RTE News

Qualcomm Technologies is to create more than 150 jobs as part of a €140 million expansion of its Research and Development facility in Cork city.

Headquartered in San Diego in California, Qualcomm Technologies has had a presence in Cork since 2013, where QT Technologies Ireland already employs hundreds of people.

The company provides semiconductor technology to mobile communications and other industry sectors.

The Cork investment is supported by IDA Ireland and the more than 150 new jobs set to be created over the next four years will be highly skilled engineering roles. The company said the expansion will see hardware and software research teams co-locate in the Cork facility.

"We are very proud that this project means the highly skilled teams in Cork will be addressing market challenges by enabling industries such as manufacturing, automotive, hyperscale computing, gaming, medical and education," said Paul Kelleher, VP Engineering, QT Technologies Ireland Limited.

"QT Technologies Ireland is a very exciting place to work, given our uniqueness in Ireland in developing the broad set of skills and capabilities required to execute on advanced process technology nodes," he added.

"Since 2013, the QT Technologies Ireland facility in Cork City has grown from strength to strength. This globally recognised company, in its sector, is now creating and developing critical leading-edge tech, in a regional location," said the CEO of IDA Ireland, Michael Lohan.

"This latest investment increases the strategic functions managed by the leadership team at the Cork facility, significantly enhancing the South West of Ireland's established tech cluster," he added.

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney said that QT Technologies Ireland's expansion at Penrose Dock is fantastic news for Cork.

The Minister said the new roles will provide excellent opportunities for the country's talent pool to join a world-renowned tech company such as QT Technologies Ireland.

"At the heart of this project is digital transformation, bringing QT Technologies Ireland’s R&D, hardware and software teams together in Cork, and allowing for innovative and exciting new work to be undertaken. This announcement further highlights Ireland’s position as a global hub for the world’s leading tech companies," he added.

At the announcement on behalf of Munster Technological University were:

• Vice President for External Affairs, Michael Loftus
• Chair of Cyber Security at MTU and Project Lead at Cyber Skills, Donna O'Shea
• Cyber Security Lecturer and Researcher, George O'Mahony
• Electrical Engineering Lecturer, Donal O'Donovan
• Enterprise Engagement Facilitator, Sean Donovan

Donna O'Shea welcomed the announcement, “Fantastic announcement, best of luck Qualcomm in growing the Cork site!”