Tech Company Kainos To Create More Than 340 New Jobs In Northern Ireland

Software company Kainos has announced plans to create more than 340 new jobs in Northern Ireland over the next three years as demand for artificial intelligence services continues to grow.

The recruitment drive will see 309 roles based in Belfast and a further 32 positions created in Londonderry.

The expansion comes at an investment of almost £20 million, with the average salary for the new roles expected to be around £58,000.

Kainos, which employs around 3,500 people worldwide, is looking to fill a range of positions across software engineering, consulting, AI and data science.

The company says the new jobs will help it meet increasing demand from organisations seeking support with AI-powered technologies and digital transformation projects.

Chief Executive Officer of Kainos, Brendan Mooney, described the announcement as another sign of Northern Ireland's growing reputation as a destination for technology investment and skilled employment.

“When it comes to AI our views are very clear, it helps our people do more and do it more quickly which is a great result for our customers. AI for us is an enabling technology rather than a replacement technology,” said the CEO.

Despite concerns that advances in AI could reduce employment opportunities, Mr Mooney believes businesses will continue to need highly skilled workers to develop, manage and implement AI solutions.

Northern Ireland Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald welcomed the investment, describing it as a positive endorsement of the region's expanding technology sector and skilled workforce.

Invest Northern Ireland is supporting the project with £1.5 million in funding. Chief Executive Kieran Donoghue said the investment would help create high-quality jobs and strengthen Northern Ireland's position as a leading location for technology businesses.

“It's a significant announcement because it's an example of a company headquartered in Northern Ireland, operating globally, reinvesting in its business in Northern Ireland when the company had choices about where it could invest. This shows that AI can actually create jobs.”

“We all accept it will displace some roles, but in our experience in Invest NI, what our clients are doing is embracing the technology and upskilling people within the business to work on higher added value functions,” said Mr Donoghue.