LinkedIn Top Companies 2024: The 25 best workplaces to grow your career in Ireland
Our third annual LinkedIn Top Companies list highlights the 25 best workplaces at which to grow your career in Ireland right now. Fuelled by unique LinkedIn data, the methodology looks at different aspects of career progression, such as how employees are getting promoted, adding new skills and more. You can read more about how we compile the list at the bottom of the article.
This year’s honourees are proving that investment in the employee experience is vital in today’s employment landscape – whether it's launching upskilling initiatives to accelerate employees' AI proficiency or offering flexible working arrangements. These are the companies leading the way in not only attracting workers, but retaining them in our ever-changing world of work.
At each company, you'll find actionable insights on the roles, skills and functions in demand. See a company that sparks your interest? Take a look at their current job openings and connect with employees you may know, or use the new I’m interested button to signal your interest to recruiters.
Looking to level up? Dig into these LinkedIn Learning courses (which are free for all members until 15 May) on career topics including leveraging your transferable skills and digital networking strategies.
Here are this year's 25 #TopCompanies in Ireland
1. BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.
Top locations in Ireland: Cork, Dublin | Most notable skills: Genetic engineering, evolutionary biology, pharmaceutical manufacturing | Most common job titles: Biological science technician | Largest job functions: Operations, quality assurance, research | About: BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. is a global biotechnology company that specialises in therapies for rare genetic diseases. It focuses on the research, development and commercialisation of innovative treatments for a variety of medical needs.
2. AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is the parent company of Alexion Pharmaceuticals and others.
Top locations in Ireland: Dublin, Galway | Most notable skills: Evolutionary biology, organic chemistry, pharmaceutical manufacturing | Most common job titles: manufacturing associate, quality assurance specialist, quality assurance manager | Largest job functions: Quality assurance, operations, research | About | AstraZeneca is a multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company with a strong focus on research, as well as the development and manufacturing of pharmaceutical products.
3. ServiceNow
Top locations in Ireland: Dublin | Most notable skills: Sales leads, computer networking, enterprise software | Most common job titles: Technical support engineer, software engineer, site reliability engineer | Largest job functions: Information technology, engineering, sales | About: ServiceNow is a cloud-computing company that provides software solutions for IT, human resources, customer service and security operations. Its platform helps organisations to streamline workflows, automate processes and enhance productivity across departments.
4. Bristol Myers Squibb
Bristol Myers Squibb is the parent company of Celgene Corporation and others.
Top locations in Ireland: Dublin | Most notable skills: Organic chemistry, physiology, genetic engineering | Most common job titles: Quality assurance specialist, quality assurance manager, manufacturing specialist | Largest job functions: Operations, quality assurance, research | About: Bristol Myers Squibb is a multinational pharmaceutical company that produces prescription pharmaceuticals and biologics for conditions including cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
5. Bank of America
Bank of America is the parent company of Merrill Lynch, Countrywide Financial Corporation and others.
Top locations in Ireland: Dublin | Most notable skills: Investment banking, capital markets, commercial banking | Most common job titles: Business operations analyst, software engineer | Largest job functions: Operations, finance, engineering | About: Bank of America is a multinational banking and financial corporation that offers a range of services to individuals, businesses and institutional clients. Its services include consumer, commercial and investment banking, as well as wealth and asset management.
6. Intel Corporation
Top locations in Ireland: Dublin, Limerick, Cork | Most notable skills: Nanotechnology, electronics, materials science | Most common job titles: Process engineer, manufacturing technician, mechanical technician | Largest job functions: Operations, engineering, programme and project management | About: Intel Corporation is a multinational technology company that designs and manufactures semiconductor chips and related products. It specialises in microprocessors for computers and other electronic devices, as well as providing hardware, software and services for data centres and computing infrastructure.
7. Pfizer
Pfizer is the parent company of Artios Pharma, Autifony Therapeutics, Grey Wolf Therapeutics and others.
Top locations in Ireland: Dublin, Cork, Kildare | Most notable skills: Organic chemistry, genetic engineering, nanotechnology | Most common job titles: Quality assurance specialist, chemist, process engineer | Largest job functions: Operations, quality assurance, research | About: Pfizer is a global pharmaceutical company that focuses on the research, development, manufacturing and marketing of a wide range of medications and vaccines. Its specialist areas include oncology, cardiology, immunology and rare diseases.
