Public sector jobs in Aberdeen

NHS Grampian is the largest public employer in Aberdeen, running Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and the hospitals and community services for the whole north east of Scotland. Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council, which has its headquarters in the city even though it covers the surrounding county, are the other big employers, along with schools and the national Scottish services. Pay is on Scottish scales, and public sector salaries have historically had to compete with the energy industry for staff.

NHS Grampian

The health board’s main site is the Foresterhill campus, which includes Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital and the Aberdeen Maternity Hospital. NHS Grampian also runs Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin, Royal Cornhill Hospital for mental health, and community hospitals and health centres across Aberdeenshire and Moray. Many posts are based in the city, but some involve travel to rural sites.

NHS Scotland’s pay deal gives 3.75 per cent from 1 April 2026. Scottish bands have fewer points than England’s: band 3 runs from £29,061 to £31,364, band 5 from £34,494 to £42,977 and band 7 from £52,769 to £61,377. Jobs are advertised on the NHS Scotland jobs site. The Scottish Ambulance Service and NHS 24 recruit in the area too.

Two councils in one city

Aberdeen City Council covers the city itself: education, social work, housing, roads, waste and leisure. Aberdeenshire Council covers the large rural area around it, from Stonehaven to Peterhead and Banff, but its headquarters is in Aberdeen. Many Aberdeenshire posts are based in towns across the county, so check the location before applying. Both advertise on myjobscotland, and pay is set under Scottish local government arrangements rather than the English NJC spine.

Teachers in both councils are on the SNCT scale: from 1 August 2026, a probationer earns £36,159 and a main grade teacher £43,383 to £54,453. Rural Aberdeenshire schools advertise regularly, and a post there can be a way into a permanent contract if you are willing to travel.

Tax on Aberdeen salaries

Because Scottish income tax has more bands than the rest of the UK, the effect depends on your salary. These are the 2026/27 rates on non-savings income for someone with the standard personal allowance:

Gross income	Scottish rate
£12,571 to £16,537	19% (starter)
£16,538 to £29,526	20% (basic)
£29,527 to £43,662	21% (intermediate)
£43,663 to £75,000	42% (higher)
£75,001 to £125,140	45% (advanced)
Over £125,140	48% (top)

National Insurance follows UK rules. At the middle of the band 5 or main grade teacher range you pay a little more tax than someone on the same salary in England; above £43,662 the gap widens, because 42 per cent starts well below England’s £50,270 higher rate threshold. If you are moving to Aberdeen from elsewhere in the UK, moving to or from Scotland explains when HMRC treats you as a Scottish taxpayer, and Scottish S tax codes and rates covers the codes.

Police, fire and other national services

Police Scotland’s North East division covers Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service pays UK-wide NJC rates: £31,539 for a firefighter in development and £40,358 when competent, from 1 July 2026. Rural stations in Aberdeenshire are mainly crewed by on-call firefighters. Other public bodies with offices in the city include HM Coastguard, given Aberdeen’s place in North Sea operations; HM Coastguard jobs explains the roles.

Checks and getting started

Posts working with children or protected adults need PVG scheme membership through Disclosure Scotland, which costs £59 to join. If you studied in Scotland, your student loan is likely to be Plan 4, repaid at 9 per cent on income above £33,795. Public sector jobs in Scotland covers pensions and other parts of the Scottish system. Dundee is about an hour and a quarter south by train and has its own health board and national offices (public sector jobs in Dundee).