Swiss industrial weight
- MEM industry (machinery, electrical, metallurgy): 320,000 jobs
- Watchmaking: 60,000 jobs, exports CHF 25 billion/year
- MedTech: 70,000 jobs, 4-5% annual growth
- Pharma: 60,000 jobs, highest salaries (Roche, Novartis, Lonza)
- Geographic concentration: Jura Arc (watchmaking), Basel (pharma), Bern/Solothurn (machines)
Leading agencies
Akkodis Engineering — European leader in engineering outsourcing. Covers all sectors (auto, aero, MedTech, pharma). Long missions, seasoned profiles.
Manpower Engineering — national coverage, large volumes. Good entry door for 2-7 years experience profiles. Specialised in mechanics, electrotechnics, automation.
Kelly Engineering — permanent placement, focus on technical profiles (process, quality, R&D engineers).
ALTEN Switzerland — engineering and tech consulting, consultant profiles. Strong presence in aero and automotive.
Coopers Group — Romandy boutique, watchmaking and MedTech niches. Good relationship with manufactures.
Robert Walters Engineering — industrial executive placement (production directors, supply chain, systems engineers).
Sub-sectors and salaries
- Junior mechanical engineer: CHF 75-90K
- Senior mechanical engineer: CHF 100-135K
- Pharma process engineer: CHF 115-150K
- MedTech quality engineer: CHF 105-140K
- Industrial project manager: CHF 120-160K
- Watchmaking R&D engineer: CHF 95-130K
- Production manager: CHF 130-180K
- Safety / HSE engineer: CHF 110-145K
- GMP validation specialist: CHF 110-150K
Trilingual profiles (FR/DE/EN) are rare and expensive — count on a 10-15% premium.
Sought skills
Industrial employers value:
- Mastery of standards: ISO 9001, ISO 13485 (MedTech), GMP, IFRS
- Experience with CAD software: SolidWorks, CATIA, Inventor, AutoCAD
- Skills in automation: Siemens TIA Portal, Rockwell, Beckhoff
- Lean / Six Sigma methods
- Technical English + local language (German crucial in Basel)
Tips for collaborating well
- Be precise about your tech: a CV saying "Java" is not worth the same as one saying "Java 17 + Spring Boot + Kafka"
- List concrete projects completed, with quantified business impact
- Anticipate mobility: industry is often on urban outskirts, accessible by car
- Accept 3-6 month missions first: better permanent conversion rate after
- Prepare technical interviews: practical tests frequent, sometimes on industry software
Mistakes to avoid
- Refusing long temp missions: 60% convert to permanent in industry
- Underestimating watchmaking outside Geneva: Biel, La Chaux-de-Fonds offer excellent conditions
- Confusing Adecco general public and Adecco Industry (two distinct entities in practice)
- Neglecting sector CLAs (MEM CLA, watchmaking CLA): they impose salary minimums
The Swiss industrial market rewards sharp technical expertise. Generalists have less margin.
