IT Search’s Graeme King discusses the semiconductor landscape and the importance of addressing challenges creatively.
Globally, the semiconductor sector has taken on a life of its own, with research from a Visual Capitalist report indicating that in 2025, the sector’s market cap surpassed the $12trn mark.
This perhaps comes as no surprise as we are living in a world in which we use semiconductor chips for a vast array of products, for example our mobile phones, computers and even our cars and homes which house smart systems for added functionality.
“Semiconductors are everywhere right now, in AI, cloud and EVs, so demand is strong”, said Graeme King, a principal consultant at Irish recruitment agency IT Search – which is a member of the Vertical Markets Group.
“Ireland punches above its weight with over 130 companies and around 20,000 jobs across design, R&D, manufacturing and test. The main hubs are Dublin and Cork, where global players sit alongside local specialists. There’s also a growing number of start-ups in areas like advanced packaging, photonics and quantum hardware.”
All of this, he explained, is bolstered by Ireland’s commitment to the 2025 Silicon Island Strategy, which aims to supercharge the country’s semiconductor industry via skills development, boosting R&D, the development of the domestic semiconductor ecosystem and attracting foreign investment.
He said, “Essentially, it’s about making Ireland a serious design and innovation hub, not just a test and manufacturing location.”
IT Search principal consultant Graeme King. Image: IT Search
Supply and demand
With the growth of Ireland’s semiconductor sector in mind, King noted the boom is generating opportunities for professionals, particularly for those with advanced or niche skills.
“It’s concentrated at the top end. The people most in demand are very experienced RTL design and verification engineers. That level of experience is hard to come by in Ireland and there’s relatively low movement between companies, so once people are embedded in a role, they tend to stay put. That creates a real squeeze for companies trying to scale or replace senior engineers. Even when roles do open up, the pool of people who can genuinely hit the ground running is small, which is why searches can take a long time.”
There is however, more flexibility for those looking to take on a role in embedded software, which is also in high demand. King explained, embedded engineers find it easier to move across from adjacent industries like automotive, industrial, or consumer electronics, to be trained on the semiconductor side.
“That’s much harder with core RTL or verification roles, where experience has to be there already. Overall, demand is strong, but selective. It’s less about volume hiring and more about finding the right individuals with very specific backgrounds.”
Whilst this may be a positive for highly skilled professionals looking to advance their semiconductor careers in Ireland, it can create problems for employers, noted King, who further elaborated on the growing talent scarcity.
He said, “People with the right experience in highly specialised areas are limited, and there is not much movement between companies in Ireland, so the pool is small. Global competition adds another layer.
“Candidates often have options in the US, Germany, Switzerland, and other European tech hubs, where salaries are higher and relocation packages more attractive. That makes it tough for Irish companies to compete purely on pay.”
As a result, hiring processes can be long and technical, causing an interested candidate to bow out before an organisation has the opportunity to make an offer. Or there may be an obvious skills mismatch, where candidates have transferable skills that could be effective with more flexible training and onboarding, but aren’t currently conducive with the need for niche skill.
Creative challenges
But, where there is a will, there is a way and King finds that companies are becoming more creative in how they address challenges, for example the issues he has identified in talent recruitment.
He said, “The big trend, both in Ireland and globally, is targeted hiring over broad volume recruitment. Companies are focusing on very specific, high-priority skills, so searches tend to be specialised and deliberate. Organisations are also getting creative with how they find talent.
“They are bringing people in from adjacent sectors like automotive, industrial IoT, or photonics, partnering with universities and training programmes, and investing in upskilling.
“They are open to candidates who can be shaped into the role rather than just ticking every box. That helps expand the pool in a competitive market. Hiring can still be uneven, with some companies moving quickly and others prioritising retention and selective growth.”
For those looking to create their own opportunities King stated that there are a surprisingly high variety of pathways to go down. At the technical level there are the classical roles already mentioned and beyond that “a lot of room to specialise or pivot”.
He said, “Some engineers move into applications or field engineering, helping customers implement chips and systems, while others take a path into project or engineering management, leading small teams or entire programmes.
“There are also opportunities in technical sales, pre-sales, and solution consulting, where deep engineering knowledge can be a real differentiator.”
In Ireland specifically, smaller teams and start-ups can enable people with strong soft skills to combine their technical and leadership responsibilities, allowing for greater exposure and access to the fast track, when looking at senior level roles, across multiple areas of an organisation.
“It’s an industry where the right mix of experience and versatility can open doors that aren’t immediately obvious from the job title.”
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