How to Get an Offshore Job in Scotland (2026 Guide)

Scotland is still the beating heart of UK offshore energy. Aberdeen, Dundee, the Cromarty Firth and the Firth of Forth run oil, gas and wind together, which means more entry points than anywhere else in Britain if you know where to look.

Quick answer

To get an offshore job in Scotland, get your BOSIET, MIST and OGUK medical in place, target Aberdeen for oil and gas or the Firth of Forth and Cromarty Firth for wind, then apply direct to operators and their supply agencies with a CV built around your tickets and rotation availability.

Why Scotland is the best UK starting point

Aberdeen alone hosts nearly every major North Sea operator, drilling contractor and service company. Add the ScotWind offshore wind rollout, Cromarty Firth port expansion, and Neart na Gaoithe / Seagreen construction, and you have a market with active recruitment across every discipline, from roustabout to HV technician. Whichever discipline you target, a role-specific oil rig CV or offshore wind CV gives you the best chance of getting past the Aberdeen agency filters.

Where to look for offshore jobs in Scotland

Aberdeen operators, Shell, BP, TotalEnergies, Harbour Energy, Ithaca, Serica, Repsol Sinopec, EnQuest, Apache, Chrysaor
Drilling contractors, Stena Drilling, KCA Deutag, Transocean, Valaris, Diamond, Awilco
Service companies, Wood, Petrofac, Bilfinger, Sparrows, Aker Solutions, Baker Hughes, SLB, Halliburton
Offshore wind, SSE Renewables, ScottishPower Renewables, Ørsted, Vattenfall, Corio Generation, Flotation Energy
Aberdeen-based agencies, Orion Group, Cammach Bryant, Petroplan, Fircroft, NES Fircroft, TMM Recruitment, Genesis Personnel, Airswift

Training centres in Scotland

Aberdeen, Petrofac Training, RGIT Aberdeen, Survivex, Falck Safety Services
Dundee / Montrose, 3T Global, AIS Survivex
Inverness / Cromarty, 3t Training Services, GTSC

All deliver BOSIET, FOET, MIST, HUET, CA-EBS, GWO BST and GWO Sea Survival.

Realistic salary bands for 2026 (Scotland, day rate)

Roustabout, £180-£220/day
Rigger, £280-£380/day
Scaffolder, £320-£420/day
Mechanical / Electrical Tech, £380-£520/day
HV Wind Technician, £400-£600/day
OIM / Superintendent, £750-£1,100/day

Your CV still decides everything

Aberdeen agencies see hundreds of CVs a week. If yours doesn't hit the operator keywords, tickets and rotation pattern in the first 15 seconds, it's gone. Our offshore CV writing service is written by people who know the Aberdeen market, and you can compare offshore CV packages and prices or run your current CV through the free ATS CV checker first.

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Offshore jobs in Scotland: FAQs

How do I get an offshore job in Scotland?

Get your BOSIET, MIST and OGUK medical in place, base yourself within reach of Aberdeen, then apply direct to operators and to the agencies that supply them. Entry-level roustabout and steward vacancies move fastest, and a CV written around tickets and rotation availability is what gets you called.

Where are offshore jobs based in Scotland?

Aberdeen is the main hub for North Sea oil and gas, with heliports at Dyce and Scatsta. Offshore wind hiring centres on the Firth of Forth, Cromarty Firth, Montrose and Nigg, driven by Seagreen, Neart na Gaoithe and the ScotWind projects.

How much do offshore workers in Scotland earn?

Entry-level roles start around £180 to £220 a day. Trade technicians earn £250 to £400, and senior supervisors and OIMs reach £600 to £1,200 a day. On a 3/3 rotation that is roughly £33,000 at entry level and £100,000-plus at management grade.

Do I need to live in Scotland to work offshore?

No. Most North Sea workers commute to Aberdeen for their trip and many live elsewhere in the UK or abroad. Employers care about reliable arrival for check-in, not your postcode, though local candidates sometimes get called first for short-notice cover.

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