Electrical Engineer Career Guide: Jobs, Grading and Salary in Scotland
Maintenance and design electrical engineering in Scotland: BS 7671, SJIB grading, HV authorisation, pay and how to progress.
Maintenance and design electrical engineering in Scotland: BS 7671, SJIB grading, HV authorisation, pay and how to progress.
“Electrical engineer” covers two quite different jobs in Scotland. One is the industrial or maintenance electrical engineer who keeps plant running: fault-finding motors, drives, controls and distribution on a factory floor or process site. The other is the design electrical engineer who specifies systems on screen and on paper, from building services to grid connections. This guide explains both, the qualifications behind them, including BS 7671 and SJIB grading, where the demand is, what electrical engineers earn and how to progress.
On a manufacturing, food and drink or process site, the electrical engineer (often called a maintenance electrician or electrical maintenance engineer) is responsible for keeping electrical plant safe and running. Day to day that means:
Many of these roles are shift-based and increasingly multi-skilled, with electrical engineers expected to handle basic mechanical work too. Our maintenance engineer career guide covers that side in more detail.
Design electrical engineers work for consultancies, contractors, utilities, renewables developers and manufacturers. Their work includes:
The design route is covered further in our design engineer career guide.
BS 7671, the IET Wiring Regulations, sets the requirements for electrical installations in the UK. According to the IET, the current version is BS 7671:2018+A4:2026, still within the 18th Edition, and Amendment 3:2024 remains valid until 15 October 2026, during which installers can work to either.
For anyone working on installations, a current 18th Edition qualification is one of the first things employers check on a CV. If yours relates to an older amendment, it is worth updating. For design engineers, knowledge of BS 7671 underpins LV design, while inspection and testing qualifications matter more for installation and maintenance roles.
All electrical work in Great Britain also falls under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.
In Scotland, the electrical contracting industry’s grading scheme is run by the Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB), rather than the JIB used in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The main installation grades in the SJIB handbook are:
| SJIB grade | Main requirements (summary) |
|---|---|
| Electrician | A recognised apprenticeship in electrical installation and the SVQ Level 3 in electrical installation, jointly awarded by SQA and SJIB |
| Approved Electrician | Two years as a graded Electrician and the Advanced Competence Assessment (ACA) or approved equivalent |
| Technician Electrician | At least three years as an Approved Electrician, plus the SQA award in Design and Verification of Electrical Installations (BS 7671) or an HNC in Electrical Engineering, with further safety training |
This is a summary; check the SJIB handbook for the full criteria. SJIB grading matters most in contracting and building services. Industrial employers look at it too, because it shows a properly served apprenticeship, but they will weigh it alongside your plant and controls experience.
Work on high voltage systems is controlled through the employer’s or asset owner’s safety rules, with people authorised at specific levels for specific systems. Authorisation is given by that organisation based on training, experience and assessment. It is not a qualification you hold in your own name, and it does not automatically transfer to a new employer.
HSE guidance HSG85 sets out the principles: work should be planned so it can be done dead wherever possible, an electrical permit to work is a statement that equipment has been isolated and made safe, and people must be competent by training, qualifications or experience and knowledge of the system to be worked on.
On your CV, state exactly what you have held: the voltage levels, the type of system (for example 11kV or 33kV distribution) and the role you were authorised for, such as switching or issuing permits. HV experience is one of the most sought-after items in Scottish electrical recruitment, and vague wording costs candidates interviews.
The classic route is a Modern Apprenticeship in Electrical Installation, which leads to SJIB Electrician grading. Some industrial employers run their own engineering apprenticeships that combine electrical and mechanical training.
An HNC in Electrical Engineering is a common next step for electricians moving towards technician, controls or design roles, and it is one of the qualifications listed for SJIB Technician grading. A degree in electrical and electronic engineering is the usual route into consultancy design, utilities and power systems work.
The Engineering Council sets the standards for EngTech, IEng and CEng, usually awarded in electrical engineering through the IET. CEng is valued in power systems and consultancy design. The Engineering Council states you can still become a Chartered Engineer without an accredited degree, through a licensed institution.
See our CV tips for more on layout.
According to our Scottish Engineering Salary Guide 2026, based on live Scottish adverts for permanent roles, electrical engineer basic salaries in Scotland run from £40,000 to £80,000. The top of the range is in power systems, grid and renewables.
| Role | Salary range (basic) |
|---|---|
| Maintenance Technician | £36,000 to £55,000 |
| Maintenance Engineer | £40,000 to £65,000 |
| Electrical Engineer | £40,000 to £80,000 |
| Controls Engineer | £50,000 to £75,000 |
| Engineering Manager | £60,000 to £100,000 |
Shift electrical engineers on production sites often earn shift allowance and overtime on top of basic. Our guide to shift patterns, overtime and allowances explains how to compare packages.
Common paths from a qualified electrician or maintenance electrical engineer include:
For a broader view, read our guide to engineering career progression, and prepare with our engineering interview questions.
Engineering Recruit Scotland was set up in 2020, and our directors have 25 years’ experience recruiting engineers in Scotland. Electrical is one of our core sectors, alongside energy and renewables, food and drink, manufacturing, construction and building services, and marine and defence. We cover all of Scotland, from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Aberdeen, Stirling and Falkirk.
Browse our engineering jobs or upload your CV, or call us on 01698 464 099.
In Scottish industry the terms overlap. Qualified electricians working on plant are often called electrical or maintenance engineers, and their work centres on fault-finding, maintenance and installation. Design electrical engineers usually hold an HNC, HND or degree and focus on specifying and calculating systems. Many people move from the first to the second over their career.
Our Scottish Engineering Salary Guide 2026, based on live Scottish adverts for permanent roles, puts electrical engineer basic salaries at £40,000 to £80,000. The top of the range is in power systems, grid and renewables. Shift roles on production sites often add shift allowance and overtime on top of basic salary.
SJIB is the Scottish Joint Industry Board, which runs grading for the electrical contracting industry in Scotland. Grades include Electrician, which requires a recognised apprenticeship and the SVQ Level 3 in electrical installation, Approved Electrician, which needs two years as an Electrician plus the Advanced Competence Assessment, and Technician Electrician, which requires further experience and qualifications such as an HNC.
Yes. According to the IET, the current version is BS 7671:2018+A4:2026, which is still the 18th Edition. The IET states that Amendment 3:2024 remains valid until 15 October 2026, and installers can work to either during that period. Employers generally expect an up to date 18th Edition qualification on your CV.
HV authorisation is granted by an employer or asset owner under its own safety rules, after training, experience and assessment on its systems. It is not a personal qualification and does not automatically transfer between employers. Gaining it usually means joining a site or organisation with HV systems and working up through its authorisation levels.
Yes. A Modern Apprenticeship in Electrical Installation leads to SJIB Electrician grading, and many industrial employers run their own electrical or multi-skilled apprenticeships. An HNC in Electrical Engineering is a common next step towards design, controls and technician roles, and professional registration is possible later through the IET.
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