8. Boston Scientific
Boston Scientific is the parent company of Farapulse, Relievant Medsystems and more.
Top locations in Ireland: Galway, Cork, Tipperary | Most notable skills: Biomedical engineering, product testing, fluid mechanics | Most common job titles: Manufacturing engineer, quality inspector, process engineer | Largest job functions: Engineering, operations, quality assurance | About: Boston Scientific is a medical technology company that specialises in the development and manufacturing of devices used in areas including cardiology, endoscopy and urology. Its products include stents, pacemakers, defibrillators and catheters.
9. EY
Top locations in Ireland: Dublin, Cork, Limerick | Most notable skills: Auditing, financial accounting, tax law | Most common job titles: Audit supervisor, audit associate, business consultant | Largest job functions: Accounting, consulting, information technology | About: EY is a professional services firm offering assurance, tax, consulting and advisory services to organisations across various industries. It helps clients to navigate complex business challenges, optimise performance, manage risk and achieve objectives.
10. Gilead Sciences
Gilead Sciences is the parent company of Kite Pharma.
Top locations in Ireland: Cork, Dublin | Most notable skills: Biomedical engineering, pharmaceutical manufacturing, organic chemistry | Most common job titles: Quality assurance specialist | Largest job functions: Operations, quality assurance, engineering | About: Gilead Sciences is a US biopharmaceutical company that focuses on researching and developing pharmaceuticals, including antiviral drugs used in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, influenza and Covid-19.
11. Merck Group
Merck Group is the parent company of Sigma-Aldrich, Millpore Sigma and others.
Top locations in Ireland: Cork, Dublin | Most notable skills: Genetic engineering, pharmaceutical manufacturing, biomedical engineering | Most common job titles: Manufacturing engineer, process engineer | Largest job functions: Operations, quality assurance, engineering | About: Merck Group is a science and technology company operating in the healthcare, life sciences and performance materials sectors. It focuses on developing and providing innovative products and solutions for healthcare, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and specialty chemicals.
12. Regeneron
Top locations in Ireland: Limerick, Dublin | Most notable skills: Evolutionary biology, genetic engineering, physiology | Most common job titles: Quality assurance specialist, compliance manager, manufacturing team lead | Largest job functions: Operations, quality assurance, media and communication | About: Regeneron is a biotechnology company that focuses on the discovery and development of medicines for serious diseases. It specialises in the research and production of monoclonal antibodies, which are used to treat a range of conditions including cancer, eye diseases, allergic and inflammatory diseases, infectious diseases and rare genetic disorders.
13. Eli Lilly and Company
Eli Lilly and Company is the parent company of POINT Biopharma Global, Akuous Inc. and others.
Top locations in Ireland: Cork, Limerick, Dublin | Most notable skills: Oncology, pathology, genetic engineering | Most common job titles: Clinical trial manager, clinical research manager, communications associate | Largest job functions: Operations, research, engineering | About: Eli Lilly and Company is a US pharmaceutical firm that specialises in the research, development and manufacturing of medicines for a range of conditions including diabetes and cancer.
14. Mastercard
Mastercard is the parent company of Transfast and others.
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Top locations in Ireland: Dublin | Most notable skills: Mobile application development, software testing, web development | Most common job titles: Software engineer, product manager, information technology project manager | Largest job functions: Engineering, information technology, product management | About: Mastercard is a multinational financial services corporation that provides payment-processing solutions, including credit, debit and prepaid cards, to banks, merchants and consumers. It facilitates electronic funds transfers and transactions.
15. Medtronic
Medtronic is the parent company of Affera, Intersect ENT and others.
Top locations in Ireland: Galway, Dublin | Most notable skills: Biomedical engineering, inorganic chemistry, materials science | Most common job titles: Manufacturing engineer, manufacturing manager, programme manager | Largest job functions: Operations, engineering, quality assurance | About: Medtronic is a global medical technology company that specialises in the development, manufacturing and distribution of medical devices and therapies for people with chronic diseases across cardiac and vascular health, diabetes, neurological disorders, spinal conditions and surgical procedures.
16. Aon
Aon is the parent company of K&K Insurance.
