How to hire a structures engineer

How to hire a structures engineer, step by step

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

What does a structures engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a structures 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 structures engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, structures 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of structures engineers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Structures Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Structures Engineer	Civil 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.	$25-47
   Civil Designer	A Civil Designer plans, scales, and drafts drawings and maps for roads, bridges, and other construction projects. They work with engineers and project managers in determining material, labor, and other costs of the assigned projects.	$19-38
   Civil Engineering Internship	Civil 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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Structural Analysis
   • Revit
   • RISA
   • CAD
   • ACI
   • Engineering Design
   • Masonry
   • Project Management
   • ASCE
   • AISC
   • Finite Element Analysis
   • Design Software
   • MathCAD
   • Rehabilitation

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead group meetings with participants from various interfacing IPT s to coordinate design.
   • Authore substantiation documents in compliance with FAA regulations and customer requirements to achieve type certifications and supplemental type certifications.
   • Perform structural modeling and design calculation using 3-D FEA software for seismic design and wind design.
   • Design steel & concrete structures for above mention analyses base on AISC, ACI and local building codes.
   • Prepare calculation and review drawings which provide modifications for the concrete building to meet ACI and building code requirements.
   • Recommend retrofitting consist in replacing existing gypsum shear wall to 1.2 in plywood in accordance with ASCE 41-13 and IBC 2015

   More structures engineer duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, structures engineers' average salary in wyoming is 36% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level structures engineers 45% less than senior-level structures engineers.
   • Certifications. A structures 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 structures engineer's salary.

   Average structures engineer salary

   $73,391yearly

   $35.28 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level structures engineer salary

   $54,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average structures engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$97,477	$47
   2	Oregon	$81,304	$39
   3	Kentucky	$80,130	$39
   4	Oklahoma	$78,655	$38
   5	Washington	$78,441	$38
   6	Colorado	$77,323	$37
   7	Maine	$76,699	$37
   8	Louisiana	$75,586	$36
   9	New York	$75,574	$36
   10	Massachusetts	$74,051	$36
   11	Nevada	$73,371	$35
   12	Virginia	$73,009	$35
   13	Pennsylvania	$72,602	$35
   14	Illinois	$71,798	$35
   15	Minnesota	$71,251	$34
   16	North Carolina	$70,894	$34
   17	District of Columbia	$70,209	$34
   18	Alabama	$70,137	$34
   19	Texas	$70,113	$34
   20	Michigan	$70,009	$34

   Average structures engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$129,164	$62.10	9
   2	Luxe	$124,691	$59.95
   3	Joby Aviation	$114,062	$54.84	2
   4	Cirrus Aircraft	$111,866	$53.78	4
   5	Katerra	$110,842	$53.29
   6	American Tower	$110,156	$52.96	3
   7	Amazon	$106,771	$51.33	13
   8	VT Mobile Aerospace Engineering, Inc.	$102,274	$49.17
   9	Rivian	$100,846	$48.48	1
   10	Chevron	$100,543	$48.34
   11	Hamilton Sundstrand	$100,001	$48.08
   12	Bell Flight	$98,910	$47.55
   13	General Motors	$98,318	$47.27	6
   14	Koch Industries	$97,052	$46.66	3
   15	Nabors Industries	$96,134	$46.22
   16	Ford Motor	$95,608	$45.97	9
   17	Dell	$95,083	$45.71
   18	Navistar	$94,731	$45.54
   19	Tesla	$94,607	$45.48	2
   20	Booz Allen Hamilton	$94,352	$45.36	12

4. Writing a structures engineer job description

   A good structures 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 structures engineer job description:

   Structures engineer job description example

   Baird, Hampton & Brown Inc. is a multi –discipline engineering and surveying consulting firm with over 30 years in the industry. The Fort Worth office is looking for a Graduate Structural Engineer.

   Summary of Position

   The Graduate Engineer will work on structural engineering projects in all market sectors. They will work closely with the Project Manager or Department Manager to design and produce structural construction documents. Projects will vary in size, from small renovations to new buildings.

   Essential Job Functions

   • Assist with design drawings, specifications, calculation packages, reports, and other project deliverables.
   • Perform structural analysis and design calculations for structural steel, concrete, wood, masonry, and other materials to complete project documents.
   • Coordinate and attend meetings with clients, consultants, owners, and internal staff members on projects.
   • Perform construction administration duties such as reviewing shop drawings, responding to RFIs, and site observations.
   • Produce drawings utilizing AutoCAD or Revit.
   • Projects will include new and existing structures for all market sectors noted on Baird Hampton Brown website.

   Qualifications

   • A Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or Architectural Engineering with an emphasis in Structural Engineering from an ABET-accredited program.
   • Master of Science or Master of Engineering degree in Civil or Architectural Engineering is a plus.
   • Engineer in Training certification or plan to take the Fundamentals of Engineering exam within six months of hire.
   • Past internship or previous work experience is a plus.
   • Ability to work closely with an integrated multi-discipline team under tight deadlines and communicate clearly – both in writing and verbally.

   Company Benefits

   Employees are given a competitive salary and a complete benefits package. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance, life and disability insurance, paid parental leave, a PTO bank to start, 401(k) plan, profit sharing, and much more. More details regarding benefits will be provided during the interview process.

   Equal Employment Opportunity

   Baird, Hampton & Brown Inc. does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age (over 40), non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business need.

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5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting structures 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 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 structures engineer

   Once you've decided on a perfect structures 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 important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new structures engineer. 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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How much does it cost to hire a structures engineer?