How to Hire Mechanical Engineers in Reno

Current Environment

Of all engineering disciplines, mechanical engineering is considered the broadest. The field overlaps with other areas of the field, such as civil, chemical, and industrial engineering. As a result, Mechanical Engineers are needed as part of multidisciplinary teams in many different industries and on an almost limitless number of products from medical devices to new batteries.

The versatility of this field has buoyed expectations for future growth. Employment for mechanical engineers is expected to grow by 4% annually between 2018 and 2028, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The caveat, though is that staying abreast of the latest advances in technology is imperative.

History

During the recession of 2008, companies reduced staff and many moved engineering work to less costly nations overseas. Post-recession, companies still running very lean engineering teams, and that trend is not likely to reverse.

However, experts say specialization in new technologies and AI-driven software tools that increase productivity will drive employment and growth in the field.

How will Recruiting mechanical engineers Help Your Company?

How will Hiring mechanical engineers Help Your Company?

Recruiting the top mechanical engineers can ensure you have the expertise and know-how needed to plan, manage, and complete projects on time and on budget.

However, hiring the best mechanical engineers in itself won’t distinguish one company from another. Aligning those engineers and other team members to work toward a central mission or purpose will make the best use of talent and resources. Consider the USA Olympic basketball team, the first-year pro athletes were allowed to compete. They were the best players, but they failed to play well together as a team. Teams with lesser talent beat the U.S. because they played better together.

Technology

Technology is another area that is key for engineers. When you are looking for recruits, be prepared with specific questions about a candidate’s expertise with the latest technology systems and software to give your organization critical expertise.

Fill the Talent Gap

Also, if there are talent gaps in your current team, you can source candidates that excel with a particular skill. For example, companies that need a boost in innovation can source candidates who have been a part of “innovation jams” or other programs that teach companies how to incorporate innovation into company culture.

mechanical engineer Details

Responsibilities

Before we get to exactly how to recruit the best mechanical engineers in Reno, here are some of the details of the job.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, mechanical engineering is a very broad field, so many types of companies in a variety of industries need mechanical engineers.

Some examples of this cross-collaboration, mechanical engineers commonly work with:

Electrical and electronic engineers to add embedded capabilities.
Manufacturing engineers to optimize design for production.
Purchasing and marketing teams to ensure the product meets cost, service, and functional goals.

The main job responsibilities include:

Analyze problems to see how mechanical and thermal devices might help solve a particular problem
Design or redesign mechanical and thermal devices or subsystems, using analysis and computer-aided design
Investigate equipment failures or difficulties to diagnose faulty operation and to recommend remedies
Develop and test prototypes of devices they design
Analyze the test results and change the design or system as needed
Oversee the manufacturing process for the device

Looking for another position? View other positions we place in Reno, Nevada.

Education

Typically, a bachelor’s degree is required for most mechanical engineering jobs, including entry-level jobs.

US News & World Report ranked the top 3 undergraduate college programs for mechanical engineering. These programs train students to research, design, develop, build, and test equipment and devices, including tools, engines, machines, and electronics. Armed with a degree, graduates have a multitude of opportunities working in the public or private sector.

These are the top undergraduate schools where the highest mechanical engineering degree offered is a doctorate.

Top Schools

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
Stanford University

2019 U.S. National Data

Salary Range

mechanical engineers in the U.S.

$57k

Low

$94k

Average

$138k

High

$91k

Average NV
Salary

$43.78

Average NV
Hourly

351k

Total mechanical engineers Employed in the U.S.

93.4%

Men

6.6%

Women

mechanical engineer Salary Comparison

National

Nationally, compensation for mechanical engineers ranges between $57,000 for entry-level positions and $138,000 for those with more experience and in higher level positions. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 351,000 mechanical engineers employed in 2019, with only 6.6% of those positions being women. The ethnic makeup of the field is estimated as: 80.4% white, 8.4% Hispanic or Latino, 5.1% African American, and 11.6% Asian.

According to the U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for mechanical engineers in 2019 was $88,000, compared with $94,500, the median annual wage for all engineers.

Nevada

The average annual salary for mechanical engineers in Nevada was 91k in 2019. The hourly wage averaged $43.78.

For more detailed compensation information for mechanical engineers in Reno, download our free compensation/salary report below.

Working in Reno

Reno, Nevada, is a unique little town nestled in the Sierra Nevada mountains on the eastern border of California. It’s a short drive to the beautiful Lake Tahoe, hiking and biking trails in the Washoe Valley, and the famous ski resorts such as Squaw Valley, Heavenly Mountain Resort, and many more.

It’s a historic town. With the gold rush in full swing, the community was officially established in 1868, the same year the transcontinental railroad reached the town, and these roots have given the town a wild west feel.

Tourism, entertainment, and gaming drive the economy, but the area is also immersed in commerce, described as the place where the largest alpine lake collides with the Biggest Little City in the World.”

Here are a few things residents describe as the most positive things about Reno.