Top locations in Ireland: Dublin, Cork | Most notable skills: Insurance, investment banking, management consulting | Most common job titles: Investment administrator, data analyst, financial services consultant | Largest job functions: Finance, information technology, business development | About: Aon is a global professional services firm that provides a range of risk, retirement and health solutions. It offers insurance brokerage, risk management, consulting and human capital services to businesses, governments and individuals worldwide.
17. JP Morgan Chase & Co.
Top locations in Ireland: Dublin | Most notable skills: Capital markets, investment banking, economics | Most common job titles: Software engineer | Largest job functions: Finance, engineering, business development | About: JPMorgan Chase & Co., a global financial services firm, offers a broad spectrum of services including investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management.
18. PepsiCo
PepsiCo is the parent company of Frito-Lay.
Top locations in Ireland: Cork, Dublin | Most notable skills: Food manufacturing, chemical processing, organic chemistry | Most common job titles: Production operator, quality control technician, supply chain specialist | Largest job functions: Operations, research, information technology | About: PepsiCo has an extensive portfolio of convenience food and drinks labels including Pepsi, Lipton, Ocean Spray, Lay’s, Doritos, Quaker and Starbucks-branded products. A US multinational company, it caters to consumers in more than 200 countries and territories.
19. ICON plc
Top locations in Ireland: Dublin, Limerick | Most notable skills: Oncology, pathology, evolutionary biology | Most common job titles: Project manager, contract manager, clinical research associate | Largest job functions: Research, program and project management, finance | About: ICON plc is a global contract research organisation that provides a range of services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries. It specialises in clinical research, with services including clinical trial and data management, biostatistics, pharmacovigilance, regulatory affairs and consulting.
20. Alphabet Inc.
Top locations in Ireland: Dublin | Most notable skills: Affiliate marketing, advertising, digital marketing | Most common job titles: Account manager, digital marketing consultant, software engineer | Largest job functions: Sales, marketing, engineering | About: Alphabet is a multinational conglomerate that specialises in internet-related services and products, with its primary business being Google. It also operates other subsidiaries such as Waymo, a self-driving car company, and Verily, a life sciences research organisation.
21. UnitedHealth Group
UnitedHealth Group is the parent company of Optum, Change Healthcare and others.
Top locations in Ireland: Dublin, Donegal | Most notable skills: Artificial intelligence, software development life cycle, healthcare management | Most common job titles: Software engineer, data analyst, data scientist | Largest job functions: Engineering, information technology, business development | About: UnitedHealth Group is a healthcare company that provides a range of products and services aimed at improving healthcare systems' efficiency and quality. Its operations span health insurance, delivery of care, pharmacy benefits management and technology solutions.
22. Deloitte
Top locations in Ireland: Dublin, Cork, Limerick | Most notable skills: Tax law, tax accounting, auditing | Most common job titles: Audit associate, audit supervisor, software engineer | Largest job functions: Accounting, finance, information technology | About: Deloitte is a multinational professional services network, with an offering including audit and tax services, consulting and financial advice. Deloitte helps organisations address complex business challenges, improve performance, manage risks, navigate regulatory changes and capitalise on opportunities for growth and innovation.
23. Apple
Apple is the parent company of Beats Electronics, Beddit, Authentec and others.
Top locations in Ireland: Cork, Dublin, Waterford | Most notable skills: Linguistics, translation, mobile application development | Most common job titles: Technical support advisor, technical support specialist, data analyst | Largest job functions: Information technology, operations, engineering | About: Apple is a technology company known for designing, manufacturing and marketing a range of electronics, software and digital services. Its products include the iPhone, iPad, Mac computers, Apple Watch and Apple TV, as well as software platforms and digital services, such as iCloud, Apple Music and Apple Arcade.
24. Sanofi
Sanofi is the parent company of Genzyme Corporation.
Top locations in Ireland: Waterford, Dublin | Most notable skills: Pharmaceutical manufacturing, organic chemistry, product testing | Most common job titles: Quality assurance specialist, process engineer, chemist | Largest job functions: Operations, quality assurance, research | About: Sanofi is a multinational pharmaceutical company with a focus on research, development, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceutical drugs and vaccines. Sanofi's product portfolio covers a wide range of therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular, diabetes, oncology, immunology, rare diseases and vaccines.
25. Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is the parent company of Costa Coffee and others.
