How to hire a Network Design Engineer

How to hire a network design engineer, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your network design 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 network design 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

   A network design engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, network design 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 presents network design engineer salaries for various positions.

   Type Of Network Design Engineer	Description	Hourly Rate
   Network Design 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.	$36-63
   Administrator	Administrators are administrative professionals who oversee the whole office or department. They manage office activities and supervise administrative functions in the office... Show More	$22-54
   Systems Administrator	Systems administrators are employees who oversee information technology infrastructures in the office. They are skilled information technology professionals who are knowledgeable about the company's network systems and other technology-related infrastructures... Show More	$28-48

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Network Design
   • Switches
   • Juniper
   • Routers
   • Network Infrastructure
   • Troubleshoot
   • QoS
   • BGP
   • MPLS
   • OSPF
   • Lan Wan
   • TCP/IP
   • VPN
   • Capacity Planning

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage efficient T1 utilization thresholds in order to balance customer demand and budget constraints.
   • Implement HSRP on different location of office on the switched network and managing the entire multilayer switch network.
   • Utilize advanced encryption devices to secure communications between all locations manage by the department.
   • Experience on designing and troubleshooting of complex BGP and OSPF routing problems.
   • Key contributions include troubleshooting of complex LAN /WAN connectivity issues that includes EIGRP.
   • Configure, install and troubleshoot CISCO base networks (routers, terminal servers).

   More Network Design Engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your network design engineer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A network design 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 network design engineer in Wisconsin may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level network design engineer usually earns less than a senior-level network design engineer. Additionally, a network design 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 network design engineer salary

   $101,135yearly

   $48.62 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level network design engineer salary

   $76,000 yearly salary

   Updated June 16, 2025

   Average network design engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	Washington	$123,061	$59
   2	California	$116,380	$56
   3	New Jersey	$104,408	$50
   4	Ohio	$99,689	$48
   5	Massachusetts	$97,175	$47
   6	North Carolina	$96,949	$47
   7	Texas	$96,240	$46
   8	Minnesota	$94,767	$46
   9	Maryland	$94,742	$46
   10	District of Columbia	$94,269	$45
   11	Tennessee	$92,693	$45
   12	Virginia	$92,266	$44
   13	Georgia	$91,085	$44
   14	Indiana	$88,525	$43
   15	Pennsylvania	$87,922	$42
   16	Oklahoma	$86,653	$42
   17	Colorado	$86,330	$42
   18	Kansas	$85,007	$41
   19	Alabama	$83,640	$40
   20	New York	$82,863	$40

   Average network design engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	Google	$136,849	$65.79	122
   2	Amazon	$124,360	$59.79	600
   3	Nokia	$109,542	$52.66	14
   4	Unisys	$108,900	$52.36	7
   5	ADARA Networks	$106,016	$50.97
   6	Bt Financial Group	$105,941	$50.93
   7	Advanced Computer Concepts	$105,090	$50.52
   8	AT&T	$104,467	$50.22	43
   9	Publix	$103,275	$49.65	7
   10	Randstad North America, Inc.	$102,676	$49.36	9
   11	California Institute of Technology	$101,663	$48.88	2
   12	Aviat Networks	$101,232	$48.67	5
   13	The Building People	$99,267	$47.72	1
   14	BT Group	$98,847	$47.52
   15	Jacobs Enterprises	$98,041	$47.14	121
   16	Umg Recordings Services Inc.	$98,036	$47.13
   17	Alcatel Networks Inc	$98,036	$47.13
   18	Ulterius Technologies	$97,987	$47.11
   19	Cox Communications	$97,869	$47.05	9
   20	Burns & McDonnell	$97,029	$46.65	12

4. Writing a Network Design Engineer Job Description

   A network design 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 network design engineer job description:

   Network Design Engineer job description example

   The Building People, LLC, has a position open for a full-time
   Network Design Engineer with an active Top Secret Clearance. This position functions as a Project Manager (PM) for projects within IT Infrastructure Division under the Huntsville IT PMO. The purpose of this position is to manage and lead IT
   Infrastructure and Network Engineering pre-construction efforts in a multi-disciplined campus environment in Huntsville.
   
