How to hire a structural engineering technician

How to hire a structural engineering technician, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The structural engineering technician hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   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 structural engineering technician 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 structural engineering technician that fits the bill.

   This list presents structural engineering technician salaries for various positions.

   Type of Structural Engineering Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Structural Engineering Technician	Civil engineering technicians help civil engineers to plan, design, and build highways, bridges, utilities, and other infrastructure projects. They also help to plan, design, and build commercial, industrial, residential, and land development projects.	$16-34
   Project Engineer Internship	When it comes to a project engineer internship, one of the primary responsibilities is to follow the directives of engineers and managers while earning practical experience. Most of the duties will revolve around processing documents, answering calls and correspondence, participating in various projects, assisting engineers in basic tasks, and organizing inventory and supplies... Show more	$14-24
   Technician	Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with... Show more	$11-27

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • ACI
   • Structural Analysis
   • Shop Drawings
   • Construction Materials
   • Design Drawings
   • FEA
   • Auto CAD
   • Autodesk
   • Contract Drawings
   • Data Collection
   • Reinforced Concrete
   • BOM

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and distribute cad standards to contributing design consultants and assist with any design issues as necessary.
   • Mentore other structural engineers on 2D and 3D FEA for several turbines parts.
   • Train and ACI certify to perform laboratory analysis of soil, concrete, and asphalt properties.
   • Design government research facility in STAAD using calculate design loads.
   • Perform tests on RF and digital electronic assemblies and systems to characterize performance, uncover specification deficiencies and repair damage circuitry.
   • Perform basic electrical and mechanical repairs on all kitchen equipment, refrigeration, plumbing and electrical circuits.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, structural engineering technicians' average salary in montana is 42% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level structural engineering technicians earn 51% less than senior-level structural engineering technicians.
   • Certifications. A structural engineering technician 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 structural engineering technician's salary.

   Average structural engineering technician salary

   $50,784yearly

   $24.42 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level structural engineering technician salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

4. Writing a structural engineering technician job description

   A good structural engineering technician 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 engineering technician job description:

   Structural engineering technician job description example

   Role:
   
   We are looking for a highly motivated and talented engineering technician for the Reliability and Hardware Test Engineering team. Our team is responsible for the durability and strength test of a wide range of components on the vehicle - including the Battery pack, Body in White, Chassis, and Drive unit systems. The primary objective of the role is to assist kinematic and compliance test activities performed in-house and at external laboratories. In addition, you will have an active support role in fabricating and building test setups, executing structural strength and durability testing with high force hydraulic equipment, and root causing system-level issues. A successful candidate for this role must have a strong hands-on background in an engineering environment (ideally in testing), as well as the passion and drive to get things are done in a dynamic environment.
   
   Responsibilities:
   
   + Support vehicle level Kinematic and Compliance testing
   
   + Build/ assemble /swap test samples according to test requests. Experiences with hands-on component level, system-level, or vehicle level validation
   
   + Modification of existing or fabrication of new equipment and fixtures as required
   
   + Root cause and report issues: Document and report issues identified during tests or inspections. Collaborate with engineering teams to resolve mechanical & electrical issues discovered. Provide detailed written & verbal test status updates to key stakeholders
   
   + Support engineering teams in instrumentation and data acquisition setup
   
   + General test equipment maintenance
   
   + Traveling off-site may be involved and it would be up to 10% travel.
   
   Essential Skills:
   
   + Knowledge of vehicle systems such as chassis systems (suspension, steering, brakes, etc.)
   
   + Strong mechanical and mechatronics engineering fundamentals and exposure to hands-on student projects and experiences
   
   + Self-motivated, able to work well under pressure while managing competing demands and tight deadlines
   
   + Flexibility to work long hours and weekends when required
   
   + Excellent written & verbal communication skills, and strong organization skills with meticulous attention to detail
   
   Additional Preferred Skills:
   
   + An associate degree or 2-year technical/automotive degree is highly desired. Or automotive OEM test technician training and equivalent work experience (Minimum 1-year experience in an engineering technician role)
   
   + Instrumentation (strain gauge, LVDT, and other sensors) experiences.
   
   + Extensive knowledge of either: hydraulic and/or pneumatic actuators.
   
   + Hands-on skills with common vehicle tools
   
   + Mill, lathe, welding, and other fabrication experiences

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find structural engineering technicians 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 engineering technicians they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level structural engineering technicians 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 engineering technician job on Zippia to find and recruit structural engineering technician 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 structural engineering technicians, 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 engineering technician

   Once you've found the structural engineering technician 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 equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new structural engineering technician. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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