Ireland’s labour market is shifting towards a project economy, with employers increasingly relying on specialist contractors to deliver transformation programmes and capital projects, according to the Collins McNicholas Salary Guide 2026.
The Collins McNicholas Salary Guide 2026 analysed salary trends across eight regions in Ireland after leveraging data from more than 6,000 candidates who registered with the recruitment firm between January and March this year.
The recruitment and talent solutions firm found that specialist project roles are commanding high hourly rates, particularly in the Life Sciences sector where skills scarcity and urgency to deliver site expansions and capital projects in MedTech and pharma are leading to greater competition for experienced professionals in commissioning, qualification and validation (CQV), automation, and compliance.
Those earning premium rates include Engineering Directors (€70-€100 per hour), Programme Directors (€80-€100 per hour), Validation Managers (€60-€90 per hour), Automation Project Managers (€65-€85 per hour), and Validation Engineers (€50-€75 per hour).
Contractor rates in CQV, automation and validation have increased by 10-15% over the past 12 months as employers continue to compete for a limited pool of specialist candidates capable of supporting time-sensitive capital expansion projects.
According to the report, contractors are also earning high rates in Technology, where there is demand for specialists in AI, digital transformation and cybersecurity. Salaries of €95,000-plus are a feature of many roles based in the tech hubs of Dublin, the Midwest, and West, while cybersecurity professionals can earn up to €125,000 in Dublin and €120,000 in the West and Midwest.
In Construction, contractors have become essential to delivery of housing and major infrastructure projects, leading Project Managers in Mechanical, Electrical and Civil Engineering to earn up to €75,0000-plus per year in many regions; Commercial Managers to earn up to €105,000-plus across all regions; and Contracts Managers €110,000 in Dublin and up to €85,000 in many other regions.
The Collins McNicholas Salary Guide 2026 also suggests that specialist project-based roles are helping to narrow traditional regional salary differences, with pay bands for roles such as Engineering Managers, Project Engineers, Validation Engineers and Automation Engineers broadly consistent across several regions.
The narrow regional pay gap is particularly notable in the Green Energy sector where a Project Manager can earn an annual salary of €70,000-€85,000 across all regions, while those based in Dublin earn €75,000-€90,000. Salaries for Environmental Consultants and Engineers – both key contract roles – are also broadly consistent, with maximum annual salaries of €65,000 for most roles outside Dublin and €70,000 for those based in the capital.
Among other findings, the guide reveals a high demand for sustainability professionals as employers in Ireland’s main industries target waste reduction and improved operational efficiency as a means to meet emissions targets.
In the Green Energy sector, Heads of Sustainability are commanding annual salaries of €100,000-plus in all eight regions, while Sustainability Engineers and Environmental Engineers earn up to €70,000 per year in some. In Life Sciences, Environmental Health and Safety Managers in MedTech earn annual sums of €85,000, while Facilities Managers earn up to €90,000 in MedTech and €85,000 in pharma.
Logistics staff – industry professionals focused on reducing emissions and material use in the supply chain – are also in high demand. Those in the Construction sector are earning annual salaries of €110,000 or more in all regions and up to €160,000 in Dublin, while Supply Chain Analysts and Coordinators earn up to €50,000 and €40,000-plus respectively in most regions.
AI is playing a significant role in the recruitment strategies for companies in most sectors of the economy, with AI-enabled automation of routine tasks seen to be reshaping roles and increasing demand for ‘hybrid talent’ – professionals who can combine sectoral expertise with the ability to work effectively with AI tools and understand data governance.
This trend is particularly visible in Construction, where AI is being used to monitor productivity, cost estimation and risk analysis, and Accounting and Finance where automation has led finance teams to focus on higher-value activities, such as forecasting, analysis, and strategic planning.
Strategic Finance and Accounting roles in which forecasting and analysis are core competencies, such as Finance Director, can see workers earn up to €170,000 per year in several regions. Transactional finance roles which are more vulnerable to automation, such as those in Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and Accounts Assistant, sit much lower in the pay bands, with salaries between €30,000-€42,000 in most regions.
In Construction, specialists in Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology are earning up to €55,000 per year in seven regions, with those in Dublin earning up to €60,000. Commercial and Project Managers, who are increasingly relying on data-led tools for planning, scheduling, and cost and risk analysis, are earning annual salaries of at least €105,000 and €85,000 respectively across most regions.
Collins McNicholas Director Michelle Murphy says:
“The Collins McNicholas Salary Guide 2026 provides us a range of fascinating insights into the employment dynamics underpinning the Irish economy. The report reveals how growth in Life Sciences, Technology, Construction and Green Energy is leading more and more specialist workers to take up short-term, project-based work, attracted by high hourly rates and flexibility offered by companies seeking to deliver capital and digital transformation projects. Our report further underlines Ireland’s shift to a project-based economy.
“We are also seeing across all sectors how AI and environmental governance are changing the skills employers need. AI is reshaping roles in a way that puts a higher value on ‘hybrid talent’, professionals who can combine their experience with an advanced digital capability. Meanwhile, the clamour to achieve environmental targets is putting a higher price on staff concerned with sustainability and compliance.
“Ultimately, the organisations best positioned to attract talent in 2026 will be those that can move quickly, offer compelling projects and give people opportunities to develop their skills.”
