Hiring a project engineer in Belgium: pay, scarcity and how to find one
Everything you want to know before you open a vacancy for a project engineer: what the market pays, how hard the profile is to find, what candidates weigh and how we search.
The facts at a glance
| Market-rate gross range | €3,300 – €5,000 gross per month per month, premiums and benefits excluded; from our role profiles and vacancy data |
|---|---|
| Employer cost per year | €60,291 to €91,350 indication for a full-time white-collar, including employer social security, holiday pay and year-end premium |
| Bottleneck profession | Yes. VDAB lists "Projectmanager engineering" on the 2026 list of bottleneck professions. |
| Joint committee | often in these committees; the committee follows your company's main activity |
| Statute | white-collar |
Source for scarcity: VDAB, Knelpuntberoepen 2026 (read on 2026-10-03).
Why is a project engineer hard to find?
A good project engineer combines technology, budget and people, and that combination only forms after a few years. Consultancies and engineering firms recruit the same profiles away with variety and a solid package.
Who hires a project engineer?
Engineering firms, machine builders, industrial sites with investment projects and EPC contractors in energy, chemicals and infrastructure.
What does a project engineer weigh before moving?
Mandate and budget to take decisions, projects with visible results, a company car and a view of the next step towards project management or engineering lead.
How we search for this profile
We search by the type and size of project you run, and approach engineers who work at firms and want to land on one site, or conversely want more variety.
How an assignment runs
- Vacancy intake. We discuss the technical context, the team, responsibilities, salary, must-haves and desired timing.
- Market approach. Active search, network outreach and selection of professionals relevant to your role.
- In-depth screening. We assess experience, technical knowledge, motivation, availability and salary expectations.
- Selective shortlist. We only introduce candidates who have been interviewed and have given their consent.
- Guidance and follow-up. We support interviews, feedback and the offer, and follow up after the start.
What we are looking for right now
A selection of the assignments open today, so you can see in which sectors and regions we are active for this role.
- Machinery Design Engineer (SolidWorks) · Kortrijk, West Flanders
- Process Engineer Chemicals · Brussels
- Project Engineer Renewable Energy · Liège
- Project Engineer Environmental Techniques · Mechelen, Antwerp
Need a project engineer?
During the intake we discuss the role, the package and the feasibility, and tell you honestly what we can and cannot find. You generally only pay when you hire someone.
Frequently asked questions
What does a project engineer cost as an employer?
On top of the gross salary you pay employer social security, holiday pay and usually a year-end premium. For the market-rate range that comes to roughly €60,291 to €91,350 per year as an indication. The employer cost calculator works it out for your own amount and statute.
Is project engineer a bottleneck profession?
The answer is in the facts above, with the cause VDAB gives. The list is renewed every year; we re-read it at every new edition.
Which joint committee covers a project engineer?
The joint committee follows your company's main activity, not the role. This profile usually sits in PC 200, PC 209, PC 207. Our sector pages give the pay scale, the indexation and the premiums per committee.
What do I pay AltusConnect?
In most assignments you only pay when you hire someone, as a percentage of the gross annual salary or as a fixed amount. If the hire ends within the guarantee period, we find a replacement free of charge. We do not ask for exclusivity. The details are on the page about how we work and charge.