Engineering recruitment across the UK
YP Recruitment is a specialist engineering recruitment agency placing mechanical, electrical, design, systems, and quality engineers across the UK. We cover permanent and contract roles from graduate through to principal engineer level, with particular strength in the Midlands manufacturing corridor, Yorkshire's precision engineering cluster, and the North West's aerospace and automotive sectors.
The UK engineering recruitment market
UK engineering faces a well-documented skills gap that shows no sign of closing. Demand consistently outstrips supply across mechanical, electrical, and systems disciplines, particularly at mid-career level where 5-10 years of experience is the hardest profile to find.
The strongest demand corridors run through the Midlands (automotive, aerospace, rail), Yorkshire and Humber (precision engineering, energy, food manufacturing), the North West (aerospace, nuclear, chemicals), and the South West (aerospace, defence, marine).
Salary growth has been steady at 4-6% year-on-year, with sharper increases for niche skills like controls engineering, stress analysis, and embedded systems.
Roles we fill
Mechanical Design Engineer
SolidWorks, Creo, CATIA. Product development, FEA, tolerancing. £35,000-£55,000 depending on sector and region.
Electrical Engineer
Power systems, control panels, HV/LV distribution, PLC programming. £38,000-£60,000. Strong demand in renewables.
Systems Engineer
Requirements capture, V-model, integration testing. Defence, rail, aerospace. £45,000-£70,000.
Quality Engineer
AS9100, IATF 16949, ISO 13485. APQP, PPAP, root cause analysis. £35,000-£55,000.
Project Engineer
NPI, capex projects, continuous improvement. £40,000-£60,000.
Principal / Lead Engineer
Technical authority, team leadership, design governance. £60,000-£90,000. The hardest to find.
FAQ
Common questions
What engineering roles does YP Recruitment cover?
We recruit for mechanical design engineers, electrical engineers, systems engineers, CAD/CAM engineers, quality engineers, project engineers, R&D engineers, controls engineers, stress engineers, and principal/lead engineer positions across the UK.
Where do you recruit for engineering roles?
We cover all UK regions. Our strongest engineering markets are in the Midlands corridor (Derby, Birmingham, Coventry), Yorkshire (Leeds, Sheffield, Huddersfield), the North West (Manchester, Preston, Warrington), and the South West (Bristol).
What salary can I expect as an engineer in the UK?
Engineering salaries range from £30,000-£40,000 for graduate roles through to £65,000-£90,000+ for principal engineers. Regional variation matters: London and the South East typically pay a 10-15% premium.
Do you recruit for contract engineering roles?
Yes. Contract day rates for mid-level engineers typically range from £250-£400/day depending on specialism and location. We handle IR35 assessment and can advise on inside vs outside determination.
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