How to hire a subject matter expert

How to hire a subject matter expert, step by step

Here's a step-by-step subject matter expert hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a subject matter expert job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new subject matter expert
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a subject matter expert do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the subject matter expert you need to hire. Certain subject matter expert 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

   A subject matter expert's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, subject matter experts 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.

   This list shows salaries for various types of subject matter experts.

   Type of Subject Matter Expert	Description	Hourly rate
   Subject Matter Expert	Management analysts, often called management consultants, propose ways to improve the efficiency of an organization. They advise managers on how to make organizations more profitable through reduced costs and increased revenues.	$35-70
   Program Analyst	The job of program analysts is to plan, manage, and evaluate a company's computer programs. They usually perform different tasks, including researching and analyzing complex data to identify trends and offer the best recommendations for improvements... Show more	$25-50
   Analyst	Analysts are employees or individual contributors with a vast experience in a particular field that help the organization address challenges. They help the organization improve processes, policies, and other operations protocol by studying the current processes in place and determining the effectiveness of those processes... Show more	$25-47

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • SME
   • Project Management
   • DOD
   • Logistics
   • Customer Service
   • Windows
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Troubleshoot
   • Technical Support
   • Technical Expertise
   • Java
   • Linux
   • Business Process
   • Process Improvement

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Prepare custom perl scripts to automate various monitoring functions.
   • Manage PKI SSL web certificates for Linux and Unix servers.
   • Manage the multiple CSS's require by the different organizations.
   • Develop stored procedures and complex packages using PL/SQL, manage DBA activities.
   • Manage the on-the-job training (OJT) of all new personnel on equipment and SIGINT analytical procedures
   • Participate in and hold daily scrum meetings to perform iterative and incremental agile software development framework when managing product development.

   More subject matter expert duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the subject matter expert job description is a good way to get more applicants. A subject matter expert salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a subject matter expert in Montana may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level subject matter expert. Additionally, a subject matter expert with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average subject matter expert salary

   $103,749yearly

   $49.88 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level subject matter expert salary

   $73,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average subject matter expert salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$128,220	$62
   2	Maryland	$119,731	$58
   3	District of Columbia	$117,945	$57
   4	New Jersey	$113,145	$54
   5	Massachusetts	$110,056	$53
   6	Texas	$110,045	$53
   7	Virginia	$109,093	$52
   8	Colorado	$107,728	$52
   9	Iowa	$105,505	$51
   10	New York	$105,167	$51
   11	Arizona	$103,570	$50
   12	Illinois	$103,229	$50
   13	Oklahoma	$97,823	$47
   14	Alabama	$97,627	$47
   15	Ohio	$97,413	$47
   16	Delaware	$96,999	$47
   17	North Carolina	$96,559	$46
   18	Georgia	$96,544	$46
   19	Wyoming	$90,460	$43
   20	Oregon	$90,455	$43

   Average subject matter expert salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$136,102	$65.43	10
   2	Meta	$135,908	$65.34	118
   3	Occidental Petroleum	$132,582	$63.74
   4	Stellar Solutions - Stainless Steel Passivation	$131,165	$63.06
   5	Marathon Petroleum	$130,338	$62.66	6
   6	TEKsystems	$128,801	$61.92	38
   7	BP America Inc	$128,196	$61.63	1
   8	Axient	$127,597	$61.34
   9	Arisglobal	$127,439	$61.27
   10	TASER Self-Defense	$127,320	$61.21	17
   11	Systems Technology Forum	$125,841	$60.50
   12	Maxisit Inc.	$125,828	$60.49
   13	Keshav Consulting	$125,243	$60.21
   14	Koch Industries	$125,038	$60.11
   15	Kforce	$124,389	$59.80	30
   16	NICE Actimize	$123,450	$59.35
   17	Zurich	$123,330	$59.29	86
   18	Sonalysts	$122,862	$59.07
   19	Integration Innovation	$122,265	$58.78	1
   20	Goldbelt Falcon	$122,157	$58.73

4. Writing a subject matter expert job description

   A subject matter expert 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a subject matter expert job description:

   Subject matter expert job description example

   Responsible for providing subject matter expertise in the integration, testing, and operations of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) mission systems. Duties of this position include but are not limited to:
   Integrate new intelligence collection sensor mission systems into ground based architectures Apply experience and expertise to develop sensor and mission system training for weapon system operators Work cooperatively with weapon system developers to troubleshoot and quickly resolve integration and testing issues and roadblocks Preparation of briefing materials for senior government and military personnel regarding ongoing program integration status and future plans
   Experience
   Minimum 15 years ISR mission system integration experience Demonstrated experience working DoD Special Access Programs Support to both Intelligence Community (IC) programs and DoD weapon systems Technical credentials related to intelligence and sensor technology BS in engineering desired but not required
   Security Clearance
   Must have an active Top Secret Clearance with SCI eligibility Eligibility for access to Special Access Program information Willingness to submit to and successfully complete a Counterintelligence polygraph
   Other Requirements
   Must have the ability to work in a very dynamic environment and effectively interact with numerous DoD, military/civilian personnel, and industry partners Working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Powerpoint, and Excel) Ability to communicate with executive leadership regarding matters of significant importance to the customer organization
   
   In compliance with the U.S. federal government's vaccine mandate, only candidates who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or have a reasonable accommodation or approved medical exception will be considered for this position.
   
   KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit subject matter experts, 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.

   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 subject matter expert

   Once you have selected a candidate for the subject matter expert position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize 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.

   To prepare for the new subject matter expert 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.)

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How much does it cost to hire a subject matter expert?