   The general responsibilities of the Network Design Engineer - Senior Level are as follows, to include but not be limited to:
   Manages all facets of IT infrastructure and network engineering project management (budget, schedule, procurement, quality & risk assessment, reporting and closeout) for the Huntsville North and South Campuses. Demonstrates capability to read, understand and apply standard to complex IT documents affecting network infrastructure projects, including but not limited to: agreements/contracts, leases, work letters, project charters, surveys and drawings, proposals, etc. Interfaces directly with clients to define IT project requirements. Prepares scope of work, project delivery resource requirements, cost estimate & budget, work plan schedule & milestones, quality control, and risk identification. Identifies project delivery resources from pre-qualified lists or through individual project qualification process; conducts standard to complex request for proposals; completes bid analysis; leads evaluation interviews, recommends resources to clients. Leads project delivery resources/team (typically larger more experienced team) providing project guidance and direction to achieve project goals. Implements communication plan for meetings and written reports/meeting minutes to keep client and project resources informed. Facilitates project meetings. Implement project documentation governance aligned with company and client requirements. Tracks progress of each project against goals, objectives, approved budgets, approved timelines. Implements change management routines to assess change requests, make recommendations, secure client approvals, and issue change orders. Assesses change requests to determine impacts to scope, budget, schedule, quality, and risk. Demonstrates ability to identify complex project risks, lead constructability reviews, develop risk mitigation and contingency plans, and implement action plans to reduce or eliminate project risks. Demonstrates knowledge of projects & project management within the context of business results (business case, larger economic implications, business risk, etc.). Other duties as assigned. Plans and monitors appropriate staffing levels and utilization of labor, including overtime. Manages project delivery resources/team (typically larger more experienced team). Responsible for identifying training needs, tracking performance, coaching, and motivating team members. Other duties as assigned. Skills & Requirements
   Qualifications and Education Required:
   Active Top Secret Clearance Bachelor's degree (BA/BS)) from College or University in an IT technical area of study. Minimum eight years of related experience and/or training. PMP (US and/or Canada) and LEED AP preferred. Ability to comprehend, analyze, and interpret the most complex business/IT documents. Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive issues. Ability to write reports, manuals, speeches, and articles using distinctive style. Ability to make effective and persuasive presentations on complex topics to employees, clients, top management and/or public groups. Ability to motivate and negotiate effectively with key employees, top management, and client groups to take desired action. Requires in-depth knowledge of financial terms and principles. Ability to calculate complex figures. Ability to forecast and prepare budgets. Conducts financial/business analysis including the preparation of reports. Ability to solve advanced problems and deal with a variety of options in complex situations. Requires expert level analytical and quantitative skills with proven experience in developing strategic solutions for a growing matrix-based multi-industry sales environment. Draws upon the analysis of others and makes recommendations that have a direct impact on the company. Advanced skills with Microsoft Office Suite. Ability to read and understand architectural drawings and network diagrams Knowledge in MS Project, CAD, Visio, leases, contracts, and construction practices. Decisions made with in-depth understanding and interpretation of procedures, organizational policies, and business practices to achieve general results. Responsible for setting department deadlines. Qualifications
   
   ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
   
   Competitive benefits for eligible employees include:
   Medical & Rx Dental Vision Flexible Spending Accounts 401(k) Retirement Plan Life Insurance/AD&D Long Term Disability and Short-Term Disability Paid Time Off Holiday Pay
   All positions require a background check after acceptance of our offer. The selected candidate will be eligible to begin employment before the background check has been finalized. However, continued employment will be contingent upon the results of your reference/background check from The Building People, LLC. Your position may require special credentialing, clearance, and access as a condition of employment. In the event the government or client does not sponsor or approve your clearance, it may result in termination of your employment.
   
   If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Requests for accommodation will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please note that only inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this e-mail address.
   
   For more information, view the and .

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find network design 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 network design engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit network design 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

   Your first interview with network design 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   If your interviews with network design engineer applicants aren't enough to make a decision, you should also consider including a test project. These are often the best, most straightforward, and least bias-prone ways of determining who will likely succeed in the role. If you don't know how to design an appropriate test, you can ask someone else on the team to create it or take a look at these websites to get a few ideas:

   • 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 network design engineer

   Once you've decided on a perfect network design engineer 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.

   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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