Grangemouth is a town in central Scotland with a population of around 18,000. Its location on the Firth of Forth meant it was once a busy port, although petrochemicals has now replaced shipping as the area's biggest industry.
The Ineos-owned oil refinery is one of the largest in Europe and provides employment for 1,200 people at the site, as well as supporting many more jobs in the local supply chain. The second largest private sector employer in Grangemouth is Whyte & Mackay, which has more than 200 staff at its bottling plant. In fact, whisky production is one of the major industries in the local area, as Diageo has four sites within 15 miles and there are also a number of smaller distilleries.
This partly explains why manufacturing accounts for 14% of the jobs, compared with the Scottish average of 8.7%. As well as production staff and engineers, local recruitment agencies also focus on tradesmen, as 8.9% of workers are employed in construction, which is well above the UK figure of 4.8%. The public sector is also strong and accounts for 30.6% of employment.
Only 30% of the local workforce is educated to NVQ4 level or above, compared with the Scottish average of 37.2%. Salaries were also relatively low in Grangemouth in 2012, with the average weekly wage £18.50 below the norm for Scotland at £479.80, while the unemployment rate was slightly higher than the national figure at 8.5%.
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At Connect Appointments, we specialise in providing tailored recruitment solutions for businesses across the UK. Whether you need temporary cover or permanent hires, we source skilled and reliable candidates to meet your business needs. With expertise across a wide range of sectors, we take the hassle out of recruitment, connecting you with the right talent to keep your business running smoothly.
Unit 6 Earls Court, Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, FK3 8ZE
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Driver Hire Nationwide matches candidates with Specialist Logistics businesses, focusing on Driver and other Transport Operations roles. With teams in more than 100 locations in the UK, they have assisted over 4,000 applicants in permanent and temporary jobs. They began in 1983 and have since gathered awards and certifications like Franchisor of the Year during the 2019 bfa HSBC Franchise Awards, and ISO 9001.
Office No 20, Grangemouth Enterprise Centre, Falkirk Road, Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, FK3 8XS
+ 108 other offices
Grangemouth sits on the Forth, with the refinery, the port, and adjoining plants shaping demand for site operatives, technicians, and supervisors. Recruitment agencies work with local employers that need people cleared for high hazard environments and used to shift work and permit systems. Office support, payroll, and planning roles appear around the industrial base, with logistics, warehousing, and last mile delivery active around the docks and the M9 corridor.
Process manufacturing, chemicals, and engineering drive steady vacancies for control room operators, instrumentation techs, electrical maintenance, and mechanical fitters. Logistics and warehousing bring picker packer, forklift, and HGV Class 1 jobs, with weekend and night shifts common. Construction and civils feed in around shutdowns and small projects, so CSCS labour, plant ops, and site supervisors are regular asks. Public sector roles through NHS Forth Valley and Falkirk Council add admin, facilities, and care posts.
The refinery and petrochemical complex remain the anchor, with downstream plastics and specialty chemical firms on nearby estates. The Port of Grangemouth handles Scotland wide container traffic, so freight forwarders, shipping lines, and 3PLs keep transport planners and warehouse teams busy. Training and apprenticeships often link through Forth Valley College, and wider employment comes from NHS Forth Valley, local schools, and service providers across Falkirk district.
Entry warehouse roles tend to sit around £11 to £13 per hour, with nights and overtime pushing take home pay. HGV Class 1 trunking can reach £15 to £20 per hour on busy routes. Process operators and technicians often post £30,000 to £45,000 plus shift allowance. Site supervisors and engineers scale higher with tickets and COMAH experience. Recruitment fees for permanent hires commonly fall in the low to mid teens percentage of first year pay, agency costs on temps are built into the hourly charge rate that covers pay rates, holiday pay, National Insurance, and margin.
Many plants ask for a CCNSG Safety Passport, with confined space, first aid, and COSHH useful on shutdowns. CSCS applies on construction sites, CPCS or NPORS for plant, and RTITB or ITSSAR for forklift. HGV needs a valid Driver CPC and digital tachograph card. Care and education roles may need a PVG check. Drug and alcohol testing is common on high hazard sites, so candidates need to be ready for pre employment screening through recruitment consultants.
Forth Valley College runs process, engineering, and logistics pathways, with SVQ and HNC routes that line up with plant operations and maintenance. Modern Apprenticeships give a paid route into the workforce, and many staffing agencies can register jobseekers who are completing tickets like CCNSG, IOSH, NEBOSH, or ADR. Short courses in forklift, overhead crane, and marshal training are available through local providers in Falkirk and Grangemouth.
Spring and autumn shutdowns create spikes in contractor demand across mechanical, electrical, and inspection roles. Warehousing and parcel work lift in the run up to peak retail periods, with overtime common. Summer brings annual leave cover in back office and customer service. Employers that book early with recruitment agencies get stronger show rates and better retention across the project window.
Grangemouth links quickly to the M9, with journeys to Edinburgh or Stirling straightforward outside rush hour. Glasgow commutes run via the M876 and M80. Polmont and Falkirk Grahamston stations serve rail links for candidates who combine train and bus. The port and refinery sit close to Earlsgate and Beancross areas, so bike or short drive commutes are common for locals. Recruiters often plan shift start times around these commuter links to help attendance.
Temporary and contract work dominate around shutdowns, projects, and cover for peak volumes, with week to week scheduling and clear pay rates. Permanent hiring carries on for control room, maintenance, health and safety, transport planning, and supervisor posts. Recruitment agencies and employment firms can hire staff for fixed term work or help businesses find employees for long term growth, while candidates can register with an agency to keep a steady run of shifts.
Where are the jobs in Grangemouth right now?
Industrial estates near the port, the refinery complex, and logistics sites along the M9 tend to post the most roles.
What checks do employers expect for plant based work?
CCNSG, site induction, and pre employment screening are the usual asks, with drug and alcohol testing standard.
How do pay rates vary by shift pattern?
Nights and rotating shifts carry uplifts, overtime premiums can raise weekly earnings for reliable teams.
Do agencies recruit for office and finance roles too?
Yes, payroll, accounts, purchasing, and planning sit around the industrial base and need steady hiring.
Can I find part time or weekend work through agencies?
Warehousing and driving often carry weekend options, seasonal peaks bring extra hours.
How do employers keep retention strong on temporary jobs?
Clear rosters, safe conditions, fair pay, and good handover with recruitment consultants make a difference.
Grangemouth recruitment agencies understand the labour market across the refinery, the port, and the M9 logistics spine, and can advise on agency costs, recruitment fees, and the blend of temporary, permanent, and contract work that fits your site. Employers get fast response on compliant workers, and candidates gain a route into steady shifts with local businesses and national operators based here.