Engineering hiring trends in FY26/27: What employers in Melbourne and Victoria need to know

Engineering hiring in Victoria has entered FY26/27 with some key market developments.

Across major infrastructure, including road, rail and airport projects and energy and renewables, the strongest demand exists for project initiation, design and delivery roles, with a strong emphasis on keeping costs under control, as best as possible. Whilst there’s nothing new in that, it is more so at the fore now due to the rising costs both home and overseas.

For employers, the challenge is not only finding candidates. It is in understanding where the market is moving and whether salary expectations are shifting. Employers are increasingly navigating a competitive hiring window, balancing the need for internal approvals and workforce planning against the risk of losing sought-after candidates to competing organisations.

At Becks Wiggins Stokes, our engineering and technical search team works closely with employers across Melbourne and Victoria to understand their professional staffing requirements and to identify and engage them with available talent in the market, while taking into account the trends influencing candidate movement.

In this article, we share a snapshot of the key engineering hiring trends shaping FY26/27.

Engineering recruitment in Melbourne and Victoria remains competitive

While there is a perception among some stakeholders that infrastructure investment and the flow of new opportunities have softened in the lead-up to the Victorian election, the longer-term demand outlook remains strong, with the Victorian Government continuing to identify engineering professionals as among the most critical occupations required to support the delivery of major infrastructure projects.

Demand for engineering and technical talent remains strong across major project environments. In Victoria, this is being shaped by ongoing infrastructure work, transport projects, specialist consulting demand and the continued growth of renewables and energy transition projects.

Employers are particularly focused on roles such as:

• Project Directors
• Discipline Leads
• Project Managers
• Senior Project Managers
• Engineering Managers
• Senior Engineers
• Project Engineers
• Design Engineers
• Technical Specialists.

Given the specialist nature of these roles and the competitive talent landscape, a proactive search and engagement strategy is often required, as traditional advertising channels may not consistently deliver access to the full breadth of available talent.

For employers, this underscores the importance of pre-emptive recruitment planning. Reactive hiring approaches can restrict access to available talent and contribute to extended time-to-hire outcomes. In a competitive market, the most effective recruitment partners offer more than candidate sourcing, providing valuable market insight, remuneration intelligence, and specialist technical expertise to support informed hiring decisions.

Engineering salary trends in Melbourne: what employers should know

Salary expectations remain a key pressure point in engineering and technical recruitment, particularly for specialist and major project roles.

While salary movement varies by role, employer type and project environment, the general direction remains upward, particularly for candidates with specialist project experience or highly sought-after technical capability.

Our salary insights show clear differences between employer types across Melbourne and Victoria.

This is why salary benchmarking should not be treated as a one-size-fits-all exercise.

A Project Manager working in consultancy or one delivering in a  major infrastructure project or a Project Manager representing an owner/operator may all sit within the broader definition of engineering project managers, but their salary expectations, motivators and overall market comparisons can be quite different.

Employers using an engineering salary guide should therefore be looking beyond base salary alone. The structure of the offer, the project environment, the career pathway and the stability of the organisation can all influence how a candidate compares opportunities.

Senior Project Managers, Engineering Managers, Technical Specialists, Discipline Leads and Project Directors remain in demand

The roles experiencing strong demand are not limited to one part of the engineering market.

Project delivery roles remain competitive because employers need people who can keep complex work moving. Design and discipline leadership roles remain important because early-stage planning, approvals and technical advisory work continue to shape future project pipelines.

Technical specialists are also in demand across areas where expertise is harder to replace. This includes:

• Tunnelling and underground infrastructure
• Rail systems and signalling
• Power, renewables and transmission
• Pavements and road asset specialisation
• Environmental approvals and offshore wind-related work.

These specialist areas often attract salary premiums because the available candidate pool is smaller and the work requires a deeper level of technical expertise.

For employers, the lesson is clear: the more specialised the requirement, the earlier the recruitment conversation should begin.

Infrastructure and renewables projects continue to shape engineering recruitment

Infrastructure and renewables remain major forces behind engineering talent shortages in Victoria. Projects connected to rail and transport, road infrastructure, ports, freight, offshore wind, renewable energy zones and transmission builds are all contributing to demand for experienced engineering professionals.

