More and more professionals are seeing Galway as a destination to further their career, writes Matthew Cotton of Hays Ireland.
Galway is well on its way to becoming a thriving tech scene, with recent estimates of more than 120 technology businesses operating in the area.
There has been some significant investment and funding into the city over the last few years, with several high-profile companies choosing Galway to expand their operations. Rent the Runway is creating 150 new jobs of primarily engineers and tech developers; FotoNation, which is a subsidiary of the Xperi Corporation, plans to develop an innovation centre in Galway; and, most recently, EY is set to create 600 new jobs across Ireland, including Galway, in areas such as data analytics, digital strategy and programme management.
With great links to graduate talent from the likes of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, a reasonable cost of living and good transport links, it’s easy to see why technology, medtech and even financial services organisations are putting down roots in the city.
As a result, there is a real demand for technology talent and, positively, more and more professionals are seeing Galway as a destination to further their career, competing with the likes of Dublin and Limerick.
Top jobs in demand
Employers are looking for top technology professionals across the board, however, roles such as cloud engineers, developers, analysts and software architects are the most highly sought-after for both permanent and contract roles. As a result, pay rates and salaries are particularly competitive.
The contractor market in Galway isn’t as competitive in comparison to Dublin, however, more employers in the area are seeking to use contractors for roles that are particularly skills-short.
Looking at these roles, here is a breakdown of pay for both permanent and contract roles, with data taken from the Hays Ireland Salary and Recruiting Trends 2019 guide.
| Role | Average salary range (2019) | Average day rate (2019) |
| Engineer (cloud infrastructure) | €60,000 to €80,000 | €450 to €650 |
| Developer (Java) | €50,000 to €70,000 | €350 to €550 |
| BI analyst | €60,000 to €65,000 | €400 to €500 |
| Software architect (Java) | €80,000 to €100,000 | €450 to €600 |
Start-ups in Galway are providing career opportunities
The tech start-up scene across Ireland is going from strength to strength and, as a result, professionals have a great choice in whether to join a thriving start-up or a larger operation.
In Galway, there’s plenty of examples of technology and medtech start-ups, including Neurent Medical, Bluedrop Medical and Loci Orthopaedics. These and other start-ups are receiving significant funding, which bodes well for future career opportunities.
Co-working spaces across Galway have also helped support the number of successful start-ups in the region, providing the collaborative spaces needed to support growth. PorterShed, The Cube at Galway Technology Centre and WestWorks are just a few of the co-working spaces on offer to local businesses and freelancers.
Matthew Cotton is an IT business director at Hays Ireland.
