The Numbers Behind the Shortage
Engineering roles across all industries, including chemicals, are expected to increase to nearly 6.26 million jobs by 2030 in the UK. The forecast indicates an additional 173,000 engineering jobs needed year on year through 2030. Yet the pipeline of qualified candidates is severely constrained.
The UK has faced a persistent engineering skills deficit for more than a decade. Industry and workforce analyses consistently indicate an annual shortfall of tens of thousands of engineers, spanning graduate entry roles through to experienced technical professionals.
Despite policy interventions and skills initiatives, this gap has not closed and in many disciplines has widened due to retirements, increased demand, and tighter immigration routes.
The Hybrid Skills Imperative
The chemical industry now demands hybrid professionals who combine deep technical expertise with digital, AI, and automation capability. Job requirements across R&D, manufacturing, and supply chains have shifted rapidly.
Skills shortages are most acute in materials and chemical engineering, particularly in R&D, metallurgical processes, materials analysis, and process engineering. Many of these capabilities are not consistently covered at undergraduate level and are increasingly learned on the job, intensifying competition for experienced talent.
“Hydrometallurgy is not regularly covered at the undergraduate level. There is a shortage of skilled process engineers as they are in demand across many sectors, and regulatory compliance is increasingly complex and only really learnt on the job.”
The Demographic Shift
The chemical workforce is aging. As experienced professionals retire, organisations struggle to replace both their technical expertise and institutional knowledge. This demographic challenge is compounded by inconsistent STEM graduate pipelines, creating a perfect storm of talent scarcity, particularly in mid level and senior technical roles.
Emerging Role Demands: Where Competition Is Fiercest
Understanding where talent competition is most intense helps organisations prioritise recruitment strategies and resource allocation.
Sustainability and Green Chemistry Specialists
Net zero targets and circular economy principles are driving unprecedented demand for professionals with expertise in green chemistry and environmental compliance. Companies investing in decarbonisation, sustainable sourcing, and circular economy models are competing aggressively for relatively limited pools of qualified candidates.
The UK government’s commitment to reducing the industry’s climate impact and enhancing competitiveness has made sustainability roles critical. Yet many organisations report that assumptions about difficult training, modest pay, and limited career prospects deter potential candidates from pursuing technical roles in science and engineering.
Process and Manufacturing Engineers
Process engineers remain some of the hardest roles to fill across chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing, prompting temporary visa threshold exemptions for critical engineering occupations.
Today’s process engineers must combine technical expertise with problem solving, digital capability, and system optimisation. Demand for these hybrid profiles is intense, while sustainability roles continue to suffer from weak candidate pipelines driven by perceptions around training difficulty, pay, and career progression.
Digital and Automation Experts
AI, automation, and data analytics are reshaping chemical operations. Industry 4.0 technologies, including IoT, machine learning, and advanced process optimisation, are now embedded across manufacturing and R&D.
Demand is rising sharply for professionals who can combine chemical engineering expertise with data, AI, and automation capabilities. These hybrid skill profiles are scarce and heavily competed for across multiple industries.
At the same time, sustainability and green chemistry roles have become critical as climate and competitiveness pressures grow. However, perceptions around complex training, limited pay progression, and unclear career paths continue to deter many candidates from technical science and engineering careers.
Technical Sales Professionals
Growth in specialty chemicals depends on technical sales professionals who can translate complex products into commercial value, yet candidates with both technical credibility and sales capability remain scarce.
At the same time, demand is rising for process engineers and hybrid professionals who can combine engineering expertise with digital, AI, and automation skills. Sustainability roles are now critical to competitiveness, but weak candidate pipelines persist due to perceptions around training complexity, pay, and long-term career prospects.
Salary Benchmarks 2026: What Top Talent Commands
Competitive compensation is fundamental to attracting and retaining essential talent. Understanding current market rates helps organisations position themselves effectively.
Chemical Engineers
According to multiple salary surveys, chemical engineers in the UK earn an average of £68,340 annually, with significant variation based on experience and location.
Entry level, one to three years experience: £35,000
Mid career: £60,000
Senior level, eight plus years experience: £84,889
In London, these figures increase substantially, with average pay reaching £85,789 annually for chemical engineers, reflecting the capital’s higher cost of living and intense competition for talent.
Specialised Technical Roles
More specialised positions command premium salaries.
Chemical Engineers:
- £75,000 UK average
- £94,000 in London
- Process Engineers: £52,000 to £66,000 depending on location and experience
- Biochemical Engineers: £67,000 UK average
- £84,000 in London
Manufacturing and Production Roles
For broader manufacturing roles within chemical production.
- Manufacturing chemical positions average £39,250 annually
- Entry level positions start at £30,000
- Most experienced workers earn up to £55,000
- Mid career manufacturing professionals typically earn £37,000 to £50,000
Manufacturing and Production Roles
For broader manufacturing roles within chemical production.
Manufacturing chemical positions average £39,250 annually.
- Entry level positions start at £30,000
- Most experienced workers earn up to £55,000
- Mid career manufacturing professionals typically earn £37,000 to £50,000
The Compensation Arms Race
Nearly half of UK workers expressed dissatisfaction with current salaries in late 2024, primarily because pay increases failed to keep pace with the elevated cost of living. This creates upward pressure on salaries as companies compete for scarce talent. For organisations, this means that simply matching market rates may not be sufficient. Companies must differentiate through total compensation packages, including benefits, development opportunities, and compelling employer value propositions.
Looking Ahead: Preparing for 2027
and Beyond
While 2026 presents significant challenges, organisations that act strategically position themselves for long term success.
Key Priorities for Chemical Sector Leaders
Invest in employer branding. In competitive talent markets, organisations must actively communicate what makes them attractive employers. This includes showcasing meaningful work, sustainability commitments, innovation culture, and development opportunities.
- Build talent pipelines proactively. Waiting until positions open to begin recruiting is too late. Successful organisations maintain ongoing relationships with potential candidates, engage with universities, and create talent communities.
- Embrace flexible work models. While many chemical roles require on site presence, offering flexibility where possible and rethinking traditional work structures can expand talent pools and improve retention.
- Prioritise retention. Given recruitment difficulties, retaining existing talent is as important as attracting new hires. This requires ongoing investment in employee experience, development, and engagement.
- Develop succession capabilities. With an aging workforce, systematic succession planning and knowledge transfer are critical. Organisations cannot afford to lose institutional knowledge as experienced professionals retire.
Turning Challenge into Opportunity
The recruitment challenges facing the chemical sector in 2026 are significant and unlikely to resolve quickly. Skills shortages, demographic shifts, and evolving technical requirements create a talent landscape that demands strategic thinking and sustained investment. However, these challenges also represent opportunities for organisations willing to think differently about talent.
Companies that invest in comprehensive workforce planning, build compelling employer value propositions beyond compensation, partner with specialist recruiters who understand sector complexities, develop internal talent systematically, and embrace technology while maintaining the human element in recruitment will not just survive the talent challenges of 2026. They will emerge stronger, more innovative, and better positioned for long term success.
The question for chemical sector leaders is not whether the talent market is challenging. It demonstrably is. The question is how your organisation will respond to these challenges strategically, turning constraints into competitive advantages through superior talent strategies.
Sources
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McKinsey & Company, “Chemicals Industry Trends in 2026”
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Deloitte Insights, “2026 Chemical Industry”
Written by the Witan Search team. We are specialists in technical and commercial recruitment for the chemicals, lubricants, personal care, and advanced manufacturing industries across Europe.
