How to hire computer hardware engineers
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Build, test, and modify product prototypes, using working models or theoretical models constructed with computer simulation. • Confer with engineering staff and consult specifications to evaluate interface between hardware and software and operational and performance requirements of overall system. • Design and develop computer hardware and support peripherals, including central processing units (CPUs), support logic, microprocessors, custom integrated circuits, and printers and disk drives. • Direct technicians, engineering designers or other technical support personnel as needed. • Provide technical support to designers, marketing and sales departments, suppliers, engineers and other team members throughout the product development and implementation process. • Test and verify hardware and support peripherals to ensure that they meet specifications and requirements, by recording and analyzing test data. • Update knowledge and skills to keep up with rapid advancements in computer technology. • Write detailed functional specifications that document the hardware development process and support hardware introduction. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Bachelor's degree] • Strong critical thinking, reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, writing and active learning skills • Working knowledge of computers and electronics, engineering and technology, design and mathematics • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $77.76 an hour ($161,740 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for computer hardware engineers
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to build, test, and modify product prototypes, using working models or theoretical models constructed with computer simulation. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to confer with engineering staff and consult specifications to evaluate interface between hardware and software and operational and performance requirements of overall system. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to design and develop computer hardware and support peripherals, including central processing units (CPUs), support logic, microprocessors, custom integrated circuits, and printers and disk drives. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to direct technicians, engineering designers or other technical support personnel as needed. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What computer hardware engineers do
- Build, test, and modify product prototypes, using working models or theoretical models constructed with computer simulation.
- Confer with engineering staff and consult specifications to evaluate interface between hardware and software and operational and performance requirements of overall system.
- Design and develop computer hardware and support peripherals, including central processing units (CPUs), support logic, microprocessors, custom integrated circuits, and printers and disk drives.
- Direct technicians, engineering designers or other technical support personnel as needed.
- Provide technical support to designers, marketing and sales departments, suppliers, engineers and other team members throughout the product development and implementation process.
- Test and verify hardware and support peripherals to ensure that they meet specifications and requirements, by recording and analyzing test data.
- Update knowledge and skills to keep up with rapid advancements in computer technology.
- Write detailed functional specifications that document the hardware development process and support hardware introduction.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for computer hardware engineers
- Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree (BLS)
- Job outlook: +9.1% over ten years, much faster than average · about 4,100 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay computer hardware engineers
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| California | $185,180 |
| Washington | $169,120 |
| Massachusetts | $167,600 |
| New Mexico | $165,350 |
| Texas | $163,860 |
| Kentucky | $116,200 |
| Missouri | $103,980 |
| Georgia | $100,210 |
See computer hardware engineers pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Aerospace Engineers
- Agricultural Engineers
- Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers
- Chemical Engineers
- Civil Engineers
- Electrical Engineers
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer
- Environmental Engineers
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors
- Industrial Engineers
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.