How to hire a station engineer

How to hire a station engineer, step by step

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

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect station 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.

   This list presents station engineer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Station Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Station Engineer	Broadcast and sound engineering technicians set up, operate, and maintain the electrical equipment for radio programs, television broadcasts, concerts, sound recordings, and movies.	$30-71
   Remote Broadcast Technician	A remote broadcast technician is responsible for setting up electronic equipment that controls signal strength, audio quality, and video quality. As a remote broadcast technician, you will operate equipment for streaming live events, control audio equipment to ensure sound quality, and maintain standard sound level during television and radio broadcasts... Show more	$4-37
   Master Control Operator	A Master Control Operator executes and supervises the quality and accuracy of the transmission of radio and television programs. They also record and document various video feeds.	$13-44

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Troubleshoot
   • HVAC
   • Engineering Support
   • FCC
   • RF
   • CAD
   • Control Systems
   • Unix
   • Equipment Failures
   • BSC
   • LAN
   • BTS
   • Water Treatment
   • FM

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage system outages for several Nokia wireless telecommunications switches operation on the Unix platform.
   • Manage Jenkins security by providing specific access to authorize developers/testers using project base matrix authorization strategy.
   • Monitor, troubleshoot of Redcom 5EES switches.
   • Maintain daily FCC logs for station operation.
   • Administer the facility LAN and PBX system.
   • Provide support and direction to DJs and staff.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your station engineer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A station engineer salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, station engineers' average salary in maine is 49% less than in virginia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level station engineers earn 57% less than senior-level station engineers.
   • Certifications. A station 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 station engineer's salary.

   Average station engineer salary

   $97,899yearly

   $47.07 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level station engineer salary

   $64,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

4. Writing a station engineer job description

   A good station 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 station engineer job description:

   Station engineer job description example

   This position is posted as a range. Qualifications, education and experience will be considered in determining appropriate classification. Position responsibilities and accountabilities will vary accordingly based upon the assigned classification.
   
   Responsible to the assigned supervisor for performing complex engineering work activities and projects requiring the application of engineering knowledge in a safe, effective, efficient and economic accomplishment of assigned objectives.
   Essential Job Functions: Provide engineering for substation capital projects Complete grounding, lightning shielding, and lighting studies Prepare station configuration and layouts Work with project planners to develop substation solutions Develop station project functional and detail scoping documents working with all project stakeholders Assist project managers with the development and maintenance of station engineering activities and deliverables within Primavera P6 project schedules Oversee work performed by internal designers or consulting engineering firms on the design of select projects Provide support to construction and professional field service personnel to resolve issues and concerns during the construction phase of projects Collaborate with various departments during the course of the project Technical Expertise: Exhibits journey level proficiency plus advanced knowledge that enables the engineer to serve as a leader within the assigned organization. Keeps abreast of new products, developments, technologies, procedures and equipment. Understands and analyzes interrelationships between systems and component equipment. Interprets codes and regulations, and develops standards relevant to the area of assignment.
   
   Leadership & Guidance: Provides guidance and exercises judgment and discretion in providing guidance and direction to other Engineers. Leads, facilitates and coordinates work activities of others within the work group, team, department, corporate entity, or those external to the company as required to perform all routine engineering work. Ensures all work activities are performed in accordance with the policies, practices, standards and rules of the company and complies with the regulations and procedures required by external agencies. Promotes engineering professionalism and standards. Coordinates and conducts training sessions.
   
   Planning & Organization Ability: Participates in the development of plans by establishing measurable goals, objectives and requirements for specific areas of responsibility. Coordinates the development of input necessary to establish projected cost of all projects. Is proficient in use of scheduling techniques (CPM, PERT, flow charts, etc.) for budget and planning activities. Identifies and initiates appropriate corrective action when objectives are not being met.
   
   Problem Solving & Initiative: Identifies, clarifies, resolves, and initiates solutions to routine and/or complex problems that sometimes involve analysis of inadequate or conflicting data. Demonstrates the ability to divide problems into component steps. Consistently looks for and develops opportunities and presents new ideas and approaches.
   
   Communication: Coordinates the work of other engineers in an efficient and effective manner. Develops, reviews or prepares reports on complex technical subjects clearly, concisely and effectively, in a manner suitable for presentation to management, professional societies, regulatory bodies, etc. Leads and facilitates meetings effectively.
   
   Interpersonal Skills: Possess collaborative and consensus building skills. Functions as a team leader and member. Networks upward and downward in several disciplines inside and outside the AEP system. Leverages network to get things done.
   
   Decision Making: Makes decisions affecting plans and goals based on analysis of uncertain input and outcomes. Uses diverse approaches to make decisions in the absence of a definite framework or where few precedents exist. Can handle conflicting interests related to approaches on projects or studies. Analyzes options and risks and possesses the experience and knowledge to assess the risk of decisions and act accordingly. Makes decisions that affect the operations or results of the department and may have some impact on a major project.
   
   Business Awareness & Characteristics: Exhibits an awareness of AEP's competitive position and how business decisions impact their organizational unit. Understands the specific goals and objectives of their individual organizational unit and is proficient in establishing measurable goals and objectives. Effectively manages project budgets using cost management techniques and understands how their decisions and recommendations impact AEP's expenses and revenues. Demonstrates an awareness of profit incentives, optimizing growth of customers' businesses and using our services to attract new business Requirements *ABET - Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Acceptable alternatives are (1) a Bachelor's degree in engineering (non-ABET), plus a Professional Engineers (PE) license in any state of the U.S. or (2) a Bachelor's degree in engineering (non-ABET) plus a Master's degree or PhD in engineering from a university with an ABET accredited Bachelor's program.
   ** Confirmation is required to ensure the PE obtained in Puerto Rico aligns with NCEES standards.
   
   Engineer Sr. Has typically acquired 6 or more years of related engineering experience along with a Bachelor's degree in engineering in a program accredited by ABET*; or 4 years of related engineering experience along with a Master's degree or PhD in engineering from a program accredited by ABET*; Registration as a Professional Engineer (PE) in any U.S. state or Puerto Rico** is encouraged and preferred. Engineer Prin. Has typically acquired 8 or more years of related engineering experience along with a Bachelor's degree in engineering in a program accredited by ABET*; or 6 years of related engineering experience along with a Master's or PhD in engineering from a program accredited by ABET*. Registration as a Professional Engineer (PE) in any U.S. state or Puerto Rico** is required for this position unless approval to waive this requirement is given by the organization's EVP.
   Physical demand level is Sedentary
   
   #LI-HYBRID
   #AEPPSO
   #AEPCAREERS

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit station engineers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up 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 station engineer

   Once you've selected the best station engineer 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new station engineer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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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