Jobs in County Antrim — Towns, Sectors and Employers

County Antrim is the most populous county in Northern Ireland and has the widest spread of work. It takes in the northern edge of Belfast, the commuter towns of Lisburn and Newtownabbey, the market towns of Antrim and Ballymena, the port town of Larne and the Causeway Coast to the north. Plenty of people live in County Antrim and work in Belfast, but there is a good deal of employment closer to home.

This guide covers where the jobs are, what is hiring across the county, and how to find roles near you. For the capital itself, see our guide to jobs in Belfast.

---

Where the Jobs Are in County Antrim

• Belfast. Most of the county's vacancies are in the city, and it is the main employment draw for the whole area.
• Newtownabbey. The biggest town after Belfast in our listings. Expect industrial, warehouse, retail and service roles, and strong commuter links to the city.
• Lisburn. A city with its own retail and services economy and a short rail link to Belfast. It is a common base for people working in either place.
• Larne. A port town on the east coast, with harbour, logistics and local services work.
• Antrim and Ballymena. Market towns with a smaller number of live vacancies, covering manufacturing, retail, schools, care and trades. Ballymena is the main town for mid and north Antrim.

Smaller places such as Carrickfergus, Ballymoney and the coast around Portrush have local roles too; check the county page for whatever is live.

---

What Is Hiring Across the County

Our current County Antrim listings are weighted towards operations and logistics (DHL shipping and HGV driving roles, engineering fitters and welders through Manpower), retail (Superdrug, ASDA, Savers) and finance, with the large Belfast technology and risk roles included in the county total. There are also healthcare and trades vacancies.

• Operations and driving and warehouse: shipping, delivery, HGV and facilities roles.
• Manufacturing and engineering: welders, fitters, technicians and heating engineers.
• Retail: supervisors, assistants and seasonal staff, especially before Christmas.
• Nursing and healthcare: Trust and private-sector roles. See our guide to nursing and healthcare jobs.
• Public sector: councils, schools and the Trusts, usually with fixed closing dates. See how to apply.

---

Commuting and Pay

County Antrim has some of the best road and rail links in NI. The Belfast to Larne and Belfast to Lisburn lines, the M2, M1 and A26 all make daily commuting realistic from the larger towns, so a Belfast job and a County Antrim address often go together. If you would rather stay local, searching by town gives a smaller, less competitive pool of roles.

Where a listing shows a salary, that is the real figure. For wider context, see our salary guide, whose ranges are indicative only. Housing costs vary a lot between commuter towns and the city, so check current local prices yourself before you decide where to live.

---

How to Find a County Antrim Job

Search by town and by county. Start with your nearest town page, then widen to the County Antrim page. Also try County Down and County Londonderry if you are near the border.

Set up alerts. Outside Belfast there are fewer vacancies, so an alert is the easiest way to catch a role in your area while it is open.

Tailor your CV. Mention your town and your transport situation near the top, as employers outside Belfast often ask early. See writing a CV for Northern Ireland employers.