How to hire a test engineering manager

How to hire a test engineering manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step test engineering manager hiring guide:

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

What does a test engineering manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the test engineering manager you need to hire. Certain test engineering manager 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a test engineering manager 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 test engineering manager that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of test engineering managers.

   Type of Test Engineering Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Test Engineering Manager	Architectural and engineering managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities in architectural and engineering companies.	$42-73
   Research And Development Director	A research and development director spearheads and oversees the research and development initiatives and projects in a company. It is their duty to set goals and guidelines, establish timelines and budgets, direct and manage different departments, liaise with internal and external parties, gather and analyze data to implement solutions against problem areas, and utilize expertise in developing strategies to optimize company operations... Show more	$45-96
   Research And Development Manager	A research and development manager is responsible for supervising project development procedures to support business operations and identify business opportunities that would pave the way for more revenue resources and profits. Research and development managers monitor the production plans from the conceptualization to the final outputs, inspecting inconsistencies and flaws in every phase and revising strategies as needed to achieve the required specifications and requirements... Show more	$37-83

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Test Engineering
   • Test Equipment
   • Test Automation
   • RF
   • Continuous Improvement
   • End-To-End Testing
   • End Testing
   • Java
   • Project Management
   • Test Scripts
   • Test Data
   • DOD
   • Test Solutions
   • Regression

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage regulatory and agency (UL, CSA, FCC, IEC, FDA, CE , 510k, etc . )
   • Manage development of applications to save the tests data into the SQL database.
   • Manage chemical testing laboratory for analyzing field materials for engineers using ASTM requirements.
   • Manage workflow and oversee strict cleanroom operations, assuring compliance with FDA specifications including labeling and packaging traceability.
   • Configure storage arrays for compatibility testing with new HBAs and switches.
   • Perform inter-divisional ISO audits, prepare ISO documents and maintain ISO records.

   More test engineering manager duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, test engineering managers' average salary in florida is 37% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level test engineering managers earn 42% less than senior-level test engineering managers.
   • Certifications. A test engineering manager 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 test engineering manager's salary.

   Average test engineering manager salary

   $117,209yearly

   $56.35 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level test engineering manager salary

   $89,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average test engineering manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$159,649	$77
   2	Nevada	$141,532	$68
   3	Washington	$138,307	$66
   4	Massachusetts	$137,693	$66
   5	Arizona	$128,974	$62
   6	New York	$126,890	$61
   7	Michigan	$121,714	$59
   8	Utah	$121,479	$58
   9	Maryland	$118,803	$57
   10	Pennsylvania	$118,050	$57
   11	Virginia	$114,974	$55
   12	Illinois	$113,894	$55
   13	Colorado	$112,980	$54
   14	Texas	$112,963	$54
   15	Ohio	$111,108	$53
   16	Georgia	$110,094	$53
   17	North Carolina	$109,855	$53
   18	Missouri	$107,961	$52
   19	Minnesota	$103,689	$50
   20	Kentucky	$96,715	$47

   Average test engineering manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Google	$172,814	$83.08	137
   2	Duolingo	$157,879	$75.90	12
   3	Apple	$156,398	$75.19	211
   4	LinkedIn	$152,479	$73.31	25
   5	Juniper Networks	$151,252	$72.72
   6	Brocade Services Corporation	$146,913	$70.63
   7	Zoox	$143,653	$69.06	27
   8	Fitbit	$141,857	$68.20
   9	ViacomCBS	$139,813	$67.22
   10	Broadcom	$137,188	$65.96	22
   11	Tandem Diabetes Care	$135,081	$64.94
   12	Tesla	$134,969	$64.89	46
   13	Amazon	$134,373	$64.60	315
   14	BorgWarner	$134,291	$64.56	7
   15	Lattice Semiconductor	$133,206	$64.04	1
   16	Neiman Marcus Group	$132,856	$63.87
   17	SMTC	$132,270	$63.59
   18	Best Buy	$131,406	$63.18	1
   19	CyberCoders	$131,382	$63.16
   20	Groupon	$130,434	$62.71

4. Writing a test engineering manager job description

   A test engineering manager 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. Below, you can find an example of a test engineering manager job description:

   Test engineering manager job description example

   SMTC Corporation was founded in 1985. SMTC is a mid-size provider of end-to-end electronics manufacturing services (EMS) including PCBA production, systems integration and comprehensive testing services, enclosure fabrication, as well as product design, sustaining engineering and supply chain management services. SMTC has facilities in the United States, Mexico, China and Canada. Services extend over the entire electronic product life cycle from the development and introduction of new products through to the growth, maturity and end-of-life phases.

   
   

   Benefits Highlights:

   *401K with company match

   *PTO, Paid Holidays

   *Tuition Reimbursement

   *Medical HRA Plan

   *Short term/Long term Disability Insurance, etc.

   
   

   
   

   The Test Engineering Manager will manage a team of test engineers and electronic technicians that provide operations support to electronics manufacturing site operations and test development resources for global test development team with a passion for continuous improvement, technology, and problem solving in a fast-paced environment.

   • Provide technical leadership to Test Engineering team to develop personnel and meet program/project objectives

   • Provide technical reports and track KPIs

   • Manage/support/perform failure analysis activities

   • Be a customer interface for technical discussions supporting existing customers and new business development.

   
   

   
   

   Education and Experience for the Test Engineering Manager:

   • B.S. in Electrical Engineering or equivalent experience

   • Project management experience

   • Possess Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent experience

   • At least 5 years of experience in a manufacturing environment

   
   

   
   

   
   

   SMTC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, pregnancy, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information or other protected status.

   
   

   If you require assistance completing this application due to a disability, please contact Human Resources to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right test engineering manager for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with test engineering managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit test engineering managers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your test engineering manager job on Zippia to find and recruit test engineering manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with test engineering manager candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   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 test engineering manager

   Once you've decided on a perfect test engineering manager 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.

   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 test engineering manager 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 test engineering manager?