Engineering jobs
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The 10 hottest jobs in engineering right now

9 Mar 2017

Have you ever wanted to be an engineer? Have you decided what branch of engineering you want to pursue? This guide from Hays could help.

Many of us were told in careers guidance sessions at school that engineering was a safe bet – an area in which there will always be secure, well-paid jobs. But were as many of us told about the sheer wealth of engineering jobs available?

Engineering has permeated many of today’s growth industries, from tech to pharma to construction. Here, Hays gives us an insight into those industries’ hottest engineering jobs.

Building services engineer

Mechanical and electrical (M&E) services are key components of all buildings. The recent surge in construction activity has increased the need for graduates in this area.

Building services engineers fill a number of roles among M&E contractors and design firms. Building contractors are also actively hiring M&E coordinators.

Structural engineer

The increased number of new builds across the country – and the fact that engineering consultancies have been increasing staff numbers – has led to a demand for degree-qualified structural engineering staff.

Site engineer

Many engineers with four to five years’ experience have been fast-tracked into senior management roles. This has led to a demand for staff with setting-out expertise. Graduates with little experience are finding themselves being thrust into site engineering roles, with a large amount of responsibility at quite a junior level.

Java developer

Java is easy to use, write, compile, debug and learn compared to other programming languages, making it extremely attractive for companies. Its popularity drives demand for developers as a result.

.Net developer

The best way to create an interactive website is by using .Net. The resulting interaction drives sales, increasing the demand for .Net developers.

UI/UX designer

Today, it is not acceptable to merely have a website – companies must have one that stands out from the competition, most importantly in terms of user experience. As businesses realise the importance of this, their UI/UX designer requirements grow.

Web developer

The potential global reach afforded by a website, and the corresponding importance of this for companies, has boosted the demand for web developers.

Mobile applications developer

As the importance of mobile applications grows, so does the demand for developers with experience creating apps.

Process engineer

Process engineers, both contract and permanent, are in high demand across the pharma sector. Candidates with chemical, API or biologic experience will find themselves particularly sought after.

Companies are interested in speaking to people with all levels of experience, especially junior candidates, with two to three years’ experience or more.

As is common across the pharma industry, contractors are required, but there is also a high demand for permanent process engineers, as companies are continually seeking ways to improve how they develop, manufacture and distribute products.

CQV/validation engineer

Candidates with strong experience across commission, qualification and validation within GMP-related pharma environments are continually required, especially those with equipment and cleaning validation exposure.

There is a higher demand for contract staff to be involved in both large- and small-scale projects. This demand means that candidates are rarely left without a role for long.

If Ireland does not offer the required role, candidates with this experience are also in high demand across mainland Europe in some of the other key pharma hubs, ie, Holland, Switzerland, Germany and the Nordic regions.

Content from Ferdia White, manager, Hays Construction and Property; Matt Cotton, business director, Hays Life Sciences; and Andrew Greene, recruitment consultant, Hays IT. 

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