How to hire a vehicle controls engineer

How to hire a vehicle controls engineer, step by step

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

What does a vehicle controls engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your vehicle controls engineer job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a vehicle controls engineer for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   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 vehicle controls engineer 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 vehicle controls engineer that fits the bill.

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

   Type of Vehicle Controls Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Vehicle Controls Engineer	Mechanical engineering is one of the broadest engineering disciplines. Mechanical engineers design, develop, build, and test mechanical and thermal sensors and devices, including tools, engines, and machines.	$32-68
   Engineer	Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects... Show more	$31-62
   Staff Engineer	Staff engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and inspecting various products, equipment, or structures. These professionals may perform varied duties depending on their specialization that includes overseeing the design and construction of buildings, bridges, sewer systems, and other infrastructure, estimating the financial costs of construction projects, and ensuring compliance with health and safety laws and regulations... Show more	$33-80

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CANalyzer
   • Vehicle Dynamics
   • Control Systems
   • Control Algorithms
   • Data Analysis
   • Data Acquisition
   • Technical Support
   • Prototyping
   • Powertrain
   • System Design
   • CAD
   • Carsim
   • DFMEA
   • CAE

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage Jenkins security by providing specific access to authorize developers/testers using project base matrix authorization strategy.
   • Create the BOM for the brakes system (includes pedal box, callipers, rotors).
   • Perform chassis, driveline and OEM electrical trouble shooting and repairs.
   • Sheet metal: CNC punch press, laser and plasma cutting, stamping.
   • Manufacture space frame to design specifications, including material preparation and MIG, TIG welding.
   • Design the components in AutoCAD 3D, CATIA and import the drawings into Hypermesh and Abaqus for simulating the components.

   More vehicle controls engineer duties

3. Make a budget

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

   Average vehicle controls engineer salary

   $98,897yearly

   $47.55 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level vehicle controls engineer salary

   $68,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average vehicle controls engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$137,453	$66
   2	New York	$112,628	$54
   3	Massachusetts	$104,623	$50
   4	Washington	$102,670	$49
   5	Arizona	$101,200	$49
   6	Colorado	$96,475	$46
   7	New Mexico	$95,848	$46
   8	Indiana	$94,358	$45
   9	Michigan	$92,470	$44
   10	Virginia	$87,628	$42
   11	Pennsylvania	$84,619	$41
   12	Ohio	$84,194	$40
   13	Tennessee	$84,079	$40

   Average vehicle controls engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Zoox	$132,840	$63.87	32
   2	Cruise Automation	$131,230	$63.09
   3	NVIDIA	$123,609	$59.43	126
   4	Amazon	$114,565	$55.08	313
   5	Booz Allen Hamilton	$109,031	$52.42	59
   6	Faraday Technology	$107,702	$51.78
   7	Lucid Motors	$107,226	$51.55	40
   8	Rivian	$105,869	$50.90	26
   9	Tesla	$105,239	$50.60	82
   10	FCA US LLC	$103,883	$49.94	10
   11	Erik Buell Racing	$103,093	$49.56
   12	HWH Corporation	$101,947	$49.01
   13	Morgan Olson	$101,444	$48.77
   14	Visteon	$101,137	$48.62
   15	Randstad North America, Inc.	$100,922	$48.52
   16	Roush	$100,862	$48.49	2
   17	Jacobs Enterprises	$100,831	$48.48	249
   18	Divergent	$100,818	$48.47	12
   19	Udelv	$100,817	$48.47
   20	SOLIZE	$100,817	$48.47

4. Writing a vehicle controls engineer job description

   A vehicle controls engineer 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 vehicle controls engineer job description:

   Vehicle controls engineer job description example

   Honda has a clear vision for the future in 2030, and it's a joyful one. We are looking for people with the individual skills, courage, persistence, and dreams that will help us reach our future-focused goals. We are seeking diversity of thought and experience to drive innovation and help us make fully informed decisions.
   
   In this role, you will be capable of performing tasks related to development of vehicle information Gateway ECU for CAN and Ethernet integration with moderate oversight, utilizing their engineering skill to overcome standard development issues.
   
   At Honda, our associates take pride in their responsibilities. A typical day for a Vehicle Control Network Development Test Engineer will include:
   30% - Project management 20% - Engineering troubleshooting, root cause analysis and solution design 20% - Testing and in-vehicle verification of ECU specifications 15% - Cyber security requirement analysis and implementation verification 10% - Engineering specification design for Gateway ECU integration applications 5%- Improvement and innovation
   
   We are looking for qualified people with diverse backgrounds and experiences, open minds, and a disciplined work ethic. To bring the future to Honda as a Vehicle Control Network Development Test Engineer, you must have:
   
   Qualifications
   
   A Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience in a Electrical Engineering or related field 3 months of co-op/internship/full-time experience Understanding of automobile communication networks, such as CAN, and related system function and operation
   
   Knowledge and Skills
   
   Ability to understand electrical hardware and software engineering concepts and apply to real-world situations. Ability to come up with solutions to department level issues on own Ability to carry out engineering tasks according to an objective standard utilizing manuals or on-the-job training. Ability to apply overall knowledge of automobile communication networks to electronic system requirements. Decide the priority of assigned tasks and maintain an ECU development plan to meet objectives or schedule.Propose to TE/TL for approval. Decide the best specification design to achieve the requirements of a design concept, considering external factors or cascading impact. Decide at the working-level how to optimize the available test vehicles/resources/equipment to achieve the overall results on-time.
   
   Working Conditions
   
   Remove/Install electrical components in a test vehicle, sometimes involving difficult physical access. Driving vehicles for testing purposes, sometimes in extreme cold or hot climates (-30degC to 50degC) Periodical domestic and international travel to test facilities, factories, suppliers. ( Overtime is expected in moderate amount, to meet deadlines. (~5hr/wk average)
   
   Total Rewards
   
   Competitive Base Pay Medical, Dental, Vision Remote Work Opportunities Bonus Program 401K Program Honda Product Programs Company Car Program Relocation (must meet eligibility requirements)
   
   Honda is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected factor.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right vehicle controls engineer 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 vehicle controls engineers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit vehicle controls engineers 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 vehicle controls engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit vehicle controls engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with vehicle controls engineer 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 vehicle controls engineer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the vehicle controls engineer 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.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with 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 vehicle controls engineer?