How to hire a wind tunnel engineer

How to hire a wind tunnel engineer, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The wind tunnel engineer hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A wind tunnel engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, wind tunnel 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 wind tunnel engineers.

   Type of Wind Tunnel Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Wind Tunnel Engineer	Aerospace engineers design primarily aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and missiles. In addition, they test prototypes to make sure that they function according to design.	$32-60
   Stress Analyst	A stress analyst is a type of aerospace engineer; they design, construct, and test aircraft. They may also work on missiles or spacecraft... Show more	$30-54
   Engineering Scientist	An engineering scientist is responsible for designing new technological systems through the evaluation of scientific methods and innovative solutions. Engineering scientists analyze technical parts and components, researching the current engineering trends to meet public demands and interests... Show more	$31-59

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Data Analysis
   • LabVIEW
   • Engineering Support
   • Acquisition Systems
   • CFD
   • Tunnel Design
   • Test Results

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the fuel supply and aircraft electrical distribution system on board ship, including radar tank gauging and filtration systems.
   • Investigate ICD requirement on payload fairing venting to ensure the structure integrity of the spacecraft and payload fairing.
   • Position also include engineering liaison to resolve technical and mechanical installation issues and vendor and FAA DER coordination for documentation issues.
   • Remove insulation, fiberglass, calcium and asbestos.
   • Apply Insulation/metal to hot/cold pipes on the ground or midair.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your wind tunnel engineer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A wind tunnel engineer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a wind tunnel engineer in Mississippi may be lower than in Rhode Island, and an entry-level wind tunnel engineer usually earns less than a senior-level wind tunnel engineer. Additionally, a wind tunnel engineer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average wind tunnel engineer salary

   $92,133yearly

   $44.29 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level wind tunnel engineer salary

   $67,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average wind tunnel engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$115,467	$56
   2	District of Columbia	$112,910	$54
   3	Washington	$109,947	$53
   4	Virginia	$97,319	$47
   5	Michigan	$95,766	$46
   6	Illinois	$91,494	$44
   7	New York	$90,578	$44
   8	Ohio	$84,757	$41

   Average wind tunnel engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Tesla	$98,738	$47.47
   2	Genex Services	$93,427	$44.92
   3	Jacobs Enterprises	$93,146	$44.78	6
   4	Vegas General Construction, Co.	$92,488	$44.47
   5	Calspan	$88,090	$42.35
   6	Jacobs Engineering Group	$87,477	$42.06
   7	Sierra Lobo	$84,068	$40.42
   8	Lane Enterprises	$84,011	$40.39
   9	Stantec	$82,924	$39.87	25
   10	Hatch Mott MacDonald	$81,662	$39.26
   11	AECOM	$79,102	$38.03	1
   12	The University System of Maryland Foundation	$75,858	$36.47

4. Writing a wind tunnel engineer job description

   A wind tunnel 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 wind tunnel engineer job description:

   Wind tunnel engineer job description example

   The Boring Company was founded to solve the problem of soul-destroying traffic by creating an underground network of tunnels. Today, we are creating the technology to increase tunneling speed and decrease costs by a factor of 10 or more with the ultimate goal of making Hyperloop adoption viable and enabling rapid transit across densely populated regions.
   
   Responsibilities Help build safe work plans that maintain project schedules.Ensure guidance systems are maintained and accurate using survey equipment and guidance software such as TACS.Helping to design and improve tunneling/construction processes for better efficiencies including logistics, sequences, etc. Coordinate job walks for pricing, work, schedules, material deliveries, or inspections with vendors, contractors, and building officials.Track and maintain inventories of consumables for tunnel construction.Design parts, pieces, and systems to solve issues found in the field using SolidWorks and/or AutoCAD.Coordinate and collaborate with mechanical engineering team for improved design.Overall quality control of construction practices including grout and pre-cast concrete tunnel liner segments.Prepare daily, weekly, and monthly reports documenting progress or challenges on any given project.Troubleshoot tunnel boring machine issues as they arise.Collect soil samples. Other duties as required.
   
   Basic QualificationsBachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, or similar field.3+ years of experience in an active construction environment.
   
   Preferred Skills and QualificationsStrong teamwork skills with a proven ability to effectively interact and collaborate with other engineering disciplines and field technicians.Acute attention to detail and sense of urgency.
   
   Additional Requirements Ability to work long hours and weekends as necessary.Ability to work outdoors and in confined spaces.
   Culture
   We're a team of dedicated, smart, and scrappy people. Our employees are passionate about our mission and determined to innovate at every opportunity.
   
   Benefits
   We offer employer-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k) plan, paid holidays, paid vacation, and a competitive amount of equity for all permanent employees.
   
   The Boring Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with The Boring Company is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find wind tunnel engineers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your wind tunnel engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit wind tunnel engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit wind tunnel 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 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 wind tunnel engineer

   Once you've found the wind tunnel 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new wind tunnel engineer. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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