Marine, Shipbuilding and Defence Recruitment

Engineers for naval shipbuilding, vessels, ports and defence manufacturing

Engineering recruitment for marine and defence employers

Naval shipbuilding is one of the largest engineering employers in Scotland. Frigates are being built on the Clyde at Govan and Scotstoun and at Rosyth in Fife, and those programmes support thousands of direct jobs plus a supply chain of fabricators, electrical contractors and equipment suppliers across the country. The Clyde is also home to the Royal Navy’s base at Faslane.

Beyond defence, the marine sector covers ferry and workboat building and repair, port engineering, and the vessels and subsea equipment that support offshore energy. Aberdeen, the Forth and the Cromarty Firth all have port and marine engineering activity linked to offshore wind.

Ship in a dry dock with cranes alongside

The skills naval and marine employers compete for

Employers compete for the same scarce skills: marine and mechanical engineers, electrical engineers with shipboard systems experience, planners and project engineers, and quality engineers who can work to defence and classification standards. Many defence roles also require security clearance, which narrows the candidate pool further.

Naval programmes also rely on test and commissioning engineers during sea trials and on through-life support engineers once vessels enter service, which keeps demand going well beyond the build phase. Scottish ports are also investing to handle larger offshore wind components.

Programme work brings long timescales. Shipbuilding and defence contracts run for years, which makes the sector attractive to engineers looking for stability, but employers need people who are comfortable with formal change control and a slower pace of decision making.

View engineering jobs

Marine and defence roles we recruit

  • Marine and mechanical engineers
  • Electrical and systems engineers
  • Project engineers and planners
  • Quality and inspection engineers
  • Design engineers and naval architecture support
  • Fabrication and outfitting supervisors
  • Engineering and operations managers

Current vacancies are listed on our engineering jobs board.

Welder at work with sparks flying

Where the work is

Marine and defence engineering is centred on Glasgow and the Clyde shipyards, on the Forth around Edinburgh and Rosyth, and on Aberdeen for vessels, subsea and port engineering. Every area we cover is on our engineering recruitment locations page.

Related sectors

Defence manufacturing shares quality disciplines with aerospace and precision engineering, and vessels and ports increasingly serve energy and renewables. Heavy fabrication links the sector to manufacturing and industrial employers.

Next steps

Shipyards, repairers and defence suppliers can learn how our employer service works or contact the office. Marine and defence engineers can check our current engineering vacancies and see the other sectors we cover.

Finnieston Crane and the SSE Hydro on the River Clyde, Glasgow

How we recruit for marine and defence employers

Clearance and eligibility

Many defence roles require security clearance or nationality criteria. We discuss eligibility with candidates at the outset, so time is not lost on people who cannot be cleared for the work.

Standards and documentation

Shipbuilding and defence work is heavily documented. We look for engineers who have worked to classification society rules, defence standards or formal configuration control, and who are comfortable with that level of rigour.

Skills from neighbouring sectors

Offshore energy, heavy fabrication and power generation produce engineers whose skills carry across to marine work. We look beyond direct shipyard experience when a candidate's background fits.

Marine, shipbuilding and defence 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
Design Engineer£35,000 to £70,000Offshore and subsea equipment design; electrical design for power and renewables
Mechanical Engineer£40,000 to £70,000Offshore and subsea equipment; senior building services consultancy
Estimating Engineer£40,000 to £80,000M&E estimating; senior main contractor and civils estimating
Quality Manager£45,000 to £65,000Aerospace, defence and regulated manufacturing
Project Engineer£45,000 to £85,000HV transmission; distillery and other capital projects

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

Recent engineering placements

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. Quality Manager, Central Belt Fabrication Business How we placed a Quality Manager with a welding and fabrication business in the Central Belt, in 6 weeks. 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.

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.

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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