Energy jobs in Aberdeen

Why Aberdeen still sets the pace for offshore energy

Aberdeen has been the working base of the UK North Sea since the first fields came on stream, and most of the people, equipment and know-how that keep offshore installations running still pass through the city. Operators, drilling contractors, well services firms and engineering consultancies all run large teams here, backed by a supply chain that stretches from the harbour to the business parks around the airport.

That base is now being put to work on newer industries. Floating offshore wind, carbon capture, hydrogen and the decommissioning of older platforms all need the same things: marine operations, subsea engineering, project controls and a strong safety culture. For you, that means experience gained in oil and gas carries across, and many local employers recruit for both kinds of work at once.

Who hires in and around the city

Operators and their main contractors

Producing oil and gas companies, often called duty holders, run asset teams, onshore control and support functions from offices across the city and in Dyce. Around them sit the large engineering, maintenance and construction contractors that supply much of the offshore workforce on long-term service contracts, plus drilling and well intervention specialists.

Westhill and the subsea cluster

Westhill, on the western edge of the city, is recognised as a global centre for subsea engineering, and Aberdeenshire Council describes it as having the largest concentration of subsea expertise in the world. Companies there design, install and maintain umbilicals, risers, flowlines and pipelines, and run the vessels and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) that do the work. The same skills are now wanted for offshore wind cables and moorings.

Harbour, logistics and decommissioning

The Port of Aberdeen handles the supply vessels that keep installations stocked and has added a new South Harbour at Nigg Bay, which it is preparing for floating offshore wind and decommissioning as well as oil and gas traffic. Shore bases, warehouses and marine service companies around the harbour take on logistics coordinators, marine crews, crane operators and quayside technicians.

Low-carbon projects on the doorstep

Beside South Harbour, the Energy Transition Zone covers the Altens and East Tullos industrial estates and is being developed as a cluster for offshore wind, hydrogen and other low-carbon businesses. It includes the National Floating Wind Innovation Centre set up by the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult. North of the city, the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre, a test and demonstration wind farm, sits in Aberdeen Bay, and the St Fergus gas terminal near Peterhead is the base for the proposed Acorn carbon capture and storage project.

Roles you will see advertised

Offshore and technician roles

• Mechanical, electrical and instrument technicians on production platforms
• Process and control room operators
• Drilling crew, roustabouts, deck crew and crane operators
• ROV pilot technicians and subsea supervisors
• Rope access, inspection and fabric maintenance technicians

Engineering and project delivery

Onshore teams recruit subsea, pipeline, process, structural and integrity engineers, along with planners, cost engineers and document controllers. Wells engineering, reservoir engineering and geoscience roles are more concentrated here than anywhere else in the UK.

Commercial, HSE and support

Contracts and procurement specialists, HSE advisers, marine coordinators, materials controllers and technical authorities are hired regularly. Many contract roles pay a day rate, while permanent staff jobs usually come with a salary, pension and rotation allowances.

Training and qualifications in the north east

North East Scotland College (NESCol) teaches engineering at its Altens and Aberdeen City campuses, and its Scottish Maritime Academy in Peterhead trains people for marine careers. Robert Gordon University offers energy and engineering degrees and is home to the National Subsea Centre, while the University of Aberdeen runs postgraduate programmes in oil and gas engineering, offshore engineering and renewable energy engineering.

To work offshore you will need a recognised safety and emergency response certificate such as the BOSIET (or the FOET refresher once you hold one), plus an offshore medical. Several OPITO-approved training centres operate in the Aberdeen area. If you are moving towards wind, look for providers that also deliver Global Wind Organisation (GWO) Basic Safety Training.

Getting to work: heliport, AWPR and rotations

Most offshore crews fly from the heliport at Aberdeen Airport in Dyce, one of the busiest helicopter terminals in the world. Check-in times are early, so people who live further away often stay in the city the night before a trip. Dyce has its own railway station, and the 727 airport bus links the terminals with Union Square, next to the main rail and bus stations.

The Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) runs from Blackdog in the north to Stonehaven in the south, so you can reach Dyce, Westhill and Altens without crossing the city centre. Rotation patterns vary by employer, but two or three weeks offshore followed by an equal or longer period at home is common, which is why plenty of offshore staff live elsewhere in Scotland or further afield.

Searching Aberdeen jobs on Energy Jobs Board

Start with our latest energy vacancies and type Aberdeen, Dyce or Westhill into the location box. You can then narrow results by salary, permanent or contract work, and on-site or hybrid arrangements. To focus on one industry, browse oil and gas roles, offshore wind vacancies or hydrogen and carbon capture jobs.

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