Offshore Wind jobs in the UK

Offshore wind work in the UK

The UK's offshore wind farms sit mainly in the North Sea and the Irish Sea, with newer projects moving into deeper waters off Scotland and in the Celtic Sea. Each wind farm needs people for years before the first turbine turns and for decades afterwards, so the work runs from surveying and design to manufacturing, installation and long-term maintenance.

Much of the shore-side activity is on the east coast of England. Ørsted runs its East Coast Hub for operations and maintenance from the port at Grimsby, Siemens Gamesa makes turbine blades at Alexandra Dock in Hull, and ScottishPower has named the Suffolk port of Lowestoft as the long-term home of its UK offshore wind operations. Further north, the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult tests blades, drivetrains and electrical systems at its National Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth, and runs a Floating Wind Innovation Centre in Aberdeen.

Jobs from development to long-term operation

Offshore wind roles fall into a few broad groups, and many people move between them over a career. Employers include developers and owners, turbine manufacturers, cable and foundation specialists, vessel operators, ports and engineering consultancies.

Development and engineering design

Before construction, developers employ consents managers, environmental specialists, geotechnical and metocean engineers, grid connection engineers and project managers. Foundation, cable and electrical design engineers often work for consultancies or main contractors, mostly office based with occasional site visits.

Construction and installation

Installation campaigns need marine coordinators, package managers, HSE advisers, quality inspectors, offshore construction managers and completion technicians who finish turbines and cables once they are in place. Much of this work is tied to a project, so contract roles and offshore rotations are common alongside permanent posts.

Operations and maintenance

Once a wind farm is generating, the largest group of jobs is wind turbine technicians. They are supported by high voltage engineers, blade repair technicians, SCADA and control room operators, marine coordinators, and crews on crew transfer vessels and service operation vessels. Technicians usually work shifts from a port base, or a rotation living aboard a vessel.

Commercial and asset management

Wind farms also need asset managers, performance analysts, procurement and contracts specialists, supply chain managers and community liaison staff. These roles suit people with commercial, finance or data backgrounds who want to work in the sector without going offshore.

Certificates and training employers look for

For any role that involves climbing turbines or transferring to a wind farm, expect to need Global Wind Organisation (GWO) training. The GWO Basic Safety Training standard is made up of five modules: First Aid, Manual Handling, Fire Awareness, Working at Height and Sea Survival. Some employers fund it for new starters; others ask you to hold it before you apply.

Technician adverts often add:

• GWO Basic Technical Training, covering mechanical, electrical and hydraulic basics
• GWO Advanced Rescue Training for some site teams
• an offshore or wind turbine medical, to whichever standard the employer specifies
• a Level 3 electrical or mechanical qualification, or equivalent experience from another industry
• high voltage authorisation for senior electrical roles

Engineers and managers are more likely to be asked for a relevant degree, HNC or HND, progress towards incorporated or chartered status, and experience of marine or offshore projects.

Ways into the industry

Apprenticeships. In England, the Level 3 maintenance and operations engineering technician apprenticeship has a wind turbine technician option. Operators and turbine manufacturers recruit apprentices through partner colleges, and similar schemes run in Scotland.

Graduates. Developers, utilities and consultancies recruit graduates in electrical, mechanical, civil and marine engineering, as well as environmental science and commercial disciplines.

Career changers. Electricians, mechanical fitters and maintenance engineers often move across, as do people from offshore oil and gas, because their technical and offshore experience transfers well.

Ex-forces. Service leavers with engineering trades, marine or aircraft maintenance backgrounds, or experience of working at height are a good fit for technician and coordination roles.

Finding offshore wind jobs on Energy Jobs Board

You can browse current energy vacancies and filter by sector, location, salary, employment type and on-site, hybrid or remote working. Contract and permanent roles sit side by side, so you can compare a rotation-based technician post with an onshore engineering job.

It's free to create a candidate profile, upload your CV, save jobs and track your applications. Your profile stays hidden from employers unless you choose to make it visible, and you can see which approved companies have downloaded your CV.

If you hire for wind farms, ports or the supply chain, you can advertise an offshore wind vacancy. Every advert is checked by our team before it goes live and runs for 30 days.