Achieving success in the recruitment process depends on many factors, but it undeniably begins with a well-crafted job description. Writing an engaging job description for engineers (and not only) may seem straightforward, but it's often more challenging than it appears - especially if you don't have much experience.
A great job description is far more than a simple list of tasks and responsibilities; it’s an
opportunity to showcase the company, its values, and sets the stage for a meaningful first
impression. In a competitive market, a well-crafted job description is the true differentiator
that makes your role stand out - or not. It’s an initial handshake between your company and
the best talent in your engineering team.
In this article, I’ll highlight the importance of a standout job description in attracting top
engineering talent, and reveal the key elements every job description must include to avoid
missing out on the ideal candidate.
What should be included in a job description for engineers?
Whether you’re a hiring manager or recruiter, and regardless of the type of candidate
you’re seeking, clarity is your best asset when crafting a job description. A clear vision is
more than half the success of writing an effective description.
Not sure where to start? Put yourself in the candidate’s shoes - would you want to see a job
description that’s concrete and specific or one that’s vague? Would you prefer a dry list of
tasks, or a compelling story about the role’s impact, the team’s goals, and the company’s
culture? Would you want to see only the demands, or would you appreciate knowing the
benefits and what the company offers you?
If you already know the answers to these questions, let’s start by defining the role.
Defining the Role
Job Title
The foundation of a compelling job description starts with a clear, concise, and well-defined role. A precise job title and purpose give candidates an immediate sense of whether the position aligns with their expertise and career goals.
Keep the title short, straightforward, and avoid internal jargon or overly creative or ambiguous terms, as these can lead to confusion. Use industry-standard titles (e.g., Software Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, or DevOps Engineer) so that candidates understand the job scope right away. If the position is at a specific level (e.g., Senior Software Engineer or Junior Mechanical Engineer), make sure this is reflected in the title to attract candidates with the appropriate experience.
Next to the title include key details such as the type of contract, remote status, or location. Be specific about where someone will be spending most of their time; if their time will be split across multiple sites or extensive time spent away, try to give an estimate of how much of their time will be spent where. No matter how harsh it may sound, some candidates only spend a few seconds scanning a job description (just as some recruiters do with CVs), so this can serve as an effective initial filter. Additionally, you can include the managerial job title to help the candidate gain a clear understanding of where the role sits within the organization as well as the seniority of the position.
Job Purpose
The job purpose, along with a brief description of the company, should clearly answer the “why” behind the role. In just a few sentences, explain the importance of the position to both your team and the company. Engineers are often mission-driven, so it’s crucial to highlight how the role contributes to broader company objectives. For example: “The Mechanical Engineer will play a crucial role in developing sustainable products, contributing to our commitment to reducing the environmental impact.” This approach not only clarifies the role but also appeals to most candidates' desire to make an impact, who wouldn't like to have one?
Don’t forget to also add a few sentences about your company. This part is actually very important as it is your chance to sell the company. Be sure to positively promote your technology and your newest/most interesting projects or products. What would excite an engineer about your company? Most engineers want to work on cutting-edge technology or on high-tech, innovative products; is this reflected in your explanation of the company?
Detailing Responsibilities
Core Duties and Tasks
Clearly outlining core and additional responsibilities is essential in creating a job description that engineers can connect with. Specificity here allows candidates to understand what a day on the job will look like and assess whether their skills align.
Remember, engineers are generally concrete people, so let’s be concise and clear and don’t
make the sentences too long. Feeling confused? Why don’t you ask a current employee working in the role to have input in this section, after all, they do this role on a daily basis.
List the primary responsibilities in order of importance, using action-oriented language (e.g.,“Design and implement...” or “Develop and test...”). Bullet points are effective for clarity.
You can additionally quantify details where possible, such as “Develop systems to improve
production efficiency by 20%.” This will give the candidate the wider picture of how much you want to achieve in, for instance, the next year.
