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How to hire a structural design engineer

Structural design engineer hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring structural design engineers in the United States:

  • The median cost to hire a structural design engineer is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per structural design engineer on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • There are a total of 51,495 structural design engineers in the US, and there are currently 57,187 job openings in this field.
  • Wichita, KS, has the highest demand for structural design engineers, with 25 job openings.

How to hire a structural design engineer, step by step

To hire a structural design engineer, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a structural design engineer:

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

What does a structural design engineer do?

A Structural Design Engineer designs drawings, specifications, and computer models of structures for building contractors. They help design hospitals, office blocks, houses, bridges, ships, and other structures.

Learn more about the specifics of what a structural design engineer does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you post your structural design engineer job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a structural design engineer for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    Hiring the perfect structural design 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.

    Here's a comparison of structural design engineer salaries for various roles:

    Type of Structural Design EngineerDescriptionHourly rate
    Structural Design EngineerCivil engineers design, build, supervise, operate, and maintain construction projects and systems in the public and private sector, including roads, buildings, airports, tunnels, dams, bridges, and systems for water supply and sewage treatment.$25-50
    Civil Engineering InternshipCivil engineer interns work to improve their knowledge about construction and its relevant works. An internship provides them insight into various aspects of construction and how things run at the site... Show more$16-38
    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:
    • Structural Design
    • CAD
    • Autocad
    • Aerospace
    • GD
    • Aided Design
    • Structural Analysis
    • Emerging Technologies
    • Catia V5
    • Structural Components
    • Engineering Drawings
    • RISA
    • Payload
    • Teamcenter
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Lead a team on a year-long retrofit design effort for the F/A-18 E/F wing.
    • Review of design standards and procedures to conform to current IBC, ASCE, AWWA and ACI codes.
    • Perform stress analysis by hand and using FEA.
    • Load rating analysis and calculation methods base on AASHTO LRFR specifications.
    • Design steel pipe supports & frames for liquid natural plants using ASCE & AISC.
    • Perform seismic and wind load calculations in compliance with the ASCE 7-05, IBC and Ohio building codes.
    More structural design engineer duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your structural design engineer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A structural design engineer can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, structural design engineers' average salary in south dakota is 37% less than in california.
    • Seniority. Entry-level structural design engineers 48% less than senior-level structural design engineers.
    • Certifications. A structural design engineer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a structural design engineer's salary.

    Average structural design engineer salary

    $75,662yearly

    $36.38 hourly rate

    Entry-level structural design engineer salary
    $54,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 20, 2026

    Average structural design engineer salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$105,488$51
    2Oklahoma$90,030$43
    3Washington$89,250$43
    4Texas$80,836$39
    5South Carolina$77,992$38
    6Kansas$75,876$36
    7Colorado$74,841$36
    8New York$74,476$36
    9Virginia$69,715$34
    10Florida$68,400$33
    11Illinois$68,210$33
    12Missouri$68,097$33
    13Georgia$67,258$32
    14Michigan$66,447$32
    15Ohio$64,135$31
    16Indiana$64,110$31
    17Maryland$63,563$31
    18North Carolina$61,409$30

    Average structural design engineer salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Google$133,529$64.2080
    2Amazon$128,291$61.68165
    3Joby Aviation$118,725$57.0816
    4Nucor$102,439$49.2516
    5Tesla$102,069$49.0711
    6Woods Services$100,890$48.50
    7Parsons$97,463$46.86339
    8Faraday Technology$96,880$46.58
    9Constellation Energy Partners$95,532$45.9316
    10Volvo Construction Equipment$95,350$45.84
    11General Electric$94,219$45.3060
    12Intel$93,662$45.0390
    13CTS Corporation$91,826$44.15
    14Fluor Corporation$91,158$43.8329
    15Spirit AeroSystems$90,480$43.50
    16Samsung Electronics Device Solutions (Semiconductor & Display)$89,814$43.1827
    17BASF$89,644$43.10
    18Cenergy International Services$89,293$42.93
    19Lockheed Martin$88,273$42.44172
    20Aurora Flight Sciences$88,165$42.391
  4. Writing a structural design engineer job description

    A good structural design 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 structural design engineer job description:

    Structural design engineer job description example

    Are you looking for the opportunity to have a rewarding career while sharing in a company's growth and performance? Established in 1979, Larson Engineering, Inc. is an employee-owned company with a long-standing track record of success. Our multi-disciplined engineering company fosters diversity and collaboration within our firm and with our clients. Our model is to be nimble and adapt to the ever-changing needs of the industry, while contributing to the success of our clients.

    Description

    Our Scottsdale office is seeking a dynamic individual for the position of Structural Engineer - Curtain Wall Design. The ideal candidate will have excellent communication skills as well as superior technical skills. This position requires extensive client contact with the focus on the client experience.

    Responsibilities for this position include the preparation of full structural design packages for building exterior envelope systems. Design materials will include aluminum, steel, composite panel, glass and stone. In addition to standard design manuals, extensive use of building codes and building design specifications will be required.

    Qualifications

    • BSCE or Structural Related Degree from ABET accredited program
    • Entry Level to Experienced
    • Mathcad, Risa 3D, AutoCAD/Revit, MS Office, Cbeam

    Larson provides a challenging and empowered environment that encourages employee growth and provides flexibility for your active life outside of work. Full-time positions offer competitive benefits including health and dental insurance, paid holidays, generous paid time off, and professional development opportunities. Our employees can feel secure about their retirement future through 401(k) contributions and an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). As an employee-owner, you benefit from the success of Larson.

    This position may be subject to pre-employment background check.

    Larson Engineering is an EEO firm and uses E-Verification for employment.

    To apply for this position or refer someone please have them apply at

    www.larsonengr.com

  5. Post your job

    To find structural design 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 structural design engineers they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level structural design 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 structural design engineer job on Zippia to find and attract quality structural design engineer candidates.
    • Use niche websites such as dribbble, authentic jobs, working not working, coroflot.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting structural design 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.

    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 structural design engineer

    Once you've decided on a perfect structural design 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 structural design engineer 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.)
    Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire a structural design engineer?

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

You can expect to pay around $75,662 per year for a structural design 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 structural design engineers in the US typically range between $25 and $50 an hour.

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