Recruitment Sector · Engineering

Engineering Recruitment

From multi-skilled maintenance engineers and CAD designers to quality specialists and engineering leadership, we connect UK employers with the skilled people who keep operations running — and help engineers find their next role.

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Specialist engineering recruitment

Skilled engineers are among the hardest roles to fill and the most costly to get wrong. A line-down situation is expensive, and the wrong engineer makes it worse. As an independent, multi-sector recruitment agency with offices across the UK, Howard James Recruitment places engineering professionals at every level, from time-served maintenance and design engineers to quality specialists and engineering managers.

We understand the disciplines, the qualifications and the tickets each role demands, and we verify them before anyone reaches your shortlist. Skilled engineers are in short supply and rarely browsing job boards — we reach them through our network and represent your opportunity properly, not as a copy-paste advert.

Engineering roles we recruit

From hands-on trades to engineering leadership, we cover the roles that keep operations running and improving.

Maintenance Engineers

Multi-skilled, mechanical and electrical maintenance keeping plant and equipment running.

Design & CAD Engineers

Mechanical, electrical and CAD design engineers turning concepts into product.

Project & Process Engineers

Project, process and manufacturing engineers driving improvement and delivery.

Quality & Continuous Improvement

Quality engineers, QA specialists and CI professionals raising standards.

Field Service Engineers

Mobile and field-based service and commissioning engineers.

Engineering Management

Engineering managers, plant and maintenance managers setting direction.

Let's talk

We love to talk recruitment

Whether you're hiring, thinking about it, or just want a steer on the engineering market, we're always happy to talk. No hard sell, no obligation — just straight, useful advice from people who know recruitment inside out.

Contact a Consultant

Why employers choose us for engineering recruitment

We know the discipline

From maintenance to design and CI, we understand the specialisms and screen for genuine, relevant capability.

We verify tickets

Time-served qualifications, apprenticeships and certifications checked before a CV reaches you.

We reach passive talent

The best engineers are usually employed and busy. Our network reaches them where adverts won't.

Shifts & patterns covered

Days, rotating shifts and continental patterns — screened for genuine availability.

One named consultant

You deal with one person who learns your site and needs, not a rotating team you re-brief.

Flex Fee available

Spread a permanent fee over 12 instalments, with payments stopping if it doesn't work out.

Instalments

Pay as it proves out

For employers · The Flex Fee

Permanent quality, without the upfront cost

Hire on permanent terms from day one, but spread the fee over 12 instalments, invoiced in regular instalments while your hire stays in post. If the hire doesn't work out, the payments stop — the full quality of a permanent search with the cash-flow flexibility of a temp solution.

Spread the cost over 12 instalments instead of one large invoice
Invoiced in regular instalments while your hire remains in post
Payments stop if the hire leaves; issued invoices remain payable

Learn about Flex Fee

For employers

Hire engineers who deliver

Candidates verified on qualifications and tickets
Permanent, contract and temporary hires
Trades and maintenance through to engineering leadership
One dedicated consultant from brief to placement
Flex Fee to spread the cost over 12 instalments

For candidates

Find your next engineering role

Engineering roles across the UK
Maintenance, design, quality and management
Days, shifts and continental patterns
Honest feedback on your CV and market value
Always free to you — you'll never pay to be placed

Engineering recruitment — FAQs

What engineering roles do you recruit for?

We cover the full range, from maintenance engineers, design and CAD engineers and project and process engineers to quality and continuous improvement specialists, field service engineers, and engineering management.

Do you provide temporary and contract engineers as well as permanent?

Yes. We place permanent engineers for the long term, temporary staff to cover absence, shutdowns or busy periods, and contract engineers for specific projects. We can also arrange permanent hires through Flex Fee, spreading the cost over 12 instalments.

How do you check qualifications and tickets?

We verify time-served qualifications, apprenticeships and relevant tickets and certifications as part of screening, before a CV reaches you. For regulated or safety-critical roles we confirm the specific certifications the position requires.

Do you recruit engineers across the UK?

Yes. Through our national network of offices we recruit engineering professionals across the UK, combining nationwide reach with genuine local market knowledge.

Looking for engineering talent?

Submit a Vacancy Submit Your CV

Or call 0161 641 2550

Quick Reference · At a Glance

Engineering recruitment with Howard James Recruitment.

Sector	Engineering
Coverage	UK-wide, through our national network of offices
Roles	Maintenance, design & CAD, project & process, quality & CI, field service, engineering management
Contract types	Permanent, contract & temporary
For employers	Tickets verified; Flex Fee over 12 instalments
For candidates	Free service; roles across all shift patterns
Phone	0161 641 2550