How to hire a systems support engineer

How to hire a systems support engineer, step by step

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

What does a systems support engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the systems support engineer you need to hire. Certain systems support engineer 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 systems support engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, systems support 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 shows salaries for various types of systems support engineers.

   Type of Systems Support Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Systems Support Engineer	Computer networks are critical parts of almost every organization. Network and computer systems administrators are responsible for the day-to-day operation of these networks.	$29-52
   Support Analyst	The role of support analysts is to resolve problems with hardware, computer programs, and peripherals. They may focus on a particular aspect of the information technology (IT) department or give technical support to end-users... Show more	$24-54
   Computer Engineer	A computer engineer is someone who examines, designs, and manages computer hardware and software systems. He/She or she helps in solving issues or any concerns that may occur with the computer's hardware and software as well as assists in the innovation of computer technology... Show more	$33-63

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Linux
   • Troubleshoot
   • Technical Support
   • Database
   • Unix
   • Windows Server
   • Java
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • SQL Server
   • OS
   • System Support
   • VMware
   • PowerShell
   • System Administration

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Develop PERL scripts in LINUX environment to automate importation of classify advertising data for CondeNet's online newspapers and magazine presence.
   • Lead technical operations for an innovative workforce virtualization movement, including initial design and improvement of technical systems and processes.
   • Provide UNIX system support for production and development environments, specifically dealing with major enterprise level systems.
   • Administer, monitor multiple VMWARE clusters.
   • Implement system imaging for current & new systems through SCCM.
   • Work with DHCP and DNS to add, modify or delete records and reservations.

   More systems support engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the systems support engineer job description is a good way to get more applicants. A systems support engineer 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 systems support engineer in Iowa may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level systems support engineer. Additionally, a systems support engineer with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average systems support engineer salary

   $82,561yearly

   $39.69 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level systems support engineer salary

   $62,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average systems support engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$106,533	$51
   2	Washington	$94,784	$46
   3	New York	$91,515	$44
   4	Oregon	$87,446	$42
   5	Massachusetts	$86,006	$41
   6	New Hampshire	$84,032	$40
   7	North Carolina	$82,680	$40
   8	Maryland	$81,149	$39
   9	New Jersey	$76,747	$37
   10	Colorado	$76,701	$37
   11	Texas	$75,589	$36
   12	Illinois	$75,518	$36
   13	District of Columbia	$75,441	$36
   14	Missouri	$74,490	$36
   15	Indiana	$73,322	$35
   16	Virginia	$72,338	$35
   17	Florida	$71,500	$34
   18	Georgia	$62,425	$30

   Average systems support engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$127,726	$61.41	270
   2	Microsoft	$114,518	$55.06	80
   3	Two Sigma	$110,230	$53.00
   4	Comverse Technology	$109,960	$52.87
   5	Nokia	$105,224	$50.59	16
   6	Amazon	$101,872	$48.98	543
   7	Cybersource	$101,736	$48.91
   8	Hitachi Vantara	$101,280	$48.69
   9	Parsons	$101,173	$48.64	75
   10	Radisys	$100,792	$48.46
   11	Ikanos	$99,435	$47.81
   12	Zapier	$97,851	$47.04
   13	Syniverse	$94,292	$45.33
   14	Carvana	$93,065	$44.74	17
   15	United	$93,029	$44.73	5
   16	Tesla	$92,065	$44.26	7
   17	ICI Services	$91,236	$43.86	5
   18	DHI Group	$91,090	$43.79
   19	Thomson Reuters	$90,699	$43.61
   20	Sentinel Technologies	$90,687	$43.60	10

4. Writing a systems support engineer job description

   A good systems support 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 systems support engineer job description:

   Systems support engineer job description example

   We're looking for a System Support Engineer with demonstrated experience in customer service. In this role, you will:
   
   · Leverage your experience over the last 2-3 years with diagnosing, testing, and troubleshooting systems and applications
   · Provide customer-friendly support to all levels of the organization, from entry-level to executive
   
   · Use your clear, concise, detail-oriented written and verbal communication skills to keep users and program personnel apprised of issues, scope, status, progress, and resolution
   
   · Leverage a variety of communication technologies, including ServiceNow, email, phone, Teams, etc., to support users, program representatives, and development teams
   
   · Collaborate with users to collect and assess issue details, determine workarounds, and engage team members to resolve problems and needs
   
   · Participate in flexible 6 AM to 8 PM on-call support
   
   Requirements
   
   · Must be a US Citizen and can obtain and maintain a DHS 6C (Public Trust). This requirement is not negotiable for this role.
   
   · Excellent written and verbal communication skills
   
   · Professional, positive, and personable demeanor when working with end users
   
   · Bachelor’s Degree with 3 years of professional work experience or Master’s with two years of professional work experience
   
   · Proficient in using computer technology and web browser-based applications
   
   · Ability to work on client site (Crystal City) 1-3x per week as well as remotely; currently 100% remote
   
   · Must be able to work in a team environment At INTEGRITYOne Partners, we have high standards for the members of our team ---- and when our people meet these standards, the personal and professional rewards are plentiful. We help INTEGRITYOne Partners’ employees grow in their careers by gaining enhanced Federal knowledge and experience, sought-after skills, greater discipline and drive, and targeted education and training INTEGRITYOne Partners is an equal opportunity employer Minorities / Females / Veterans / Disabilities. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or status as a qualified individual with a disability or any other personal characteristic protected by law. Powered by JazzHR zUW0oCTUr9

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right systems support 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 systems support engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit systems support engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting systems support 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.

   Sometimes, it's not enough to interview systems support engineer candidates, so you can ask them to do a test project. If you are not a technical person and don't know what a test project should be, you can use these websites:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   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 systems support engineer

   Once you've found the systems support 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 employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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 systems support engineer?