How to hire a system hardware engineer

How to hire a system hardware engineer, step by step

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

What does a system hardware engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

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

   This list presents system hardware engineer salaries for various positions.

   Type of System Hardware Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   System Hardware Engineer	Computer hardware engineers research, design, develop, and test computer systems and components such as processors, circuit boards, memory devices, networks, and routers. These engineers discover new directions in computer hardware, which generate rapid advances in computer technology.	$38-80
   Design Verification Engineer	A design verification engineer is responsible for running diagnostic tests on project outputs and adjusting methodologies as needed to achieve high-quality deliverables according to clients' specifications and business requirements. Design verification engineers create efficient techniques to improve products and services by utilizing various system tools and applications... Show more	$42-74
   Verification Engineer	A verification engineer is responsible for running quality tests to the production processes to ensure high-quality outputs according to business requirements and client specifications. Verification engineers develop testing methodologies, inspect tools and equipment, and creating instructional manuals... Show more	$36-68

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • System Design
   • RF
   • Analog
   • Linux
   • Debugging
   • Circuit Design
   • PCB
   • I2C
   • Design Reviews
   • Ethernet
   • SOC
   • HW
   • DOD
   • Visualization

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Implement, manage, monitor and troubleshoot backup policies and services.
   • Initiate and lead IP development program, identify IP white spaces.
   • Manage prototyping, orchestrate 1st-article approval process with suppliers and IBM, and resolve mechanical and heat-sink thermal issues.
   • Develop and manage technical procedures for quality control to comply with ISO laboratory accreditation.
   • Review and approve PCB layouts, drawings and ATP for a multitude of RF subassemblies.
   • Develop FPGA using VHDL with 3'd party IP cores.

   More system hardware engineer duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, system hardware engineers' average salary in kentucky is 56% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level system hardware engineers earn 51% less than senior-level system hardware engineers.
   • Certifications. A system hardware engineer 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 system hardware engineer's salary.

   Average system hardware engineer salary

   $117,196yearly

   $56.34 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level system hardware engineer salary

   $81,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average system hardware engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$142,853	$69
   2	Washington	$142,525	$69
   3	Oregon	$106,753	$51
   4	Massachusetts	$105,507	$51
   5	New York	$104,801	$50
   6	Virginia	$104,330	$50
   7	Texas	$104,325	$50
   8	Maryland	$100,135	$48
   9	Colorado	$92,915	$45
   10	District of Columbia	$92,755	$45
   11	Pennsylvania	$92,442	$44
   12	Oklahoma	$89,894	$43
   13	Georgia	$86,773	$42
   14	Michigan	$76,560	$37
   15	Ohio	$76,390	$37
   16	Florida	$73,528	$35
   17	Indiana	$72,899	$35

   Average system hardware engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$160,312	$77.07	175
   2	Apple	$149,431	$71.84	239
   3	Google	$148,866	$71.57	93
   4	Microsoft	$145,656	$70.03	73
   5	eBay	$144,526	$69.48	1
   6	Cloudflare	$138,748	$66.71	14
   7	Infinera	$127,309	$61.21
   8	CNEX Labs	$126,108	$60.63
   9	Randstad North America, Inc.	$125,432	$60.30	6
   10	ALTEN Cresttek - An ALTEN Group	$125,241	$60.21
   11	Amazon	$124,200	$59.71	429
   12	Nuro	$123,534	$59.39	8
   13	WorleyParsons	$122,272	$58.78	10
   14	SiTime	$120,247	$57.81	2
   15	Ford Motor	$118,764	$57.10	142
   16	FCA US LLC	$118,148	$56.80	15
   17	Keysight Technologies	$117,577	$56.53
   18	Dell	$117,255	$56.37	4
   19	HD Supply	$116,894	$56.20	1
   20	Peraton	$113,625	$54.63	74

4. Writing a system hardware engineer job description

   A job description for a system hardware engineer role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a system hardware engineer job description:

   System hardware engineer job description example

   The Hardware Systems Engineer is responsible for designing hardware to support the EHR. This includes embedded and standalone devices. The Hardware System Engineer is equally able to integrate off the shelf components and design custom hardware.
   Requirements
   
   A successful candidate has a strong background in Electrical and Computer Engineering and demonstrates a mastery of current and emerging technologies.
   
   ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
   Read and understand specifications of software, electronic components, mechanical components and computing hardware. Solve problems in all areas including our hardware, 3rd party hardware, firmware, product requirements, product demonstrations, product support and regulatory compliance. Select components such as CPUs, RAM, Flash, DC/DCs based on performance, price, availability, compatibility and suitability. Specify mechanical design features that affect electrical properties, including EMI, EMC, and safety. Work with a mechanical engineer to develop custom components when needed. Take HW measurements using test equipment and create DVT reports. Create PCB designs utilizing high speed (GHz) signals used with DDR3/4, PCIe Gen4, and USB as well as low frequency interfaces like I2C, SPI, and UART. Apply Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering principles and standards to hardware designs. Create product documentation including design documents, schematics, PCB artwork, DVT plans and reports, assembly drawings, bills of material, and manufacturing procedures. Design and develop specific tests as required to evaluate system design integrity and performance. and evaluate test results.
   
   Required
   Bachelor’ s degree in Electrical engineering, computer engineering, physics, cognitive science or mathematics with 5-10 years of industry experience. U.S. Citizenship with the ability to obtain DoD ADP and VA High Risk Background clearance Knowledge about current hardware technologies and interfaces as detailed in the job description. Experience with leading PCB technology and electrical design/characterization of high speed signals like: DDR3/4, PCIe gen4, USB. Have a deep understanding and experience of low frequency interface likes I2C, SPI, UART. Solid digital/analog theory of operation fundamentals. Good understanding of system jitter issues, signal integrity issues. Design and develop specific testing as required to evaluate system design integrity and performance review and evaluate test results. Good understanding of standards compliance. Experienced in usage of ECAD tools and latest HW measurement equipment (DSO, SA, signal generators). Experience developing electronic products from beginning to end and dealing with contract manufacturers. Unix and scripting skills. Excellent Failure Analysis capability to deal with complex issues.
   
   Preferred
   Strong understanding of ARM based SoC architectures and bus interfaces. Experience in low power embedded systems, from 8-bit and 16-bit micro-controllers to multi-core ARM based SoCs. Expertise in Orcad board tools. Knowledge of server technologies and current CPU, GPU, SSD, NVMe, HDD, SAS, Infiniband, DPU technology.
   
   Benefits
   100% covered Medical and Dental coverage for you & your family Generous 401(k) plan and contribution Events and weekly lunches Engaging wellness activities Corporate Social Responsibility Program So many more to list…
   P-OCE-3

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit system hardware engineers, 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.

   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 system hardware engineer

   Once you've found the system hardware engineer 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 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 system hardware 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.)

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How much does it cost to hire a system hardware engineer?