Top locations in Ireland: Dublin | Most notable skills: Retail, product development, food manufacturing | Most common job titles: Business development specialist, account manager, software engineer | Largest job functions: Operations, sales, engineering | About: The Coca-Cola Company is a multinational beverage corporation that manufactures, markets, and sells beverages, primarily its flagship product, Coca-Cola. It operates a wide range of brands across various categories including carbonated soft drinks, juices, water and energy drinks, distributed globally.
You can check out the Top Companies in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland (German, French), Türkiye, Europe, the UAE, the UK and the U.S.
Methodology
Our methodology uses LinkedIn data to rank companies based on eight pillars that have been shown to lead to career progression: ability to advance; skills growth; company stability; external opportunity; company affinity; gender diversity; educational background and employee presence in the country. Ability to advance tracks employee promotions within a company and when they move to a new company, based on standardised job titles. Skills growth looks at how employees across the company are gaining skills while employed at the company, using standardised LinkedIn skills. Company stability tracks attrition over the past year, as well as the percentage of employees that stay at the company at least three years. External opportunity looks at Recruiter outreach across employees at the company, signalling demand for workers coming from these companies. Company affinity, which seeks to measure how supportive a company’s culture is, looks at connection volume on LinkedIn among employees, controlled for company size. Gender diversity measures gender parity within a company and its subsidiaries. Educational background examines the variety of educational attainment among employees, from no degree up to PhD levels, reflecting a commitment to recruiting a wide range of professionals. Finally, employee presence in the country looks at the company’s number of employees in the country relative to other companies, as a means of capturing companies that provide a diverse work environment and more opportunities for career advancement and networking.
To be eligible, companies must have had at least 500 employees in the country as of 31 December, 2023.
Attrition can be no higher than 10% over the methodology time period, based on LinkedIn data. Similarly, organisations that have had layoffs of 10% or more of their workforce based on corporate announcements or public, reliable sources between 1 January, 2023 and the list launch, are not eligible. These decisions are made by the LinkedIn News team based on company statements and/or reputable news outlets. Only parent companies rank on the list; majority-owned subsidiaries and data about those subsidiaries are incorporated into the parent company score. The methodology time frame is 1 January, 2023 through 31 December, 2023. This analysis represents the world seen through the lens of LinkedIn data, drawn from the anonymised and aggregated profile information of LinkedIn's members around the world.
We exclude all staffing and recruiting firms, educational institutions and government agencies. We also exclude LinkedIn, its parent company Microsoft and Microsoft subsidiaries.
About company insights
Company insights were sourced from LinkedIn Talent Insights and include the parent company and majority-owned subsidiaries. Data reflects aggregated public member data from active LinkedIn profiles in the relevant country and includes employee profiles associated with the parent company and majority-owned subsidiaries on LinkedIn. We exclude members who identify as interns or contractors. All insights reflect a 12-month time period looking back from January 2024. Top locations were categorised as the regions or cities that employed the largest percentage of each company. Skills data was derived from measuring the most frequent unique skills among a company’s employees, relative to other companies. Most common job titles represent the occupations most common within each company. Largest job function measures the function area most prevalent within each company.
Reported by: Polly Dennison
Methodology and insights by: Nadine Fares
Project/Program Manager - Tech
7moGood point!
Co Founder & UX Director at The Friday Agency
7moNice piece but it's interesting that almost all of these companies are huge multinational enterprises, local SMEs don't get a look in. Why is this?, are SMEs not great places to work or you just don't have a data?
Engineering Project Support at Siemens
7moThiago Raggi
CS-QA / CSV / Data Integrity / Data Management / Automation Engineer
8moVery good article Polly, thank you. I worked for three of those companies (Biomarin, Regeneron and Eli Lilly), and what I can say is that regardless of what your main drive is in your professional life (we are all driven by something :)), never forget that the products made by these companies are actually helping somebody and their families in a very significant way. Even saving lives.
Podcaster / Author / Career coach-mentor
8moCongratulations to the top 25 companies for enabling their employees to grow and develop not only professionally but personally as well. I would recommend job seekers who wish to be a part of these companies to stand out by discovering what makes them unique and showcasing it humbly. Beyond technical skills, it's about what YOU, as a person, can bring to the company. Allow them to assess if your values are aligned, as this will foster a more fulfilling and enduring relationship.