a senior operator with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average senior operator salary

   $85,677yearly

   $41.19 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior operator salary

   $54,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average senior operator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$105,464	$51
   2	New York	$100,615	$48
   3	District of Columbia	$99,735	$48
   4	California	$96,552	$46
   5	Washington	$94,044	$45
   6	Virginia	$91,033	$44
   7	Texas	$87,131	$42
   8	Illinois	$80,097	$39
   9	Pennsylvania	$78,823	$38
   10	Alabama	$78,778	$38
   11	North Carolina	$78,315	$38
   12	Florida	$74,820	$36
   13	South Carolina	$74,465	$36
   14	Georgia	$73,227	$35
   15	Tennessee	$72,087	$35
   16	Minnesota	$70,105	$34
   17	Missouri	$69,110	$33
   18	Colorado	$64,482	$31

   Average senior operator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Google	$156,335	$75.16	20
   2	eBay	$144,077	$69.27
   3	Microsoft	$131,827	$63.38	4
   4	Incyte	$130,967	$62.96
   5	Accenture	$130,045	$62.52	5
   6	American Water	$120,741	$58.05	8
   7	Infineon Technologies	$118,887	$57.16
   8	Meridian Bioscience	$112,160	$53.92
   9	NTT Data International L.L.C.	$111,122	$53.42	12
   10	Mandiant	$110,840	$53.29
   11	Siemens Healthineers	$110,136	$52.95
   12	Serco	$109,847	$52.81	1
   13	Deloitte	$109,605	$52.69	12
   14	Amdocs	$108,578	$52.20
   15	Abbott	$108,559	$52.19	32
   16	Alere	$108,054	$51.95
   17	Firstbank Corp	$108,047	$51.95
   18	Spectrum Comm	$107,477	$51.67
   19	Jacobs Engineering Group	$105,149	$50.55
   20	Sabre	$103,670	$49.84

4. Writing a senior operator job description

   A job description for a senior operator 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 operator job description:

   Senior operator job description example

   WHO WE ARE
   For nearly two decades, Con Edison Solutions (CES), Con Edison Development (CED) and Con Edison Energy (CEE) have been leading national providers of retail and wholesale energy services. Now, they are part of Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses (CEB), a wholly owned subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc., one of the nation's largest investor-owned energy companies. The CEB are the second largest owner of solar electric generating projects in the United States and 7th largest globally. The CEB have assets in excess of $6 billion and revenue in excess of $1 billion. WHY WORK FOR US
   We offer great career opportunities and are able to check some of your boxes including:
   • Be a part of a market leader and one of the largest solar energy producers in North America
   • Improve the planet by helping us further reduce carbon emissions
   • Collaborate on a dynamic team of high performing professionals
   • Create and improve on our renewable innovation
   • Obtain a customized career path
   • Obtain a competitive compensation package
   • Select from comprehensive health plans and other benefits
   • Utilize our generous tuition reimbursement program
   • Participate in social causes ABOUT THE POSITION The Senior Site Operator (West) is responsible for the on-site generation of renewable energy at all plants in their geographical region portfolio. The candidate will be responsible for operating, maintaining and monitoring renewable energy assets (wind, solar, etc.) and energy infrastructure projects through close collaboration with Con Edison Development's operators, engineers, asset managers, project managers and developers as well as on-site subcontractors. The candidate will be responsible for supervising and coordinating Site Operators in the region in the daily operation, planned and corrective maintenance, and event response for CED assets. The candidate will be responsible for operating one or more plants (home base), as well as responsible for supervising and coordinating all operations, maintenance, and event responses at all other plants in the region. The candidate will furthermore be responsible for ensuring all operations and maintenance activities in the region are performed in accordance with industry best practices, industry best safety practices, ConEdison Development procedures, plans, and guidelines as well as all pertinent laws and regulations. Responsibilities Plant Operations - Oversee production of renewable energy at all plants in a particular region, ensuring that plants operate within design parameters in a reliable, safe and efficient manner. Monitor production to ensure plants are meeting performance expectations. Coordinate and resolve operational abnormalities. Plant Maintenance - Supervise and coordinate maintenance and repair of plant components; troubleshoot and resolve problems that may arise. Perform preventive/predictive maintenance to ensure long term profitability, plant reliability and risk minimization. Technical Support - Perform operational analysis as required to support Asset Management and Project Development. Create, review and distribute daily, weekly and monthly operational reports. Technical Expertise - Stay abreast of regulations, codes and standards as they relate to the industry. Develop relationships with suppliers that result in beneficial synergies. General - Manage contractors as required, act as local CED liaison, develop long range plans and work with local civic groups as required. Qualifications Education: Electrical engineering degree preferred Licensed Electrician or equivalent experience in the power industry. Experience: 5-7 years experience in a related renewable energy field, with direct expertise in electrical engineering preferred. 5-7 years experience in power plant construction/operations environment Prior experience with power generation, renewable and gas facilities is a plus Prior supervisory experience is a plus Job Skills: Excellent technical, analytical and communication skills, strong interpersonal skills Proficient in Microsoft Excel Above average interpersonal skills Knowledge of power electronics and circuitry Knowledge of power generation equipment and technologies Ability to work within tight deadlines Ability to multi task Drivers license required Equal Opportunity Employer: Consolidated Edison is an equal opportunity employer and, as such, affirms in policy and practice its commitment to recruit, hire, train, and promote, in all job classifications, without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, citizenship, eligible veteran status, disability, or any other status protected by law.
   Con Edison is a federal contractor subject to VEVRAA and desires to receive priority referrals of protected veterans. You must be eligible to work in the US independent of company sponsorship.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit senior operators, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   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 operator

   Once you've found the senior operator candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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 operator 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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