Finding engineering experts can feel like trying to crack a tough puzzle. You’ve got specific needs, tight timelines, and a budget that doesn’t leave much room for error. Maybe you need a controls engineer to fix a tricky bug or a welding engineer to oversee a critical part of your welding project.
The challenge? Hiring full-time doesn’t always make sense for these short bursts of specialized expertise. These are clear signs that you need contract engineers to come in. They bring the skills you need exactly when you need them without the commitment.
In this article, I will walk you through how to zero in on the best engineering experts so you can get your project going in the right direction without the time-consuming hiring process.
What is contract engineering?
Contract engineering is when you hire engineers on a project-by-project basis instead of bringing them on as permanent employees.
These contract engineers come in, perform the requested engineering roles, and then move on to their next project. It’s a flexible way to get the talent you need without committing to long-term contracts or the overhead that comes with full-time staff.
It’s popular in industries where specialized engineering skills are needed for a short period or for a specific part of a project, such as industrial engineering, project management, and mechanical engineering, to name a few.
Why use contractors instead of full-time employees?
Hiring contract engineers has a lot of advantages over taking on full-time employees, especially when you only need certain technical expertise for short-term projects.
For starters, it’s cheaper because you’re not paying for benefits, vacation time, or even idle time when this professional engineer doesn’t have work. It also means you can tap into a broader pool of specialists, which would allow you to bring in a technical expert as needed.
Contract engineers also provide flexibility. If your project slows down or you hit a standstill, you’re not stuck paying someone when there’s no work to do. You can scale up or down as needed, which is especially helpful in industries with fluctuating project demands.
How to find the best engineering experts?
Now that you understand why hiring contract engineers might be the right move let’s talk about how to actually find the best ones for your project.
The key is to be thorough, clear, and focused on what your specific project needs.
1. Build Your List Of Project Requirements and Expectations:
Before you start looking for engineers, get a clear picture of what your project needs. Are you building complex engineering concepts? Do you need someone with a lot of experience in a specific field?
List out the skills, technical capabilities, qualifications, and experience you’re looking for to meet the product quality you need. Don’t forget to consider the project scope. How long will the project take? What stages will require the most help? This will help you determine if you need multiple engineers or just one specialist for a key phase.
2. Determine The Best Budget:
While it might be tempting to go with the lowest bidder, you should be cautious. An engineering expert is one of those things where you get what you pay for. Spending too little might result in poor-quality work that costs more to fix in the long run.
It’s important to find that “sweet spot” where you’re paying a reasonable amount for high-quality work. Keep in mind that the cost of hiring engineers may be a small portion of your overall project costs, but their work has a long-lasting impact. So, investing wisely in good engineers can result in a significant return. Avoid the trap of diminishing returns, where spending more doesn’t actually give you better results. Set a budget that matches the complexity and demands of your project and stick to it.
3. Be Rigorous When Building Your Engineering Team:
Once you’ve nailed down your budget and requirements, it’s time to build your engineering team. Be picky!
You want people who can hit the ground running and who fit with the rest of your team, even if they’re just there as temporary engineering staff.
When reviewing candidates, don’t just look at resumes and portfolios. Ask them about how they solve problems, what their previous work experiences are, and how they handle tough project deadlines. Make sure you’re getting someone who’s not just technically skilled but is also good at communication and working with a team.
4. Evaluate Potential Engineers’ Work Portfolios and References:
After building your team, the next step is to thoroughly evaluate their previous work. A solid portfolio gives you a better understanding of how well their skills align with your project needs.
Ask for case studies or specific examples that demonstrate their experience in handling similar challenges. In addition to reviewing their portfolio, it’s also wise to check their references. Contact past clients or employers to get a sense of how the engineers perform in real-world scenarios.
Did they meet deadlines? How well did they communicate with the rest of the team? Were they able to adapt to any unexpected project changes?
Good references can help you feel confident about your decision and ensure that you’re bringing someone reliable on board. This step is often overlooked but can be key to making sure that the engineers you hire are not only technically skilled but also deliver consistent quality under pressure.
5. Create A Detailed Scope Of Work:
One of the most important steps in finding quality engineering services is setting up a strong scope of work (SOW).
This makes sure that your engineers are doing their best work and that everything is up to the standards you expect.
For example, if you’re working on a project involving Allen-Bradly PLC software, you’ll want to set clear goals for each phase, from programming to testing to run-off. What do you expect at each stage? Make sure your engineers know these expectations from the beginning.
For instance, a contract design engineer will help design a device that you might want the team to complete specific safety protocols or regulatory checks by certain milestones. Let’s not forget the safety requirements, especially if your project has potential health, environmental, or operational risks. Safety protocols should include everything from regular testing and quality checks to risk assessments that identify potential points of failure.
It’s important to factor in industry-specific safety standards that apply to your project and ensure the engineering team is adhering to them. Regular check-ins are a must to make sure the work is on track and any potential issues are caught in the early stages.
If you wait until the end to test the design thoroughly, it might be too late to correct issues without spending more time and money on fixes.
How to find the best engineering talent?
Finding quality engineering services doesn’t have to be a huge roadblock to your future projects. When you know exactly what your project needs and set a clear budget, the rest becomes a lot easier.
Engineering service platforms like JOINER Services have made it easier than ever to find top-notch freelance engineering professionals. JOINER Services is a dedicated platform where companies can connect with qualified engineers from various fields, ranging from weld engineering services, electrical engineering, controls engineering, project management, and robotic automation support.
JOINER’s system allows its clients to filter candidates based on skills, experience, and location to help you narrow down the list to exactly what you need. Reading contractor reviews and ratings also make it easier to filter out those who don’t meet your standards.
Build your dream team with JOINER Services!
With a platform like JOINER Services, you don’t have to go searching high and low for the right talent. They connect you with top contract engineers who can jump in and get the engineering job done. These professionals are vetted with their rigorous screening process and have verified skills thanks to trusted client reviews and ratings.
Join for free and start building the engineering team that’ll bring your project to life!
Frequently Asked Questions
Below, I discuss more about how to find engineering experts.
