DUBLIN, Ireland - Microsoft Ireland is to create 200 engineering roles to strengthen its existing Dublin-based team of over 600 engineers.

The company has also unveiled details of its new €27 million Engineering Hub at its growing campus in Leopardstown, Dublin.

Monday's announcement represents a further significant investment by the company in Ireland. Upon conclusion of the current phase of recruitment the company will employ more than 2,700 people in Ireland across its Leopardstown campus and within its Data Centre operations.

The 200 individuals that will be hired for the newly created Dublin based roles will be involved in the development, deployment and support of new Cloud services and emerging technology solutions for the company's customers around the globe. Recruitment has already started with the company hiring people for positions in Software Engineering, Customer Engineering, Program Management, Product Design, User Experience and Data Science. The new roles will sit predominantly within two global teams: Modern Workplace Transformation and Microsoft Identity.

"This is great news from Microsoft today. Not only are they creating 200 new jobs, but they are also creating a new €27 million Engineering Hub. This investment builds on decades of commitment by Microsoft in Ireland and further strengthens the country's position as a centre for innovation in Europe," Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar said Monday.

"Our focus in the months ahead will be to rebuild Ireland's economy in a manner that will be sustainable. We need to protect and create in-demand jobs fit for our digital age. A growing engineering talent pool is crucial in helping to imagine and create the solutions that Ireland will need to rebuild and recover. By positioning Ireland as a leader in engineering, we can help enhance Ireland's competitiveness into the future," Varadkar added.

The new Engineering Hub, named One Microsoft Court, is a 10,000m2 facility located a few steps from Microsoft's flagship building, One Microsoft Place.

At the heart of the new Engineering Hub is The Garage, a space and concept that is well known and established at Microsoft's Seattle campus and at 10 other worldwide locations. In The Garage, employees have the freedom to innovate, fail, learn and experiment on projects they are passionate about. It is a physical space - with digital programmes introduced while managing through Covid-19 restrictions - where employees with ideas and a growth mindset can step out of their day jobs and challenge themselves and others to use technology to solve a wide range of societal or business challenges.

The Garage at Microsoft's Dublin campus is the first in Europe. It joins a growing number of locations in the U.S., Canada, Israel, India and China. Its introduction will facilitate collaboration amongst all Microsoft employees, as well as with customers and partners. There will also be opportunities to engage with the broader academic, start-up and local community to develop and bring new, impactful ideas to life.

"We are delighted to announce the further expansion of our team here in Ireland and the enhancement of our Leopardstown campus. Our engineers are driving innovation within the company and our Dublin based team is at the centre of this developing technology and solutions for customers here in Ireland and around the world. This year we have been forced to change how we live, work and do business with technology keeping us all connected and productive. The pace of digital transformation has accelerated. It is essential that we maintain the momentum and continue to leverage the benefits of digital as we reimagine Ireland and drive an inclusive recovery." Cathriona Hallahan, Managing Director, Microsoft Ireland said Monday.

Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland added: "Today's announcement by Microsoft demonstrates not only the company's continued commitment to Ireland but also the attractiveness of Ireland's value proposition despite the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The new engineering jobs announced by Microsoft will help shape the future of our economy and ensure that Ireland remains at the forefront of technological innovation globally."

Microsoft Ireland currently employs over 2,500 people representing more than 70 different nationalities operating out of the company's campus in Leopardstown, Dublin and its Data Centre in Dublin. The company's Irish base is involved in software development, Microsoft International Operations, Finance, HR and Digital Sales for Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Ireland Sales and Marketing.

(File photo: Leo Varadkar, Cathriona Hallahan and Microsoft's Peggy Johnsonat the opening of One Microsoft Place).