Secondary Responsibilities
Specify any additional tasks that may not be part of daily activities but are necessary for supporting team or project objectives. Engineers appreciate straightforwardness and transparency, so if some secondary tasks involve collaboration across departments or special projects, include these in the description.
Specify essential engineering qualifications
Required Skills and Education
Is a specific level of education or qualifications required to fulfill this role? Do they need to have experience using a specific tool or programming language? Do they need to have experience managing a team? This is the time to include all this information in the job description.
Identifying and separating required qualifications from preferred qualifications is probably the most important part, and it attracts candidates’ eyes the most. They want to quickly
understand if their experience aligns with the required tech stack, educational background or other skills like languages. As always, try to be very clear and allow the candidates to
understand the foundational skills needed while identifying areas of desired expertise.
List the non-negotiable qualifications (must-haves), such as specific technical skills, certifications, experience or educational background. If a certain level of proficiency or experience (e.g., 3+ years of experience with Python or Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field) is required, be upfront about it.
Preferred Skills and Experience
Preferred qualifications (nice to haves) can help differentiate candidates and show your ideal profile, but by listing them as preferred, you maintain flexibility. For example:
Nice to haves: Experience with cloud services such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud or a
strong background in agile development processes.
Remember that the profile of the role is not solely defined by technical skills, even for engineers. For most positions, soft skills are not less important. Obviously, not all positions
will require excellent customer communication or problem-solving, but a complete lack of
ability to interact with the team won't bring any success either. At this stage, you need to be
clear about what is important to the position. You can look at skills like decision-making,
collaboration, teamwork, time management, creativity, etc.
Make a job description stand out
Okay, you already have a very decent draft of the job description and theoretically you could already publish it. But... if you don’t want to attract mediocre candidates, don’t write a mediocre job description. To attract top engineering talent, go beyond qualifications and responsibilities. Highlight aspects that reflect your company’s inclusivity, language style, and work environment.
Use Clear, Action-Oriented Language
Firstly, engineers respond well to language that is both descriptive and engaging. Focus on
precise, action-oriented words and avoid corporate jargon. Phrases like “self-starter” or
“think outside the box” are overused and vague. Instead, describe specific qualities or skills
you’re looking for (e.g., “Experience with large-scale data systems”). My favorite is “we are
a dynamic team”.
Incorporate Inclusion Practices
Make your commitment to diversity and inclusion clear by avoiding gender-coded language
or any terms that may imply unconscious bias. Keep in mind that if you’re seeking candidates globally, cultural differences may shape varying perspectives on diversity, so aim to remain as neutral as possible. For example, a sentence like, “We welcome engineers from diverse backgrounds and support a collaborative, inclusive work environment,” can be an effective way to communicate this. Once again, if you aren’t sure of your job description, check with your colleagues that it sounds inclusive.
Highlight Company Culture and Benefits
Finally, engineers often seek roles that align with their personal values, so include a brief
section on company culture. Mention any perks, professional development opportunities, or
benefits that make your company unique.
While your job description for engineers is now almost ready, double-check if it is optimized
for both clarity and visibility. Using keywords that engineering talent is likely to search for,
such as tech recruiters, engineering recruiters, professional recruiters, and recruitment
solutions, can help increase visibility. Additionally, specific keywords like Python, JavaScript,
or cloud computing should be included based on the technical skills required for the role.
Summary
Writing an effective job description for engineers requires a thoughtful balance of clear language and an engaging tone that reflects the company's culture and values. A well-crafted description not only conveys the role’s core and additional responsibilities and qualifications but also offers candidates a glimpse into your company’s vision and mission.
By focusing on clarity, specificity, and inclusivity, you’ll stand out in the competitive market for top engineering talent.
Creating a strong job description helps hiring managers and recruiters articulate exactly what the company needs from new team members, and it serves as a bridge to communicate those needs to both internal stakeholders and external recruitment partners. By honing in on key details and having a clear picture of your ideal candidate, you can craft a compelling job advert that speaks directly to your most top-tier engineer.