ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Freelance Engineer Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

National Academy of Sciences

Editor

Washington, DC · On-site

$73K - $92K/yr

May coordinate freelance activities in the unit, including finding and coordinating work among ... Works with designers, graphic artists, layout specialists, web developers, marketing, and ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsEngineer JobsFreelance Engineer JobsFreelance Engineer Jobs in Washington

Freelance Engineer information

See Washington salary details

$16

$54

$149

How much do freelance engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 31, 2026, the average hourly pay for freelance engineer in Washington is $54.03, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $27.50 and $69.95 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are freelance engineers?

Freelance engineers are independent professionals who offer engineering services on a contract or project basis, rather than working as full-time employees for a single company. They may provide expertise in areas such as software, mechanical, civil, or electrical engineering, working with multiple clients to solve technical problems, design systems, or develop products. Freelance engineers often set their own schedules, manage their workload, and negotiate their rates, allowing for greater flexibility and autonomy. However, they are also responsible for finding clients, managing business operations, and keeping their skills up to date.

What is the difference between Freelance Engineer vs Contract Engineer?

AspectFreelance EngineerContract Engineer
CredentialsTypically requires relevant engineering degrees and certifications; no employer-specific credentials neededRequires engineering degrees and certifications; often involves contractual agreements with employers
Work EnvironmentIndependent, remote or on-site projects for multiple clientsUsually on-site or remote, working on specific projects for a single employer during contract duration
Employer & Industry UsageUsed across various industries; self-employed or through platformsEmployed by companies or agencies for project-based work in engineering sectors

In summary, Freelance Engineers operate independently, often handling multiple clients, while Contract Engineers work on specific projects for a single employer under contractual terms. Both roles require engineering credentials but differ mainly in work setup and employment structure.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Freelance Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Freelance Engineer, you need strong technical engineering expertise in your specialization, a relevant degree or certification, and a demonstrated portfolio of completed projects. Familiarity with industry-standard design software (such as AutoCAD, SolidWorks, or MATLAB), project management tools, and remote collaboration platforms is typically required. Exceptional communication, self-motivation, and time management skills help you attract clients, clarify project needs, and meet deadlines. These abilities are crucial for delivering high-quality work independently and ensuring sustained client satisfaction in a competitive freelance market.

How do freelance engineers typically manage client relationships and project expectations?

Freelance engineers often juggle multiple clients, making clear communication and expectation-setting essential. This means discussing project scope, deliverables, timelines, and rates upfront, and providing regular updates to clients throughout the project. Many freelance engineers use project management tools, contracts, and milestone check-ins to stay organized and ensure everyone is on the same page. Building trust through reliability and transparency can lead to repeat business and referrals, which are important for career growth in freelance engineering.
What are the most commonly searched types of Engineer jobs in Washington? The most popular types of Engineer jobs in Washington are:
What are popular job titles related to Freelance Engineer jobs in Washington? For Freelance Engineer jobs in Washington, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Freelance Engineer jobs in Washington look for? The top searched job categories for Freelance Engineer jobs in Washington are:
What cities in Washington are hiring for Freelance Engineer jobs? Cities in Washington with the most Freelance Engineer job openings:
Freelance Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Freelance Engineer job openings in Washington as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 92% Full Time, 4% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $112,388 per year, or $54 per hour.

Freelance Video Producer - Sports Coverage

More Perfect Union

Washington, DC • On-site

$2.9K - $3.0K/yr

Full-time, Contractor

Re-posted 19 days ago

Job description

Position Title: Freelance Video Producer - Sports Coverage

Job Type: Freelance/Independent Contractor

Compensation: $3,000 for a full project, including creating and executing the 10-15 minute video

Location: Remote

About MPU

More Perfect Union is an advocacy, journalism, and education organization with a mission to build power for the working class. We cover politics, policy, labor, business, and economic news through a class lens, and we pair our reporting with activism to help working people win policy fights. Launched in February 2021, More Perfect Union’s Emmy award-winning coverage has garnered over 1 billion video views and over 5 million followers and subscribers.

About the Position

More Perfect Union is expanding our coverage of sports stories reported through an economic justice lens. Issues we’re interested in include the monopoly power of sports governing bodies, efforts to organize players unions, the wealth and power of team owners and anything else that sits at the nexus of sports and corporate greed. We are looking for freelance video producers to create longform videos (10-15 minutes) on these topics for our YouTube channel and other social media platforms.

For reference, here are some videos we’ve created in this lane:

--> The NFL Is Choosing Concerts Over Player Safety. It’s Ending Careers.

--> The Billionaire Family Ruining NASCAR | Ft. John Russell

--> Can Sports Betting Be Fun Again?

And videos from other channels we are inspired by:

--> Why Saudi Arabia wants all the sports

--> Architect Reveals How NFL Stadiums Are Engineered to Maximize Profit | WSJ Pro Perfected

Ideal candidates will lead video projects from pitch to publish, overseeing all aspects of production, taking direction from senior More Perfect Union staff and working closely with other team members.

Producers will be responsible for pitching and executing ideas related to sports that live within MPU’s mission of elevating working class issues and explaining complicated political and economic ideas to a broad audience through accessible YouTube formats.

This role must be immersed in sports knowledge and excited about the process of telling those stories through video, with the technical and narrative skills to create powerful stories that hook viewers and keep people watching to the end. The position requires a high level of self-sufficiency, strong collaboration and communication skills, and a desire to help develop and grow our brand.

Core Responsibilities:

  • Pitching ideas for new videos that fit within More Perfect Union’s brand and mission;
  • Developing, scripting and producing enterprise videos, primarily for YouTube
  • Sourcing original reporting and thorough research for your script
  • Casting interviewees, experts and on-camera talent for your pieces
  • Directing on-camera talent
  • Occasionally hosting videos as needed

Qualifications:

  • Proficiency and understanding of all aspects of video production
  • Experience working on video explainers about sports, and the business of sports preferred
  • Strong reporting background, with work experience in journalism or digital media
  • Bonus for on-camera hosting experience
  • Field production experience –– setting up shoots, finding interviewees, working with videographers


At More Perfect Union we strive to increase diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in all elements of our work. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote regardless of race, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity (including gender nonconformity and status as a transgender individual), age, physical or mental disability, post-secondary educational status, citizenship, genetic information, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. We strongly encourage members of historically underrepresented and marginalized communities to apply.

!! Important Notice !!

To protect your privacy and ensure the legitimacy of our hiring process, please only respond to emails from our official domain, @perfectunion.us. We will never ask for personal information or payment during the recruitment process. Be cautious of any emails or job offers that do not come from this domain.

Apply