12 of the Highest Paid Engineering Jobs in the UK 2022

The ever-increasing pace of technological developments drives frequent changes in the Engineering sector. Existing jobs change, new roles come up, and it’s easy to get confused when it comes to choosing a career as an Engineer.

While engineers are typically well paid, not all jobs offer the same compensation. With this in mind, we’ve listed for you the highest-paid engineering jobs. If you’re looking for a job with a high salary, keep reading.

1. Enterprise Architect

Median Salary- £82,270/yr 

Enterprise Architects are pivotal for any Tech department. Typically, their responsibilities include designing, deploying, and overviewing an organisation’s IT infrastructure, systems, and integrations. In summary, their job includes managing an employer’s IT architecture and providing relevant advice to senior management.

To become an Enterprise architect, you may need 5-7 years of experience in Tech Engineering roles. Most successful candidates also have a technical degree and related certifications, such as AWS Certified Solution Architect, Red Hat Certified Architect, or Salesforce Certified Technical Architect.

2. Medical Manager

Median Salary- £49,721/yr

Medical Managers are responsible for ensuring that patients receive the required care by designing and running the operations of a health facility. Their role includes both business management and mote technical medical responsibilities, although they don’t need to be medical professionals.

If you’re looking to be a medical manager, a relevant degree or certification could help. With this in mind, we suggest exploring the below options:

Apart from related education, Medical Manager roles require people and business management skills and a wide understanding of the medical industry.

3. QC Manager

Median Salary- £37,364/yr

A Quality Control (QC) Manager is primarily responsible for monitoring the overall quality of a company’s products and services. They keep an eye on the production line, implement changes wherever required, and collaborate with different teams to identify and resolve quality issues. They also write product quality reports and ensure everything aligns with the best practices. Additionally, they train and manage quality control technicians.

To be a QC Manager, a related degree, especially in business management helps. However, industry-specific knowledge and exposure are essential. Companies look for at least 5 years of experience in potential candidates. Some top skills to help grow in this role include communication and interpersonal, analytical and problem-solving ability, and attention to detail.

4. Software Architect

Median Salary- £72,876/yr

Software Architects orchestrate software development. They design product specifications in line with requirements, communicate them to the development team, and work with them to ensure the solution is fit for purpose. In short, they oversee software projects.

Software Architects have strong technical skills, including coding (Java, C++ etc.), UX, and UI. Due to the nature of their work, project management, innovation, and problem-solving solutions are key for Software Architects. Lastly, a commercial mindset is also imperative, as it allows a Software Architect to operate in line with business objectives.

5. Solutions Engineer

Median Salary- £56,591/yr

As a Solutions Engineer, one is required to sell software solutions to clients. They work with sales representatives to identify consumer needs and generate software and hardware solutions accordingly. To do this, they design products, prepare and make presentations on them, ensure they are in line with customer needs, and deliver them.

Solutions Engineers usually hold a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Engineering along with considerable experience. Depending on the job role, employers may look for anything between 3-8 years of experience in your applications. Some skills required in this role are strong communications, attention to detail, and exceptional interpersonal skills.

6. Technical Manager

Median Salary- £51,704

Technical Managers are responsible for utilising cutting-edge technologies in business operations to help a company gain a competitive advantage through efficiencies. They actively work on Computer Information Systems (CIS) performing analyses for efficiency, collaborating with different teams for the development of solutions, and managing support teams.

Technical Managers are usually required to have extensive experience in tech-related roles in a similar industry. In most cases, companies prefer at least a bachelor’s degree. However, certifications like PMI Agile Certified Practitioner, Certified ScrumMaster, and Information Technology Infrastructure Library can also strengthen your resume.

7. Technology Manager

Median Salary- £67,256/yr

Technology Managers lead a company’s technology department or a subsection of it. In smaller businesses, they may have wide responsibilities from networks to systems to security. On the other hand, a Technology Manager in a larger company typically focuses on a specific IT area.

In terms of qualifications, a Technology Manager may need a degree in IT along with experience of about 3-5 years in a similar role. Technical as well as soft skills are crucial for this role. Some of these include project management, programming languages, operating systems, strategic thinking, and the ability to work under pressure.

8. Database Architect

Median Salary- £73,098/yr

We live in the data era and Database Architects are the ones who are responsible for building and maintaining an organisation’s databases. Specifically, their job may include understanding a company’s requirements, designing relevant solutions, leading the deployment of data-related technology projects, and managing databases in BAU.

If you are considering becoming a Database Architect, we suggest starting with a technical degree, such as Computer Engineering or Computer Science. Then, work your way up by gaining industry experience in data-related roles for 5-7 years. In terms of skills, data analysis, innovation, and modeling are key, while problem-solving and communication skills are also a must.

9. Cloud Engineer

Median Salary- £73,098/yr

As the name suggests, Cloud Engineers lead cloud computing in companies. They are responsible for designing cloud software and systems, migrating processes, and looking after their maintenance. Cloud Engineers work with clients, ensuring the most optimal cloud-based solutions are provided to them.

These professionals should have experience with at least one of the three major cloud providers, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform. Companies typically look for at least 3 years of experience in cloud computing. As a cloud engineer, you should have strong troubleshooting, analytical, communication, and client management skills.

10. Operations Engineer

Median Salary- £40,351/yr

Operations Engineers work with different teams to ideate, develop, and launch software based on business needs. It is their responsibility to ensure that products are in line with best practices and free of technical inconsistencies. They initiate continuous process improvements to consistently enhance operational effectiveness in the business.

Operations Engineers are required to have strong decision-making and collaborative abilities. Employers look for prior experience in product lifecycle management, automation, software security methods, and software applications like Linux, Python, Autosys, and UNIX. A degree in computer science, software engineering, or related fields is preferred.

11. Java Developer

Median Salary- £49,883/yr

Java Developers are programmers whose work revolves around Java. They are responsible for developing and implementing Java applications, testing them, and resolving technical issues that arise. To do this, they rely on customer requirements to enhance application design, work on the design documentation, and prepare documents for customer support. Some languages that they may need to work on include PHP, Python, Scala, and JavaScript.

Java developers are usually required to have a degree in Computer Science but certifications like Oracle’s Certified Professional Java Programmer, Certified Associate Java Programmer, Certified Expert - Web Component Developer, or Professional Scrum Master Certification help too. Companies look for experience in interface design, database structures, Object Oriented design, relational databases, SQL, and ORM technologies.

12. Platform Engineer

Median Salary- £53,168/yr

Platform Engineers provide technical solutions to real business problems by bridging the gap between hardware and software.  They support the development team in developing innovative, production-quality tools to solve real operational problems based on consumer needs and delivering them. Additionally, they work on simplifying the systems, processes, and tools for better output.

Platform Engineers usually hold bachelor’s degrees in a related technical discipline. However, this can be compensated with extensive experience in a related role and industry. Hands-on experience with Linux or other Unix operating systems along with Python, Perl, Ruby, Shell, or other languages is desirable. Experience of 2-4 years is preferred for these roles.