Microsoft was joined today by Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD and Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland to announce the creation of 200 engineering roles to strengthen its existing Dublin-based team of over 600 highly skilled engineers. The company also unveiled details and images of its new €27m Engineering Hub at its growing campus in Leopardstown, Dublin.

This investment is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.

Today’s announcement represents a further significant investment by the company in Ireland and strengthens Microsoft Ireland’s position at the forefront of innovation globally. Upon conclusion of the current phase of recruitment the company will employ more than 2,700 people in Ireland across its Leopardstown campus and within its Data Centre operations.

The 200 talented individuals that will be hired for the newly created Dublin based roles will be involved in the development, deployment and support of new Cloud services and emerging technology solutions for customers around the globe. Recruitment has already started with the company hiring people for positions in Software Engineering, Customer Engineering, Program Management, Product Design, User Experience and Data Science. The new roles will sit predominantly within two global teams: Modern Workplace Transformation and Microsoft Identity.

Speaking at today’s announcement, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD said: “This is great news from Microsoft today. Not only are they creating 200 new jobs, but they are also creating a new €27m Engineering Hub. This investment builds on decades of commitment by Microsoft in Ireland and further strengthens the country’s position as a centre for innovation in Europe.

“Our focus in the months ahead will be to rebuild Ireland’s economy in a manner that will be sustainable. We need to protect and create in-demand jobs fit for our digital age. A growing engineering talent pool is crucial in helping to imagine and create the solutions that Ireland will need to rebuild and recover. By positioning Ireland as a leader in engineering, we can help enhance Ireland’s competitiveness into the future,” Varadkar concluded.

The new Engineering Hub, named One Microsoft Court, is a 10,000m2 facility located a few steps from Microsoft’s flagship building, One Microsoft Place. The Engineering Hub was redesigned to support Microsoft’s Engineering Workspace Principles delivering an inspiring, accessible environment for engineers to innovate and learn from one another. The building aims to engage engineers by creating an environment that supports work and fun – inspiring creativity, supporting wellness and empowering people to be themselves. All of this is delivered with the support of a smart building system, which will help Microsoft achieve its sustainability goals.

At the heart of the new Engineering Hub is The Garage, a space and concept that is well known and established at Microsoft’s Seattle campus and at 10 other worldwide locations. In The Garage, employees have the freedom to innovate, fail, learn and experiment on projects they are passionate about. It is a physical space – with digital programmes introduced while managing through Covid-19 restrictions – where employees with ideas and a growth mindset can step out of their day jobs and challenge themselves and others to use technology to solve a wide range of societal or business challenges.

The Garage at Microsoft’s Dublin campus is the first in Europe and is a testament to the diversity and strength of talent of the local team that Ireland was chosen for this exciting investment. It joins a growing number of locations in the US, Canada, Israel, India and China. Its introduction will facilitate collaboration amongst all Microsoft employees, as well as with customers and partners. There will also be opportunities to engage with the broader academic, start-up and local community to develop and bring new, impactful ideas to life.

Cathriona Hallahan, Managing Director, Microsoft Ireland said: “We are delighted to announce the further expansion of our team here in Ireland and the enhancement of our Leopardstown campus. Our engineers are driving innovation within the company and our Dublin based team is at the centre of this – developing technology and solutions for customers here in Ireland and around the world. This year we have been forced to change how we live, work and do business with technology keeping us all connected and productive. The pace of digital transformation has accelerated. It is essential that we maintain the momentum and continue to leverage the benefits of digital as we reimagine Ireland and drive an inclusive recovery. Our engineers will be at the centre of that effort and we look forward to welcoming them into our newly redesigned space when restrictions allow.”

Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland said: “Today’s announcement by Microsoft demonstrates not only the company’s continued commitment to Ireland but also the attractiveness of Ireland’s value proposition despite the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The new engineering jobs announced by Microsoft will help shape the future of our economy and ensure that Ireland remains at the forefront of technological innovation globally.”

For those interested in a potential career as an engineer at Microsoft Ireland, visit: careers.microsoft.com.