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Browse All Jobs →Graduate Jobs in Northern Ireland — What You Need to Know
Northern Ireland has a growing and diverse graduate job market, with major employers spanning technology, financial services, life sciences, engineering, and the public sector. Cities like Belfast and Derry attract both homegrown graduates and those relocating from across the UK and Ireland.
Top sectors hiring graduates in 2026
- Technology & Cybersecurity — companies like Kainos, Allstate NI, Liberty IT, and Concentrix run dedicated graduate schemes in Belfast.
- Financial Services — Citi, Danske Bank, and professional services firms (Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, EY) all recruit graduates each year.
- Engineering & Manufacturing — from aerospace to construction, NI has strong demand for engineering graduates.
- Life Sciences & Healthcare — Randox Laboratories, Almac Group, and the NHS trusts offer graduate and trainee roles in research, operations, and clinical settings.
- Public Sector — the Northern Ireland Civil Service, councils, and arm's-length bodies run structured graduate intake programmes annually.
What do graduate employers in NI look for?
Beyond degree classification, employers in Northern Ireland typically look for commercial awareness, communication skills, and evidence of initiative — whether through placements, part-time work, or extra-curricular projects. A 2:1 or above is often listed but not always a hard requirement, particularly in tech and professional services where aptitude tests and interviews carry more weight.
Graduate salaries in Northern Ireland
Starting graduate salaries in NI typically range from £22,000 to £32,000, with technology, finance, and engineering at the higher end. Belfast offers a lower cost of living compared to London and other major UK cities, making the effective purchasing power of NI salaries stronger than headline figures suggest.
Where to find graduate jobs in NI
NIjobsearch lists graduate and entry-level roles from NI employers daily. You can also browse by sector — IT, Engineering, Finance, Healthcare — or by location to find roles near you.