How to hire a stationary engineer

How to hire a stationary engineer, step by step

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

What does a stationary engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a stationary engineer, 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

   A stationary engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, stationary 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 stationary engineer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Stationary Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Stationary Engineer	Stationary engineers and boiler operators control stationary engines, boilers, or other mechanical equipment to provide utilities for buildings or for industrial purposes.	$21-51
   Hvac Mechanic	An HVAC mechanic specializes in installing and repairing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, ensuring quality and efficiency. Their responsibilities revolve around communicating with clients to identify their needs, troubleshooting, identifying the root of issues, and performing corrective measures... Show more	$16-35
   Process Operator	A process operator's role is to supervise all production operations in a manufacturing plant or similar setting. To ensure the efficiency and safety of the workforce and the workload, a process operator must regularly conduct inspections on the manufacturing processes and provide an assessment of the employees' progress... Show more	$13-23

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • HVAC
   • Preventive Maintenance
   • Plumbing
   • Patients
   • Air Compressors
   • Steam Boilers
   • Cooling Towers
   • Ladders
   • Plant Equipment
   • Auxiliary Equipment
   • Mechanical Equipment
   • Plant Operations
   • Ventilation
   • Water Treatment

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the uninterrupted operation of boilers and assist with operation and repair of plumbing and electrical.
   • Operate and maintain boilers, A/C repairs, chillers, plumbing, and electrical troubleshooting.
   • Assist all trades as needed in all aspects of building maintenance (HVAC, electrical, cosmetics, fire alarm).
   • Convert flush valves to electronic flush valves on urinals and toilets.
   • Assist in the start up and implementation of cooling tower and heat exchanger retrofit.
   • Monitor all contractor work ensuring compliance with state, local, and OSHA standards and regulations.

   More stationary engineer duties

3. Make a budget

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

   $69,163yearly

   $33.25 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level stationary engineer salary

   $44,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average stationary engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$107,969	$52
   2	New York	$99,836	$48
   3	Illinois	$83,890	$40
   4	Maryland	$82,983	$40
   5	District of Columbia	$82,516	$40
   6	Ohio	$79,678	$38
   7	New Jersey	$75,871	$36
   8	Pennsylvania	$70,729	$34
   9	Washington	$69,796	$34
   10	Oregon	$68,437	$33
   11	Missouri	$66,388	$32
   12	Minnesota	$65,582	$32
   13	Georgia	$64,845	$31
   14	Arizona	$64,716	$31
   15	Colorado	$63,734	$31
   16	Montana	$63,516	$31
   17	Oklahoma	$59,675	$29
   18	Nebraska	$59,484	$29
   19	Michigan	$56,302	$27
   20	Texas	$51,595	$25

   Average stationary engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital	$125,089	$60.14
   2	Washington Hospital Healthcare System	$123,403	$59.33
   3	Dignity Health	$116,628	$56.07	11
   4	Cottage Health	$112,796	$54.23	1
   5	Saint Francis Health System	$112,610	$54.14	2
   6	St. Joseph's Health	$112,196	$53.94
   7	University of Maryland Medical System	$109,929	$52.85	3
   8	Mission Regional Medical Center	$109,482	$52.64
   9	SMUD	$108,916	$52.36
   10	General Motors	$102,503	$49.28	4
   11	St. Joseph Healthcare	$100,340	$48.24
   12	Tesla	$99,359	$47.77
   13	Sutter Health	$98,881	$47.54	8
   14	Alameda Health System	$97,343	$46.80
   15	Parkland Hospital	$97,214	$46.74
   16	Jacobs Engineering Group	$94,820	$45.59
   17	Bon Secours Community Hospital	$94,590	$45.48
   18	Geisinger Medical Center	$94,077	$45.23
   19	University of California-Berkeley	$93,884	$45.14
   20	John Deere	$93,718	$45.06

4. Writing a stationary engineer job description

   A stationary engineer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a stationary engineer job description:

   Stationary engineer job description example

   Under general supervision, operates, maintains, troubleshoots, and repairs a wide variety of pumping, heating, ventilating, air conditioning, refrigeration and auxiliary plant machinery and equipment in a large complex or multi-faceted facility. Ensures that all equipment, machinery and systems are functioning normally and safely, and complies with all applicable safety rules and regulations.
   
   According to Civil Service Commission Rule 109, the duties specified below are representative of the range of duties assigned to this job code/class and are not intended to be an inclusive list.
   
   1. Operates, maintains and repairs a wide variety of pumping, heating, ventilating, air conditioning, refrigeration, and power generating equipment in a large complex or multi-faceted facility to ensure the safe, correct and efficient functioning of the facility and equipment may be required to operate computerized building management systems, preventative or predictive maintenance computer systems or Computerized Data Gathering System (SCADA).
   
   2. Inspects and tests: machinery and equipment for safe, efficient and proper operation by visual and audio inspection during walk-throughs and by standard monitoring; fire prevention equipment to ensure safe and proper functionality; water storage and multiple distribution systems, high pressure zones, wood and steel storage tanks, pumps and relief valves, and samples of water.
   
   3. Makes entries and keeps records on shift operation by taking and entering gauge readings and accurate water laboratory analysis readings and temperatures on operating log sheets or into a computer data system to ensure preventative maintenance and equipment history; and changes charts and recordings accordingly.
   
   4. Receives, records and stores large amounts of treatment chemicals and may handle hazardous chemicals in confined or enclosed areas; must be capable of safely and properly handling chemical spills; may also include handling and treatment of industrial or hazardous waste.
   
   5. Contacts, communicates and is required to deal with contractors, building tenants and/or the general public in order to be able to discharge assigned duties.
   
   6. Maintains keys, communications equipment, and security (in the absence of Security Personnel), in order to ensure the security of a plant and buildings and grounds, including public safety. As part of an emergency response team, recognizes, evaluates, and responds to potentially hazardous situations.
   
   7. Performs control tests on water samples to determine chlorine and fluoride residual, pH, alkalinity, turbidity, color, saturation index and flocculation factors; under supervision, conducts water analysis and regulates treatment chemical dosages to maintain water quality in filtration plant, distribution system, or other large complex facility may also be required to perform water analysis on water/wastewater as required by the State of California; performs boiler water and cooling tower chemical tests, including pH, alkalinity TDS, etc., to monitor and control growth of organisms in water.
   8. May include additional duties as assigned.
   
   Nature of the work:
   
   - Essential functions require considerable physical effort in the repair and upkeep of machinery and equipment; and ability to lift heavy objects.
   
   - Work environment may require exposure to working conditions where minor abrasions, bruises and burns may be encountered; occasional disagreeable work inside close and dirty spaces.
   
   - Upon appointment to employment, and then on annual basis, employees may be required to pass a State mandated respirator Medical Examination and be clean shaven for respirator and self-contained breathing apparatus fittings. Employees may be required to pass CPR training annually and First Aid every three (3) years.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find stationary engineers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any stationary engineers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level stationary engineers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your stationary engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit stationary engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting stationary engineers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   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 stationary engineer

   Once you've selected the best stationary 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new stationary 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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How much does it cost to hire a stationary engineer?