Ericsson to create 100 jobs at R&D facility

ONE hundred jobs are to be created immediately at Ericsson’s research and development facility in Athlone, Co Westmeath.

Telecommunications firm Ericsson will today announce that it expects to extend its intelligent Network Management skill base by employing an additional 100 software engineers to support local and regional remits.

The company plans to undertake a major upgrade of its facilitates in Athlone to facilitate R&D best practice in the working environment.

Today’s announcement comes as part of the company’s plans to advance its vision as being the “prime driver in an all-communicating world” through innovation, technology and sustainable business solutions.

Ericsson, which currently employs more than 90,000 people worldwide is a provider of telecommunications equipment and related services to mobile and fixed network operators globally.

The company has over 1,000 networks in more than 180 countries, with 40% of all mobile calls being made through its system.

Managing director, Michael Gallagher said Ireland was expanding its skill base to provide a better end-user experience for its customers.

“With the drive to improve the quality and diversity of mobile broadband services such as IPTV and smart phone applications etc, we are growing our skill base in the intelligent network management area,” Mr Gallagher said.

He said the company has received support from the IDA, which has a mandate to create new employment to help the sustainability of local operations.

Chief executive of IDA Ireland Barry O’Leary said Ericsson plays an important role in the economic life of the midlands.

“The addition of 100 highly skilled jobs to the midlands gateway is very welcome news by a leading technology company such as Ericsson and this emphasises the quality of the skilled workforce available and the pro-business environment here,” said Mr O’ Leary.

Enterprise and Jobs Minister Richard Bruton said Ireland needs to support R&D projects in order to get the economy growing and to create new jobs.

“In last month’s jobs initiative we announced a simple, technical, revenue-neutral change to the R&D tax credit which makes it much cheaper and more attractive for multi-nationals to locate R&D facilities in Ireland and to employ researchers here,” he said.