Working Life

They apply the principles of computer science and engineering to design, build, scale and maintain large distributed systems. They are responsible for keeping critical systems operational despite any errors, outages and even natural disasters. Adapts computer software to suit a particular country, culture or society.

 
There are several different areas of work within the Localisation area:  
 
Quality Assurance Engineer (Tester)  
A quality Assurance Engineer liaises with the Localisation Engineer to resolve any software problems. The Quality Assurance Engineer develops a testing strategy for each product/business solution and is responsible for testing the software throughout its development. They also identify, categorise and prioritise bugs, and report on these bugs.  
 
Localisation Engineer  
He/she is responsible for debugging and fixing software localisation problems, building software and making changes to strings, resources and dialogs. They also support and liaise with the translation specialists and the in-house quality assurance team, to handle queries, as well as creating the translation toolkit for the software/business solution.  
 
Help Engineer  
The help engineer is responsible for building and testing of the on-line help for localised products. They liaise with in-house quality assurance specialists with regard to bug fixing; they provide support to the translation specialists and create the translation toolkit for the help option.  
 
Localisation Project Manager  
A Localisation Project Manager is responsible for overall project co-ordination of one or more projects involving one or more languages. They set schedules for projects with Localisation Engineers and Language Specialists. They liaise with the Localisation Supervisor, Translation Automation Co-ordinator, Help Engineer and DTP specialists to ensure that internal resources for the project are available. A Localisation Project Manager may also source translation agencies and agree prices. Project Manager's also dispatch the translation toolkit i.e. source files, English product, glossaries, and translation tools, for each project.  
 
Localisation Project Manager

A Localisation Project Manager is responsible for overall project co-ordination of one or more projects involving one or more languages. They set schedules for projects with Localisation Engineers and Language Specialists. They liaise with the Localisation Supervisor, Translation Automation Co-ordinator, Help Engineer and DTP specialists to ensure that internal resources for the project are available. A Localisation Project Manager may also source translation agencies and agree prices. Project Manager's also dispatch the translation toolkit i.e. source files, English product, glossaries, and translation tools, for each project.

Language Co-ordinator

This person is responsible for the improvement of the overall language quality of translations both from agencies and machine translation output. They are responsible for the management of the production of glossaries, liaising with external revisers, and the translation of strings for in-house Help and Localisation Engineers when required.

Translation Automation Specialist

He/she is responsible for assessing translation tools (machine translation, translation memory, terminology stems) on the market and the implementation of these tools when required. The Translation Automation Specialist advises the Localisation Co-ordinator what translation tools are to be used in a project, and liaises with the Language Specialists with regard to the maintenance of translation tools.

Desktop Publishing Specialist

He/she is responsible for handling the collection of documentation files from Technical Writers. Pre-Desk Top Publishing and Style Sheet management for documentation prior to translation is also the responsibility of the DTP Specialist. They also give final approval on printed material, and provide cost management on the output of the film required for printing.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Analyse information to determine, recommend, and plan installation of a new system or modification of an existing system.
• Analyse user needs and software requirements to determine feasibility of design within time and cost constraints.
• Confer with data processing or project managers to obtain information on limitations or capabilities for data processing projects.
• Confer with systems analysts, engineers, programmers and others to design systems and to obtain information on project limitations and capabilities, performance requirements and interfaces.
• Consult with customers or other departments on project status, proposals, or technical issues, such as software system design or maintenance.
• Coordinate installation of software system.
• Design, develop and modify software systems, using scientific analysis and mathematical models to predict and measure outcomes and consequences of design.
• Determine system performance standards.
• Develop or direct software system testing or validation procedures, programming, or documentation.
• Modify existing software to correct errors, adapt it to new hardware, or upgrade interfaces and improve performance.

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

 Linguistic

The Linguistic's interests are usually focused on ideas and information exchange. They tend to like reading a lot, and enjoy discussion about what has been said. Some will want to write about their own ideas and may follow a path towards journalism, story writing or editing. Others will develop skills in other languages, perhaps finding work as a translator or interpreter. Most Linguistic types will enjoy the opportunity to teach or instruct people in a topic they are interested in.

 Investigative

The Investigative person will usually find a particular area of science to be of interest. They are inclined toward intellectual and analytical activities and enjoy observation and theory. They may prefer thought to action, and enjoy the challenge of solving problems with sophiscticated technology. These types prefer mentally stimulating environments and often pay close attention to developments in their chosen field.

 Administrative

Administrative people are interested in work that offers security and a sense of being part of a larger process. They may be at their most productive under supervisors who give clear guidelines and while performing routine tasks in a methodical and reliable way.

They tend to enjoy clerical and most forms of office work, where they perform essential administrative duties. They often form the backbone of large and small organisations alike. They may enjoy being in charge of office filing systems, and using computers and other office equipment to keep things running smoothly. They usually like routine work hours and prefer comfortable indoor workplaces.

