Ireland’s tech scene continues to punch above its weight. From global multinationals expanding their operations to home-grown innovators in AI, cybersecurity, and medtech, the Irish market is full of opportunities. But beyond the usual suspects—like software developers and project managers—a new wave of specialist roles is taking centre stage.
If you’re exploring the next step in your tech career, now is a great time to get familiar with some of the most in-demand and future-facing positions in the market. Below, we break down the key roles that are emerging across the country—and why they matter.
Cybersecurity Engineer
Cybersecurity is no longer just an IT concern—it’s a business-critical function. With ransomware attacks and data breaches on the rise, Irish companies are investing heavily in securing their systems.
Cybersecurity engineers are responsible for identifying risks, implementing protective measures, and responding to incidents in real time. This role has evolved to include cloud security, application-level protection, and endpoint monitoring. Many employers are also looking for engineers who can work closely with compliance teams to support GDPR and other regulatory requirements.
In Ireland, demand has surged across sectors including finance, healthcare, and government. Companies based in Dublin, Cork, and Limerick are offering strong packages to attract top security talent.
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)
The role of the Site Reliability Engineer blends development and operations in a way that supports scalability, speed, and stability. An SRE is typically charged with making sure applications stay up and running smoothly—often by automating manual processes, improving observability, and ensuring a fast incident response.
What makes this role stand out is its strategic importance in cloud-native environments. As more companies embrace microservices and distributed systems, the need for engineers who can manage infrastructure through code has skyrocketed.
Employers in Ireland are especially keen to find SREs with strong experience in Kubernetes, Terraform, and CI/CD pipelines.
Privacy Engineer
This is a relatively new but increasingly important role. With GDPR fully embedded in Irish law, and further EU-wide regulations on the horizon, companies need professionals who can integrate privacy into the development lifecycle from the start.
Privacy engineers work closely with legal, compliance, and data teams to ensure systems are built with data protection in mind. This includes designing access controls, implementing anonymisation techniques, and supporting consent management frameworks.
In practice, this means having a working knowledge of both backend engineering and data governance. Privacy engineers are in high demand at SaaS firms, fintech companies, and medtech platforms that handle sensitive user data.
AI and Machine Learning Engineer
AI is no longer a niche capability—it’s a foundational tool being embedded into products across the board. From customer service chatbots to advanced analytics engines, Irish employers are looking for engineers who can design and train models, deploy them at scale, and manage their performance over time.
AI engineers in Ireland typically work with Python, TensorFlow, PyTorch, and cloud-based ML tools. Employers value those with experience in natural language processing, computer vision, or recommendation engines.
This role also requires an understanding of responsible AI—ensuring models are explainable, ethical, and free from bias. With Ireland positioning itself as a European AI leader, demand for these engineers will only grow.
Cloud Architect and Cloud Engineer
As companies transition away from on-premise infrastructure, cloud specialists are taking on more responsibility. Cloud architects design high-level structures for platforms, including network layout, service integrations, and security protocols. Cloud engineers are hands-on implementers, building and maintaining those systems day to day.
AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud are all commonly used in Ireland. Professionals who can design hybrid or multi-cloud systems are especially valued, particularly in sectors with high compliance requirements like banking and healthcare.
Candidates with certifications and a solid track record in DevOps or infrastructure as code (IaC) often progress quickly in these roles.
Green-Tech Developer
Sustainability isn’t just a corporate goal—it’s become a tech priority. Irish companies involved in smart energy, agriculture tech, and ESG analytics are increasingly looking for developers who can work on sustainability-focused platforms.
This might include building systems that monitor energy use in real time, developing tools for carbon tracking, or contributing to AI models that optimise logistics and reduce waste.
Green-tech developers are usually full-stack engineers with a keen interest in data and environmental impact. Many roles sit at the intersection of product development and environmental science.
Defence and Maritime Tech Engineer
Ireland’s strategic location and growing expertise in marine technology are fuelling demand for engineers in dual-use sectors. These roles often involve working with sensors, robotics, and AI systems that are used in both commercial and security settings.
From underwater surveying to drone technology, this space is expanding quickly. Engineers in this area might work on autonomous systems for infrastructure inspection or contribute to naval data platforms.
This is a niche but rapidly growing corner of the Irish tech jobs market—especially around clusters in Cork and Galway.
Data Engineer
While data science often gets the headlines, none of it works without the data engineer. These professionals build the infrastructure that collects, cleans, and processes vast volumes of data. They ensure that the data is reliable, accessible, and structured in a way that analysts and AI tools can use effectively.
In Ireland, data engineers are needed across sectors: finance, medtech, retail, and SaaS. Employers often look for experience with tools like Spark, Kafka, Airflow, and cloud-based data warehouses such as BigQuery or Redshift.
As more businesses become data-driven, this role is becoming mission-critical, and the career progression opportunities are strong.
Network and Infrastructure Security Engineer
With hybrid work now standard in many Irish companies, securing networks and infrastructure is more complex than ever. That’s why organisations are hiring engineers who can design, monitor, and manage secure environments across both on-premise and cloud-based systems.
These engineers work on firewalls, VPNs, endpoint protection, and threat detection tools. They’re also involved in planning for business continuity and disaster recovery.
What sets these roles apart is the breadth of responsibility—from user access control to compliance audits and vulnerability management.
Why This Matters
For candidates, these emerging tech roles in Ireland offer opportunities to specialise in areas that are growing fast and that often command higher salaries. For employers, understanding where the market is headed helps shape better hiring strategies and workforce planning.
At Software Placements, we’re closely connected to both sides of this conversation. We help tech professionals navigate the market, find roles that match their goals, and secure positions that align with their long-term development.
Whether you’re interested in moving into AI, privacy engineering, or green-tech, get in touch today and our team can guide you through the options available in the Irish market.