National infrastructure data supports what we are seeing in engineering recruitment. Infrastructure Australia’s 2025 Infrastructure Market Capacity Report (published in November 2025) projects that infrastructure workforce shortages could rise to more than 300,000 workers by mid-2027, with demand from privately funded renewable energy projects identified as a key driver.

This same report also forecasts strong demand for engineering and project management capability, with shortages for Engineers, Architects and Scientists expected to peak in late 2026 and Project Management Professionals in mid-2027.

Energy transition work is particularly significant. Offshore wind, grid upgrades, renewable energy infrastructure and port integration are creating demand for technical capability that is not always readily available in the market.

We see this as not only a salary issue, but also a timing issue. When multiple employers are hiring for similar capability at the same time, candidates with relevant experience can move quickly. Employers that are slow to engage, unclear on role requirements or behind market expectations may struggle to secure preferred candidates.

This is where specialist engineering recruitment insight becomes valuable. At BWS Recruitment, our team considers both the technical capability required for a role and the broader project environment shaping candidate demand across Melbourne and Victoria. A candidate’s experience across major infrastructure, renewables or energy transition work can materially affect their market value, availability and suitability.

Regional and major project work can shift engineering salary expectations

Engineering hiring in Victoria also needs to account for regional and major project dynamics. Our insights point to regional premiums, often in the form of salary uplifts or allowances, particularly where roles are tied to regional corridors, offshore wind, energy transmission or large-scale infrastructure projects.

For candidates, these opportunities may be attractive, but they are also weighed against travel, lifestyle, family commitments, flexibility and long-term career direction. This means employers need to consider the full offer, not just the base salary.

A competitive package may include:

• Salary and superannuation
• Project allowances
• Bonus or incentive structures
• Flexibility where possible
• Clear career progression
• Stability of project pipeline
• The organisation’s reputation and leadership.

Candidates in this market are often comparing more than one opportunity. Employers that can clearly articulate the value of the role, the project and the longer-term career pathway are more likely to stand out.

Employers are engaging engineering candidates earlier

One shift we’re seeing is that employers are beginning conversations earlier in the process. And we view this as a practical response to a competitive market.

If an organisation waits until final approval is received, the role is urgent, and the project timeline is already under pressure, the recruitment process becomes more difficult. By that stage, strong candidates may already be engaged elsewhere.

So, from our perspective, early engagement allows employers to:

• Test salary expectations against the market
• Understand candidate availability
• Refine position descriptions before going live
• Identify whether the brief is realistic
• Build interest with passive candidates
• Reduce delays once approval is confirmed.

This is particularly important for senior engineering, project management and technical specialist roles, where the right candidate may not be actively looking but may be open to the right conversation.

For employers working with an engineering recruitment agency in Melbourne, early market engagement can help clarify whether the role, salary range and timeline are aligned with current candidate expectations.

What engineering employers should consider before hiring in FY26/27

Engineering hiring in FY26/27 will reward employers who are prepared, informed and realistic. That means understanding the salary range for the role and also understanding how the opportunity compares to others in the market.

The questions that we’d encourage you to ask (if you’re an employer) include:

• Is the salary package aligned with current market expectations?
• Are we clear on the must-have technical skills?
• Are we open to transferable experience from adjacent sectors?
• How quickly can we move once the right candidate is identified?
• What makes this opportunity attractive beyond salary?
• Are we engaging the market early enough?

For highly specialised roles, recruitment is not simply an administrative step after a position is approved. It is part of workforce planning.

The earlier employers understand the market, the better positioned they are to secure the right people.

Speak with our engineering recruitment team

If your organisation is preparing to hire engineering or technical talent in FY26/27, Becks Wiggins Stokes can provide market insight, salary guidance and specialist recruitment support.

Our consultants understand the pressures shaping Victoria’s engineering market, from major infrastructure and renewables projects to specialist technical hiring needs.

To discuss your upcoming recruitment plans, speak with our engineering and technical recruitment team today.

You can get in touch with our engineering recruitment specialist, Paul Stride, at pauls@bwsrecruitment.com.au or by calling him on 0448 103 223