For entry-level positions with multinational software companies, generally people with a language background can master the technical skills by means of on-the-job training.  

Solid localisation experience together with strong technical aptitude is necessary for specialist or small companies involved in the localisation of software products. Staff usually have experience of both the computer system being used and the particular geographical target area.  
 
Key skills related to software localisation are:  

• Content research: the ability to locate and select relevant information for the communication needs.
• Information design: good organisation of the flow of information in a presentation 
• Asset administration: the ability to keep track of the software assets created for use in the software production, as well as knowledge of copyright material when using other sources and the permissible use of copyright material.

Sample Education and Training Pathways
A number of courses are available throughout the country that focus on learning and skills that may be useful for this career. The examples and links below may guide you in your research. 

Further Education (FET)
Further Education & Training (FET) Courses are delivered by local ETBs, ranging in duration from several weeks up to 20 months. Courses are designed to meet the labour market needs and often include a large element of work experience.

Example search terms include: ICT skills development, automated software testing, software development.

Search for FET Courses

PLC Courses (FET)
PLC courses are full-time courses, one or two years duration, with awards at Level 5 and 6 on the NFQ. They are offered nationally in Schools and Colleges of Further Education.

Example search terms include: software development, apps, games, network architecture, computer programming, programming and software development, coding and software development.

Search for PLC Courses

Apprenticeships: 
Apprenticeships are structured work-based training programs that combine on-the-job training with classroom instruction. They run from 2 – 4 years and are open to individuals of all ages, including school leavers, those seeking a career change, and existing employees who wish to upskill.

Examples: ICT Software Developer, Cybersecurity, ICT Networking, Software Solutions Architect.

Search for Apprenticeships

Higher Education CAO (Undergraduate) 
Higher Education courses at Levels 6 to 8 on the NFQ, delivered in Universities and Technological Universities & Institutes. Courses run from 2 – 5 years and places are allocated on a points-based system, processed by the Central Application Office.

Example search terms include: computing, software development, software systems development, applied computing, computer science.

Search for CAO Courses

Higher Education (Postgraduate)
Postgraduate courses are courses at Levels 9 and 10 on the NFQ and usually last 1 – 2 years full time, or longer if a PhD or part time. Entrants typically require an undergraduate award (Level 8).

Example search terms include: advanced software engineering, applied software development, computer science, computing, enterprise software systems, software design, development.

Search for Postgraduate Courses

Springboard courses ICT conversion, software development courses are also available via courses at NFQ level 6-9 Search Springboard courses

ICT Skillnet's for job seekers & upskilling for people in employment.

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €35k - €80k

Salaries vary based on employer, location, experience, duties, and role.

Data Source(s):
CPL / Morgan McKinley/ Indeed/ Sigmar/ Azon / Brightwater

Last Updated: April, 2023

Note: The following information relates to occupations that include: Programmers and software development professionals.

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

Employment has grown strongly for this occupation each year over the five-year period, particularly between 2020 and 2021, where it grew by over 9,000 persons. Those employed are primarily male (83%), working full-time (98%), and 85% were aged 25-54 years (exceeding the national average of 69%). Four-fifths were employed in the ICT sector, with the remainder spread across many sectors. Recent job hires in 2022 exceeded any employment growth indicating that job churn is a factor for this occupation. Almost two-fifths (39%) were non-Irish citizens (compared to a national average of 19%). At over 4,300, the number of employment permits issued in 2022 was almost equivalent to the increase in employment over the same time period. Although the number of new employment permits issued in the first five months of 2023 have slowed, they remained above 2021 levels. Most employment permits were issued for the ICT sector, for software engineering/development roles, although permits were also issued across many sectors of the economy.

There was a high volume of difficult-to-fill mentions in the Recruitment Agency Survey (various developer roles) and vacancies for software engineers were the most frequently cited occupation in the Skills for Growth data as being difficult to fill, with demand occurring across a range of sectors including manufacturing (e.g. med tech), fintech, ICT, and professional services; the most commonly sought technical skills included scrum/agile and SQL, while transversal skills such as data analysis, data management, communication and problem solving were also in demand. After other engineering professionals, this occupation had the highest number of job postings advertised online in 2022, although the number declined by 6% compared to 2021. 

While shortages are likely to have eased somewhat compared to earlier years, demand for software developers remains high and shortages are likely to persist economy-wide, including in the industry, finance, education, health, and wholesale/retail sectors. 

• Smart Futures

  • Discover Science & Engineering, Wilton Park House, Wilton Place, Dublin, 2
  • Click Here

• ICS - The Society for Chartered IT Professionals in Ireland

  • 87-89 Pembroke Road, Dublin 4
  • (01) 237 7788
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• ICS - The Society for Chartered IT Professionals in Ireland

  • 87-89 Pembroke Road, Dublin 4
  • (01) 237 7788
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Irish Software Association

  • Confederation House, 84/86 Lower Baggot St. Dublin 2
  • (01) 605 1500
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here