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Electrical Design Engineer Jobs in Manchester Up to £110k

Electrical design engineer jobs in Manchester pay £35,000 to £65,000 from engineer to senior and principal level in 2026, and technical director roles reach £90,000 to £110,000. Totaljobs puts the Manchester electrical design engineer average at £47,499 (accessed 25 September 2026). Arup, AtkinsRéalis, WSP, Buro Happold and Hoare Lea all run Manchester offices.

Key Takeaways

  • Manchester electrical design engineers earn £35,000 to £65,000 in 2026 adverts, and associate roles in M1 pay £65,000 to £74,500.
  • Totaljobs puts the Manchester electrical design engineer average at £47,499, while Glassdoor shows £33,413 from just 8 mixed-sector salaries (August 2026).
  • Glassdoor lists 381 electrical engineer jobs in Manchester (August 2026).
  • AtkinsRéalis has about 1,000 staff at Piccadilly Place, and about 850 staff moved into WSP's 8 First Street office.
  • Manchester contract rates run at £50 to £55 an hour inside IR35 and £50 an hour outside IR35.

Where Manchester's Electrical Design Engineer Jobs Are

Manchester's electrical design engineer jobs cluster in four areas: Piccadilly, Royal Exchange and Castlefield, First Street, and Salford Quays with Trafford Park. The first three hold consultancy design teams, while Salford Quays and Trafford Park hold contractor-side design work. Manchester has London-grade consultancies with lower living costs.

Which Piccadilly employers hire electrical designers?

Piccadilly (M1) holds the densest concentration of building services consultancies in the North. Arup and AtkinsRéalis both occupy Piccadilly Place, and AtkinsRéalis' North West hub has about 1,000 staff. Cundall runs an office at 57 Hilton Street (M1 2EJ), Troup Bywaters + Anders at 61 Oxford Street (M1 6EQ), and Tyréns Hilson Moran at Neo, 9 Charlotte Street (M1 4ET).

Senior pay here is strong. Hays advertised an Associate Electrical Engineer role in M1 at £65,000 to £74,500 in July 2026.

Manchester Piccadilly station links the cluster to Stockport, Leeds and Sheffield. That widens the commute radius for engineers living outside the city.

What employers sit in Royal Exchange, Castlefield and First Street?

Royal Exchange, King Street, Castlefield and First Street (M2, M3 and M15) hold specialist MEP and multidisciplinary consultancies. Hoare Lea runs an office at 601 Royal Exchange (M2 7FL), Tetra Tech at 11 York Street (M2 2AW), and Buro Happold at Eastgate, 2 Castle Street (M3 4LZ). WSP occupies 8 First Street (M15 4RP), with about 850 staff.

Buro Happold has 1,750+ staff across 7 UK offices. Hulley & Kirkwood also operates from 2 Commercial Street in Castlefield (M15 4RQ).

These consultancies recruit senior and associate electrical engineers at £50,000 to £75,000. Deansgate and Oxford Road give the area strong rail and Metrolink access.

Where are contractor-side electrical design jobs in Manchester?

Contractor-side electrical design jobs sit around Salford Quays, MediaCityUK, Old Trafford and Trafford Park (M5, M50, M16 and M17). NG Bailey runs its Manchester operation from Building 5, Exchange Quay, Salford (M5 3EF). A Tozer Associates client in M16 is recruiting a Senior or Principal Electrical Engineer at £50,000 to £65,000 with 6% pension.

Contract roles run here too. An Electrical Installation Design Engineer contract in Eccles (M30) pays £45 to £50 an hour. The Metrolink Eccles and Trafford Park lines serve the west of the city region.

Manchester Pay and Hiring Activity in 2026

Manchester electrical design engineers earn £35,000 to £65,000 in 2026 adverts, and technical directors earn £90,000 to £110,000. Totaljobs puts the city's average at £47,499. Falcon, Penguin, Roc Search, Vertical and Hays all advertised Manchester consultancy roles between June and July 2026.

Those salaries show Manchester is no longer a junior market. Technical director roles at £90,000 to £110,000 match many London bands, while living costs stay lower.

Data centre premiums are smaller here than in London. Manchester holds only about 2% of UK data centre supply (CBRE, via Astute), so most Manchester electrical design work centres on consultancy and contractor projects. Many designers work closely with teams in mechanical design engineering on coordinated MEP packages.

How much do electrical design engineers earn in Manchester?

Manchester electrical design engineers earn £35,000 to £65,000 from engineer to senior and principal level in 2026 adverts. Associate roles in M1 pay £65,000 to £74,500, and technical directors earn £90,000 to £110,000. Glassdoor's £33,413 average (August 2026) uses just 8 mixed-sector salaries, so treat it as a floor.

Contract engineers earn £50 to £55 an hour inside IR35 and £50 an hour outside IR35.

Do Manchester electrical design jobs offer hybrid working?

Most Manchester senior electrical design jobs offer hybrid working, with two days at home common in 2026 adverts. Tozer Associates' M16 senior role includes healthcare and hybrid working. Coordination meetings and site visits still need regular office and site attendance.

A CV that gets noticed in Manchester leads with calculations, Revit experience and project values.

How We Place Electrical Design Engineers in Manchester

We place electrical design engineers with Manchester consultancies and contractors through four steps, covering the city from our Surrey head office. BSV's electrical engineering recruitment desk has 20+ years in building services, and our live roles include an Electrical Design Engineer with a leading building services consultancy in Manchester.

  1. Step 1: We map your Manchester target. We confirm whether you want consultancy work in Piccadilly or First Street, or contractor work around Salford Quays and Trafford Park.
  2. Step 2: We benchmark your pay. We compare your package with live Manchester ranges, from £35,000 to £65,000 and up to £74,500 at associate level.
  3. Step 3: We open unadvertised roles. We use our recruiter's network to introduce you to roles before they reach job boards.
  4. Step 4: We prepare you for interview. We brief you on the BS 7671, Revit and lighting questions Manchester employers ask, so you can show them you want the job with real evidence.

FAQs

Are there electrical design engineer jobs in Manchester?

Yes, Glassdoor lists 381 electrical engineer jobs in Manchester (August 2026), and Falcon, Penguin, Roc Search, Vertical and Hays all advertised electrical design roles in June and July 2026. Roles span Piccadilly consultancies, First Street and Castlefield practices, and contractor teams around Salford Quays.

Which consultancies have Manchester offices?

Arup, AtkinsRéalis, Cundall, Troup Bywaters + Anders and Tyréns Hilson Moran run offices in Piccadilly. Hoare Lea, Tetra Tech and Buro Happold sit around Royal Exchange and Castlefield, and WSP occupies 8 First Street. NG Bailey runs contractor operations from Exchange Quay in Salford.

Is Manchester a good place for senior electrical design engineers?

Manchester suits senior electrical design engineers, with associate roles at £65,000 to £74,500 and technical director roles at £90,000 to £110,000 in 2026 adverts. Living costs sit below London's, and the city hosts regional hubs for Arup, AtkinsRéalis, WSP, Buro Happold and Hoare Lea.

What do contract electrical design engineers earn in Manchester?

Contract electrical design engineers in Manchester earn £50 to £55 an hour inside IR35 and £50 an hour outside IR35 in 2026. An Electrical Installation Design Engineer contract in Eccles pays £45 to £50 an hour. At 220 days, £50 an hour equals roughly £88,000 a year.

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