Medical Devices in Ireland: Types, Players, Trends, and Skills 

1. Diagnostics: Blood pressure monitors, thermometers, X-ray machines, and MRI scanners 

2. Therapeutics: Pacemakers, stents, insulin pumps, and surgical robots 

3. Monitoring: Heart rate monitors, blood glucose monitors, and sleep apnea monitors 

4. Assistive: Wheelchairs, walkers, hearing aids, and prosthetic limbs 

1. Medtronic 

2. Boston Scientific 

3. Abbott Laboratories 

4. Johnson & Johnson 

5. Stryker 

6. Becton Dickinson 

7. Zimmer Biomet 

8. Eli Lilly 

9. AbbVie 

10. ResMed 

11. Analog Devices 

1. Miniaturisation: Medical devices are becoming smaller and more portable, making them easier to use and less invasive. 

2. Digitalisation: Medical devices are increasingly being integrated with digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things. This is making them more intelligent and interconnected. 

3. Personalisation: Medical devices are becoming more personalised to meet the individual needs of patients. This is being driven by advances in genomics and other technologies. 

1. Engineering: Engineers design, develop, and test medical devices. They need to have a strong understanding of physics, mathematics, and engineering principles. 

2. Science: Scientists work to develop new materials and technologies for medical devices. They need to have a strong understanding of biology, chemistry, and physics. 

3. Manufacturing: Manufacturing engineers and technicians oversee the production of medical devices. They need to have a strong understanding of manufacturing processes and quality control. 

• Take STEM courses in secondary school and college. 

• Participate in extracurricular activities related to STEM, such as science fairs and robotics clubs. 

• Seek out internships and summer jobs at Irish medical device companies. 

• Network with professionals in the Irish medical device industry. 

• With the right STEM skills and experience, you can have a successful and rewarding career in the Irish medical device industry. 

• MedTech Ireland: The industry association for the medical technology sector in Ireland. 

• Irish Medtech Skillnet: A network of training providers that offer STEM training courses for the medical device industry. 

• Enterprise Ireland: A government agency that supports Irish businesses to start, grow, and innovate. 

• Technical skills: This could include skills in areas such as design, engineering, manufacturing, and testing.
  Here is a list of technical transferable skills you can highlight that are likely to be transferrable: 

• • Programming languages (Python, Java, C++, etc.) 

  • Data analysis and visualisation tools (SQL, Excel, Tableau, etc.) 

  • Cloud computing platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP, etc.) 

• • Software development tools (Jira, GitHub, etc.) 

  • Project management tools (Asana, Monday.com, etc.) 

  • CAD software (SolidWorks, AutoCAD, etc.) 

  • Manufacturing processes (CNC machining, 3D printing, etc.) 

  • Testing and validation methods 

• • Quality control and assurance 

  • Technical writing and documentation 

  • Troubleshooting and problem-solving 

2. Problem-solving skills: Engineers are trained to solve complex problems, and this skill is highly transferable to the medical device industry. 

3. Analytical skills: Engineers are also trained to analyse data and identify trends, which is another transferable skill. 

4. Communication skills: Engineers must be able to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences. 

5. Teamwork skills: Engineers often work on teams to develop and launch new products. 

1. Engineers: Engineers play a vital role in the design, development, and manufacturing of medical devices. They work on a wide range of projects, from developing new concepts to improving existing products. 

1. • Key job titles sought after in engineering are as follows: 

1. 1. • Design engineer 

• • • Design Assurance engineer 

• • • Development engineer 

• • • Manufacturing engineer 

• • • Quality engineer 

• • • Regulatory engineer 

• • • Automation Engineer 

• • • MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) Engineer 

• • • Systems engineer 

• • • Test engineer 

• • • Validation engineer 

• • • Research and development engineer 

• • • Project engineer 

• • • Field service engineer 

• • • Clinical engineer 
       

2. Quality control specialists: Quality control specialists ensure that medical devices meet all applicable safety and quality standards. They inspect devices at all stages of the manufacturing process and conduct tests to ensure that they are safe and effective. 

1. • Here are some examples of job titles for quality control specialists in the Irish medical device industry: 

1. 1. • Quality control analyst 

• • • Quality control inspector 

• • • Quality control technician 

• • • Quality control engineer 

• • • Quality control supervisor 

• • • Quality control manager 

• • • Product quality engineer 

• • • Product quality assurance analyst 

• • • Product quality assurance inspector 

• • • Quality systems auditor 

• • • Regulatory compliance auditor 

• • • Quality assurance specialist 

• • • Quality Compliance Specialist 

3. Regulatory affairs professionals: Regulatory affairs professionals ensure that medical devices comply with all applicable laws and regulations. They work with government agencies to obtain approval for new devices and to ensure that existing devices meet all safety and quality standards. 

1. • Here are some examples of job titles for regulatory affairs professionals in the Irish medical device industry: 

1. 1. • Regulatory affairs specialist 

• • • Regulatory affairs associate 

• • • Regulatory affairs manager 

• • • Regulatory affairs director 

• • • Regulatory affairs consultant 

• • • Regulatory affairs compliance officer 

• • • Medical device regulatory affairs specialist 

• • • In vitro diagnostic (IVD) regulatory affairs specialist 

• • • Combination product regulatory affairs specialist 

• • • Clinical research regulatory affairs specialist 

• • • Quality systems regulatory affairs specialist 

• • • Postmarket surveillance regulatory affairs specialist