Energy and Renewables Recruitment

Engineers for wind, grid, hydro and the move away from oil and gas

Engineering recruitment for Scotland's energy sector

Scotland’s energy sector is changing shape, and renewables now carry the weight. The Fraser of Allander Institute’s 2025 report for Scottish Renewables put the industry at more than 47,000 jobs, with onshore and offshore wind accounting for most of them. Oil and gas still employs large numbers in the North East, but the direction of travel is clear, and skills from offshore work such as mechanical integrity, subsea and HSE transfer directly into wind, grid, hydrogen and carbon capture projects.

Where the work is, and who employers need

The work sits in clusters. Aberdeen remains the centre for subsea, operations and energy transition engineering. The Cromarty Firth and the Forth host port and fabrication work for offshore wind. Onshore wind, hydro and grid reinforcement run across the Highlands, Perthshire and the Southern Uplands, and the Central Belt holds many of the design offices, manufacturers and service companies that supply them.

What employers struggle to find is similar across all of it: engineers who combine sound technical training with site experience, the right safety tickets and a willingness to travel. Electrical engineers with high voltage authorisation, commissioning engineers and experienced field service leaders are in particularly short supply.

View engineering jobs
Offshore rigs and cranes on the horizon at dusk

Energy engineering roles we recruit

  • Electrical, HV and commissioning engineers
  • Wind turbine and field service engineers and supervisors
  • Mechanical and maintenance engineers for generation and process plant
  • Project engineers and project managers
  • Gas network and distribution engineers
  • HSE, quality and compliance engineers
  • Operations managers and heads of field operations

Recent roles on our engineering jobs board include a Head of Field Operations in energy, a Head of Operations for gas distribution and an Engineering Manager for a manufacturer supplying the renewables sector.

Engineer working on an onshore drilling rig

Energy engineering jobs by location

Energy engineering jobs are strongest in Aberdeen and the North East, around Inverness and the Cromarty Firth, in Perth and Perthshire for hydro and power networks, and in Glasgow, where many renewables developers, consultancies and suppliers have offices. Every area we cover is on our engineering recruitment locations page.

Related sectors

Energy work overlaps heavily with electrical engineering recruitment, with marine, shipbuilding and defence through vessels and port infrastructure, and with life sciences and process engineering where hydrogen and carbon capture meet chemical plant.

Next steps

Hiring for a wind, grid or operations role? Read how we work with employers or call our Bellshill office. Engineers can search current energy and engineering jobs, and every sector we cover is listed on our engineering sectors page.

How we recruit for energy employers

Tickets and authorisations

Energy roles often depend on certification as much as experience. We confirm the tickets and authorisations a role needs, such as HV authorisation, GWO training or offshore survival certificates, at the start of the process so a shortlist is not built on assumptions.

Offshore skills that transfer

Engineers moving from oil and gas into renewables bring integrity, maintenance and safety experience that translates well. We look at what a candidate has actually done, not just the sector named on their CV, so you see people who could step across.

Site and travel reality

Field roles in energy involve rotas, remote sites and time away from home. We discuss travel, rotations and on-call expectations with candidates early, so the people you interview have already weighed them up.

Energy and renewables engineering salaries in Scotland

Salary ranges in Scotland for the key engineering roles in this sector, from our Scottish Engineering Salary Guide 2026.

RoleSalary range in ScotlandWhat pays at the top of the range
Electrical Engineer£40,000 to £80,000Power systems, grid and renewables; senior marine electrical
Mechanical Engineer£40,000 to £70,000Offshore and subsea equipment; senior building services consultancy
Project Engineer£45,000 to £85,000HV transmission; distillery and other capital projects
Controls Engineer£50,000 to £75,000HV protection and control; nuclear EC&I
Engineering Manager£60,000 to £100,000Power and renewables; FMCG and process manufacturing site leads

Basic salary for permanent roles, 2026. See the full salary guide for all 17 roles.

Recent engineering placements

Design Engineer, West of Scotland Fabrication Business How we placed a Design Engineer with an established fabrication and machining business in the west of Scotland, in 4 weeks. Maintenance Engineer, Central Belt Food Manufacturer How we placed a Maintenance Engineer with a Central Belt food manufacturer running high-volume production and packing lines, in 3 weeks. Estimating Engineer, Specialist Engineered Products Manufacturer How we placed an Estimating Engineer with a Central Belt manufacturer of specialist engineered products for marine, defence and energy projects, in 6 weeks.

See all case studies

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to fill an engineering vacancy?

Most engineering assignments take 4 to 6 weeks, depending on how complex the role is. Recent examples include a Maintenance Engineer placed in 3 weeks and a Quality Manager placed in 6 weeks. We give you an honest view of the likely timescale when we take the brief.

How do you screen engineering candidates?

Every engineer is interviewed by phone and on a Teams video call before you see a CV. Each CV comes with a written summary of the engineer's background, why they are looking and their salary expectations, so you only see people with the right skills, experience and motivation.

What are your fees and terms?

We agree terms for each assignment rather than publishing a standard rate, because the right structure depends on the role and how you want to hire. Terms include a free candidate replacement guarantee. Call 01698 464 099 to discuss your vacancy.

Which engineering roles do you recruit?

Quality, design, manufacturing, maintenance, estimating, project, electrical, mechanical, process, automation, civil and structural engineers, along with engineering managers and directors.

Which areas of Scotland do you cover?

All of Scotland, including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness, Stirling, Falkirk, Perth, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire, Fife, West Lothian and Renfrewshire, from our office at Strathclyde Business Park, Bellshill.

How long has Engineering Recruit Scotland been running?

Engineering Recruit Scotland was set up in 2020. Our directors have spent 25 years recruiting engineers for employers across Scotland.

Tell us about your vacancy

Send us the details and a senior consultant will call you back to talk through the role, the market and how quickly we can find the right engineer.

Prefer to talk it through? Call 01698 464 099.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Name(Required)
Accepted file types: png, pdf, jpg, doc, docx, rtf, Max. file size: 10 MB.
If you have further information such as a job description or prior advert that you'd like us to review, please upload it here.

Need to hire an engineer?

Call us or tell us about your vacancy, and we will give you an honest view of how quickly we can help.

Tell us about your vacancy Call 01698 464 099