Project Engineer Recruitment Agency Since 2005
TL;DR:
Sigma Recruitment has specialised in recruiting project engineers since 2005. With nearly two decades of experience, we’ve built a robust network of high-calibre project engineering talent across the UK and internationally, enabling us to deliver excellent results for our clients.
Why is hiring a Project Engineer so challenging?
Many businesses find hiring Project Engineers difficult due to a competitive market and a shortage of candidates with the right mix of technical and project management skills.
The best candidates are often passive, meaning they are already employed and not actively searching for new roles, which makes them hard to reach with standard job adverts. The current shortage of engineering talent further complicates the search, increasing competition for a limited pool of qualified professionals.
The best candidates are often passive, meaning they are already employed and not actively searching for new roles, which makes them hard to reach with standard job adverts. The current shortage of engineering talent further complicates the search, increasing competition for a limited pool of qualified professionals.
What makes a Project Engineer ‘qualified’ and hard to locate?
A qualified Project Engineer requires a specific blend of technical engineering knowledge, leadership ability, financial awareness, and strong communication skills.
Finding one person who excels in all these areas and has relevant experience in sectors like automotive or FMCG can be tough. The high demand for professionals who can guarantee project delivery on time and within budget is constant across the manufacturing sector, making them a scarce commodity.
Finding one person who excels in all these areas and has relevant experience in sectors like automotive or FMCG can be tough. The high demand for professionals who can guarantee project delivery on time and within budget is constant across the manufacturing sector, making them a scarce commodity.
What is the typical UK salary for a Project Engineer in 2025?
In 2025, a Project Engineer’s salary in the UK typically ranges from £28,000 for entry-level roles to over £70,000 for senior positions.
Based on our market data, salaries are structured as follows: Entry-Level: £28,000 to £38,000; Experienced: £40,000 to £65,000; Senior: £70,000+. These figures can fluctuate based on location, with roles in cities like Manchester or London often commanding higher rates. For precise figures for your area, consider using a free salary benchmarking service.
Based on our market data, salaries are structured as follows: Entry-Level: £28,000 to £38,000; Experienced: £40,000 to £65,000; Senior: £70,000+. These figures can fluctuate based on location, with roles in cities like Manchester or London often commanding higher rates. For precise figures for your area, consider using a free salary benchmarking service.
Our job adverts for Project Engineers aren’t working. Why?
If your job adverts fail to attract suitable applicants, the cause is often an unclear job description, a non-competitive salary, or poor visibility to the right audience.
Your advert should function as a sales pitch, clearly articulating why a top-tier Project Engineer should join your company. It’s crucial to evaluate and improve how good your manufacturing employer brand is to attract the best candidates in the market.
Your advert should function as a sales pitch, clearly articulating why a top-tier Project Engineer should join your company. It’s crucial to evaluate and improve how good your manufacturing employer brand is to attract the best candidates in the market.
How can we reduce high staff turnover for our Project Engineers?
High turnover rates are frequently a sign of deeper organisational issues, such as a lack of career development or poor management.
To improve retention, focus on creating clear progression paths, investing in professional growth, and fostering a supportive work environment. Implementing a structured employee development plan can significantly increase engagement and loyalty.
To improve retention, focus on creating clear progression paths, investing in professional growth, and fostering a supportive work environment. Implementing a structured employee development plan can significantly increase engagement and loyalty.
What are the advantages of using a specialist agency for Project Engineer recruitment?
Partnering with a specialist agency like Sigma provides a distinct competitive edge in recruitment.
You gain immediate access to a broad, pre-vetted talent pool, deep market insights, and a more efficient hiring process. We manage the sourcing, screening, and initial interviews, which saves you significant time and ensures you meet only the most suitable candidates. Discover the 7 reasons to work with a specialist agency.
You gain immediate access to a broad, pre-vetted talent pool, deep market insights, and a more efficient hiring process. We manage the sourcing, screening, and initial interviews, which saves you significant time and ensures you meet only the most suitable candidates. Discover the 7 reasons to work with a specialist agency.
How do you select the right engineering recruitment agency in the UK?
When choosing an agency, look for a proven track record in your industry, positive client testimonials, and a clear understanding of the roles you need to fill.
A good recruitment partner works consultatively, taking the time to understand your business objectives and company culture. It’s important to understand how to choose the right manufacturing and engineering recruitment agency to ensure a successful partnership.
A good recruitment partner works consultatively, taking the time to understand your business objectives and company culture. It’s important to understand how to choose the right manufacturing and engineering recruitment agency to ensure a successful partnership.
What are the essential qualifications for a Project Engineer?
Ideally, a Project Engineer should hold an engineering degree or an equivalent qualification like an HNC or HND.
In addition to academic credentials, professional project management certifications such as PRINCE2 or from the APM (Association for Project Management) are highly valuable. These qualifications demonstrate a formal grasp of project delivery methodologies and are a strong indicator of a competent technical professional.
In addition to academic credentials, professional project management certifications such as PRINCE2 or from the APM (Association for Project Management) are highly valuable. These qualifications demonstrate a formal grasp of project delivery methodologies and are a strong indicator of a competent technical professional.
What are some effective interview questions for a Project Engineer?
To properly assess a candidate’s suitability, you should ask questions that explore their practical experience and problem-solving skills.
Consider asking: “Describe the most complex project you’ve managed. What were the main challenges and how did you resolve them?” or “How do you ensure a project remains within budget and on schedule? Please provide a specific example.” For more ideas, review our guide on interviewing techniques for engineers.
Consider asking: “Describe the most complex project you’ve managed. What were the main challenges and how did you resolve them?” or “How do you ensure a project remains within budget and on schedule? Please provide a specific example.” For more ideas, review our guide on interviewing techniques for engineers.
Example Project Engineer Profiles
43223 – Project Engineer – £40K+
- Degree-qualified engineer with circa 25 years of industry experience.
- Has worked predominantly in electronics manufacturing but has also gained recent experience working within metal-based manufacturing.
- Holds a degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering and is a registered practitioner for PRINCE2.
- Familiar with new product introduction processes, has had the experience of travelling overseas as required and is very used to being in customer-facing roles discussing requirements and ensuring projects run on time in line with customer demands.
- Knowledge of industry tools such as Six Sigma, PPAP, EMC testing and DFMEA.
61077 – Project Engineer – £35K+
- Master’s qualified engineer with 6 months of industry experience in food manufacturing
- Holds an MEng in Chemical Engineering
- Also PRINCE2 qualified to Practitioner level
- Current role focuses on identifying areas for improvement across the manufacturing plant and leading cross-functional teams to deliver the improvements
- Achievements to date have included reducing the changeover time for one line from 14 minutes to 8 minutes and introducing a new system to reduce waste levels by circa 20%
- Skilled in data analytics (Tableau, PowerApps), methodologies (Agile, PRINCE2), project management tools (Jira, MS Project), design and simulation tools (AutoCAD, COMSOL, etc.), programming languages (MATLAB, Python) and is proficient in all Microsoft Office applications
- Keen to find a role which would allow him to utilise a mix of their project management and engineering skills
Why Use Sigma As Your Project Engineer Recruitment Agency?
Sigma Recruitment has a proven history of helping companies find skilled project engineers who are able to coordinate with various teams, manage risks for the business, maintain control of timelines and deliver projects on time. Whether your sector is chemical, heavy industry, automotive, pharmaceutical, food or medical, we connect you with the right candidates to achieve your business needs.
Ready to Hire Your Next Project Engineer?
Book a discovery call directly with our Managing Director, Rhys Williams, to discuss your vacancy and learn how we can connect you with the top project engineering talent in your sector.
