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How to hire a senior principle engineer

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

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a senior principle engineer 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 principle engineer to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a senior principle engineer, step by step

To hire a senior principle engineer, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a senior principle engineer, you should follow these steps:

Here's a step-by-step senior principle 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 principle engineer job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new senior principle 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 principle engineer you need to hire. Certain senior principle 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?

    A senior principle engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, senior principle engineers 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.

    Here's a comparison of senior principle engineer salaries for various roles:

    Type of Senior Principle EngineerDescriptionHourly rate
    Senior Principle 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.$44-76
    Lead Systems EngineerA lead systems engineer is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of the systems infrastructure and improving the stability of the operating systems to support business operations. Lead systems engineers install and upgrade software applications and ensure that the technical strategies meet the quality standards and business requirements... Show more$43-75
    EngineerEngineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects... Show more$31-62
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • DOD
    • Systems Engineering
    • System Design
    • SR
    • Linux
    • Java
    • RF
    • R
    • EMC
    • System Integration
    • Virtualization
    • Design Reviews
    • Product Line
    • XML
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage many PCB fabrications and assemblies.
    • Provide consultation to the ISO team in achieving certification, and enable company to win many more deals as a result.
    • EnCase FTK XRY uf Cellbrite Kali Linux
    • Coordinate with USG, Lockheed, and WSMR stakeholders to ensure radar objectives successfully meet.
    • Recruit and interview new heir engineers including setting goals and objectives to the RF department in the field.
    • Develop new database loaders, modifications to existing loaders, and production of software documentation as required supporting the users.
    More senior principle engineer duties
  3. Make a budget

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

    $121,825yearly

    $58.57 hourly rate

    Entry-level senior principle engineer salary
    $92,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 16, 2025

    Average senior principle engineer salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$154,564$74
    2Nevada$138,614$67
    3New Jersey$137,020$66
    4Arizona$136,912$66
    5Oklahoma$125,934$61
    6Texas$123,443$59
    7Massachusetts$120,473$58
    8Connecticut$117,218$56
    9Utah$115,408$55
    10Colorado$114,630$55
    11District of Columbia$113,813$55
    12Tennessee$111,482$54
    13Indiana$108,136$52
    14Maryland$107,017$51
    15Alabama$106,245$51
    16Pennsylvania$99,614$48

    Average senior principle engineer salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Citi$144,247$69.353
    2Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC$133,869$64.36
    3BeiGene$126,769$60.95
    4Novartis$126,028$60.59
    5PDS Tech$125,574$60.371
    6WMSN FOX 47 News, Madison$123,930$59.584
    7Carrier$122,969$59.12
    8AngioDynamics$122,178$58.74
    9TEKsystems$120,777$58.07
    10Trane$120,465$57.9233
    11Caterpillar$120,120$57.7514
    12Air Products$120,094$57.74
    13FormFactor$116,470$56.003
    14BAE Systems$110,408$53.0897
    15TreeHouse Foods$107,184$51.533
    16Mallinckrodt$106,564$51.23
    17Northrop Grumman$102,388$49.23255
    18Cardinal Health$101,482$48.7958
    19Raytheon Technologies$95,526$45.93129
    20UnitedHealth Group$85,165$40.946
  4. Writing a senior principle engineer job description

    A good senior principle 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 principle engineer job description:

    Senior principle engineer job description example

    • Designing electrical systems for building power; i.e. normal, emergency, and standby power distribution systems for 208v, 480v, and medium voltage for industrial facilities.
    • Documenting all necessary calculations for the design such as short circuit, selective coordination, arc flash, generator sizing, steady state and transient voltage drops, load calculations, conductor sizing, raceway fills, etc.
    • Designing lighting for food processing spaces, including lighting calculations for emergency and inspection lighting level needs. Coordinating fixture placement/mounting with other trades.
    • Designing fire alarm systems per NFPA 72, 101, and local building code.
    • Designing low voltage systems such as LAN, phones, PA, Wi-Fi, access control, cameras, etc.
    • Producing bid documents consisting of layout drawings, one-line, riser, schedules, details, and specifications.
    • Procuring long lead light fixtures and power distribution equipment such as switchgear, switchboards, panelboards, transformers, MCC’s, generators, variable speed drives, and UPS’s.
    • Managing electrical bid process for clients, observing construction, and assisting with startup.
    • Project planning and feasibility studies.
    • Actively participating in and supporting department-wide standard development, updates, and maintenance.

    Requirements

    • 12+ years of experience in an industrial manufacturing setting
    • The ability and willingness to perform fieldwork and travel are also required. Candidates should expect overnight travel not less than 25% of the year.
    • 12+ years of experience designing electrical systems for building power; i.e. normal, emergency, and standby power distribution systems for 208v, 480v, and medium voltage for industrial facilities.
    • 12+ years of experience designing lighting, including lighting calculations for emergency and inspection lighting level needs and coordinating fixture placement/mounting with other trades.
    • 12+ years of experience designing fire alarm systems per NFPA 72, 101, and local building code and designing low voltage systems such as LAN, phones, PA, Wi-Fi, access control, cameras, etc.
    • 2+ years of varying levels of management - leading and mentoring electrical teams, and organizing and implementing electrical work assignments, and being responsible for success of the building electrical aspect of a MEP / industrial project.
    About Us

    We plan, design, engineer, and build food plants for major brands across the country and the world. For the past three decades, we’ve focused exclusively on the food and beverage industry, helping your favorite brands put your favorite foods in the grocery store. Simply put, food isn’t one thing we do, it’s all we do.

    Dennis Group offers competitive compensation packages commensurate with experience. We provide comprehensive employee benefits including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, paid time off including an open vacation policy, as well as bonus, profit-sharing, and retirement plans.

    Dennis Group is proud to provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or genetics.

  5. Post your job

    There are various strategies that you can use to find the right senior principle 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 principle engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit senior principle engineer 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 principle engineers, 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 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 principle engineer

    Once you've decided on a perfect senior principle 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 principle engineer?

Hiring a senior principle engineer comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting senior principle engineers 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 principle engineer recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

You can expect to pay around $121,825 per year for a senior principle 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 principle engineers in the US typically range between $44 and $76 an hour.

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