Energy jobs in Great Yarmouth

Great Yarmouth and the southern North Sea

Great Yarmouth has served the offshore energy industry since the 1960s, when the southern North Sea gas industry began. Supply boats, engineering firms and service companies grew up along the River Yare to support platforms in fields such as Leman and Hewett. Many of those skills now carry across into offshore wind, as wind farms are built and maintained in the same waters.

The town has a strong mix of maritime and engineering employers, and it pairs naturally with Lowestoft, a short drive to the south. Between them, the two towns are one of the main energy service bases on England's east coast, and many people work in one and live in the other. Norwich, about 20 miles inland, adds a wider pool of office-based engineering and professional roles within commuting distance.

Port, power and gas infrastructure

The harbour

Peel Ports Great Yarmouth runs both the river port and the deep-water Outer Harbour, which was completed in 2009. The Outer Harbour has been used for offshore wind construction, including the Galloper and East Anglia ONE projects, and river berths serve vessels supporting offshore gas and wind. Port roles include marine operations, cargo handling, crane operation and engineering maintenance.

Power generation

RWE runs Great Yarmouth power station, a combined cycle gas turbine plant on South Denes Road. RWE also owns the Scroby Sands offshore wind farm, whose turbines are visible from the seafront. Power station teams include operators, electrical and mechanical technicians, control and instrumentation engineers, and chemists.

Gas terminals and interconnectors

Up the coast in north Norfolk, the Bacton gas terminals operated by Shell, Perenco and National Grid process gas from the North Sea and link the UK to pipelines from the Netherlands and Belgium. Bacton is within driving distance of Great Yarmouth, so its terminals add to the gas-related work available to people living in the town.

Decommissioning

As older gas fields stop producing, platforms and pipelines have to be made safe and removed. Decommissioning brings planning, engineering, cutting, lifting and waste management work, and the southern North Sea's long history means this is likely to continue for many years.

Jobs you might apply for

Offshore and marine

• Offshore technicians for gas platforms and wind farms
• Crew transfer vessel masters, engineers and deckhands
• Rope access technicians and riggers
• Marine coordinators and logistics staff

Engineering and technical

• Mechanical, electrical and instrument technicians
• Control room operators at power and gas sites
• Inspection, integrity and NDT engineers
• Welders and fabricators for port-side workshops

Office-based and project roles

• Project engineers and planners
• HSE advisers and document controllers
• Commercial, procurement and contracts staff

If you have offshore oil and gas experience, look at wind roles too. Many employers value permit-to-work, lifting and offshore safety experience, and the extra wind-specific training is often short.

Courses and qualifications nearby

East Coast College was formed when Great Yarmouth College and Lowestoft College merged, and it now has campuses in both towns. Its Lowestoft campus offers specialist maritime and offshore training, including sea survival in a pool that simulates rough weather, and the college works closely with energy and maritime employers. It is also a partner college of the University of Suffolk, and the University of East Anglia in Norwich is within commuting distance for degree study.

Offshore employers generally expect industry certificates on top of qualifications: OPITO-approved survival training for oil and gas installations and GWO training for wind farms. Check that a course provider is approved by the relevant body before you pay, and ask whether your new employer will cover the cost.

Getting to work

Great Yarmouth station sits at the end of the Wherry Lines from Norwich, with Greater Anglia running roughly hourly trains, most of them via Acle. The A47 links the town with Norwich to the west and Lowestoft to the south, and the A143 heads inland. The Herring Bridge, opened in 2024, added a third road crossing of the Yare, making it easier to reach the port area at South Denes from Southtown and Gorleston.

Offshore staff usually travel out by vessel from the port or by helicopter, and rota patterns vary by employer, so read each advert carefully. For onshore jobs at South Denes or the port, cycling and local buses work well for people living in the town.

Searching Great Yarmouth jobs with us

Use our energy jobs listed now and search for Great Yarmouth, Gorleston or Caister-on-Sea, then filter by salary, employment type and working pattern. Sector pages help if you want to stay in one field, such as southern North Sea oil and gas roles or wind farm jobs on the east coast.

You can join as a candidate at no cost, upload your CV and apply to as many roles as you like. If you are new to the sector, our guide for energy jobseekers explains how to present your experience. Because the two towns share a workforce, check energy jobs in Lowestoft as well.