Pros

Outdoor adventure. All four seasons, there’s something to do outside in and around Reno. Skiing, hiking, boating, biking the area has it all.
Money. From the perspective of taxes, Reno is a great place to live, work, or own a business. Residents of the state of Nevada do not pay state income tax. Nevada is one of only seven states in the U.S. with no personal income tax and one of five states with no corporate income tax.
Convenience. Although the city is a little isolated from other major cities, the Reno-Tahoe International Airport is only a few miles east of downtown.
Although tourism and gaming are the economic behemoths of the area, there is also a growing focus on high-tech companies and startups. Microsoft, Apple, and Gigafactory for Tesla have set up shop in the city.
K-12 schools. The city maintains a healthy 21:1 student-teacher ratio as well, creating one of the highest-rated college readiness scores for a metro area of its size in the country.
Amtec’s recruitment and staffing services are available in Reno too.

While there are many “pros” there are also a few “cons” to working life in Reno.

Cons

Cold. The city has a high desert climate but does experience four seasons. Although the summers are warm, winter is cold and averages about 22 inches of snow per year
The city is expanding and there are some excellent healthcare, construction, tech, and teaching jobs, there’s just not the variety or quantity that you would find in larger metropolitan areas. This means salaries tend to be a little lower than larger cities in California and Nevada.
Public transportation is limited outside of the city center, so you will generally need a car to get to places outside of the city.

Reno, Nevada

Current Weather

Not your city? View other cities where we place mechanical engineers.

Demand for mechanical engineers in Reno

The BLS has projected that the employment rate for mechanical engineers will go up by 9% by 2026. Expertise with core mechanical engineering principles, such as thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and machine design are considered table stakes in the field, but specialties in composites, mechatronics, and nanotechnology are in increasingly high demand, according to the BLS.

Some of the additional job trends and industries for mechanical engineers are:

Digital Manufacturing
3D Printing, aka Additive Manufacturing
Interconnected Machines
Nano-Technology
Internet of Things
Biomedical Engineering
Mechatronics
Robotics
Automation and Intelligent System
CAD-CAM Sustainability

The supply of candidates and demand for open positions have a direct correlation to a company's ability to hire. Download a free Supply and Demand report for mechanical engineers in Reno, Nevada below.

How to Hire the Best mechanical engineers

Finding and hiring the best mechanical engineer candidates can save you money right away and well into the future.

The costs of making a bad hire are well documented. The cost can run as much as 30% of the employee's first-year earnings according to the US Department of Labor. Bad hires can cost a whopping $240,000 in expenses related to hiring, compensation, and retention per The Undercover Recruiter. 74% of companies who admit they've hired the wrong person for a position lost an average of $14,900 for each bad hire according to CareerBuilder. These statistics support our long-held position that behavioral questions are the best way to get to know your candidates and past behavior is the best indicator of future performance.

Recruiting Best Practices

The information below comes from the best practices Amtec uses for finding the highest quality candidates.

Defining the Position

When defining the role you are creating, we recommend a position profile to fully evaluate the position you are hiring for. You must decide if the engineer can work remotely or must work in Nevada. If working in Reno is essential, make sure you include that in your job posting so candidates can decide how many miles they can commute.

How to Source the Best Candidates

When you are looking to source the best quality candidates for your open positions, make sure you have done the legwork to hire an "A Player". You can do this by making sure your company's perspective is aligned with the current market, you have taken into account the job responsibilities, as well as what type of characteristics you are looking for to fit your company culture. Then proceed to write a job posting to attract high-quality candidates.

Characteristics of mechanical engineers

Mechanical engineering is a field that is evolving. And in the field, there are specializations and nuances. The lack of understanding of the subtle differences in mechanical engineering skillsets and the latest technology can cause recruiters to misidentify candidates and as a result, create a backlog in hiring.

If you need to recruit the sharpest engineering professionals:

Find candidates who have a knowledge set in one of the newest areas of the field, such as Interconnected Machines or Nano-Technology.
Look for candidates who revel in analyzing and solving problems.
The best candidates enjoy being focused, self-motivated, and innovative.
Consider candidates who will best fit your engineering environment.
Partner with a recruiting agency that specializes in mechanical engineering to find the best candidates that can do the job, and become a valued member of your team.

How to Screen Candidates

You wrote a job posting, posted the position online, and received a lot more resumes than you’d bargained for! Next comes the enormous task of sorting through those resumes to eliminate the ones that are clearly not a good fit. Now, you have a stack of resumes for candidates who have potential. So how do you go about screening the remaining candidates?

It starts on the phone! As a recruiter, the goal of your telephone screening is to learn more about your candidates. You can confirm that they have the educational qualifications and relevant experience, but you also need to determine if they would fit into your company's culture. To make this job easier, use a system to consistently evaluate results. This way you can equally and objectively compare candidates and evaluate their "soft skills", like communication and thinking process. Download Amtec's Professional Assessment Questionnaire below to help with screening candidates.

Free Professional Assessment Questionnaire

An individually customized questionnaire that helps assess a candidate's competence with written communication skills, thinking processes, and other relevant skills.

How to Interview Candidates

At Amtec, we believe in the power of behavoral interview questions to go beyond the experience and skills listed on the candidate's resume. Although you will want to confirm in the interview that the candidate does indeed have the experience listed on their resume, your assessment needs to go much deeper than that. An interview using behavioral questions can help you determine how well the candidate will fit with your company culture.

Download Amtec's best practices on conducting super effective interviews to find the best candidates and fill your open jobs.

Behavioral Interview Guide

Get the info you need to hire the best mechanical engineers

Free Interview Guide