Where design roles concentrate
Product and UX design
Software, fintech and SaaS teams in Dublin, plus medtech in Galway and Limerick. The roles most likely to be advertised at a level that supports an employment permit.
Design systems and accessibility
Larger platforms hire specialists to maintain component libraries and meet accessibility standards. A niche with less competition and strong retention.
Brand, digital and agency design
High volume, faster hiring, lower salaries, and largely limited to candidates who already hold the right to work. A realistic first step for people already living in Ireland.
The portfolio is the interview
Irish product teams are small. A designer is usually one of two or three, working directly with engineers and a product manager, which means hiring managers screen for judgement rather than polish. They want to see how you narrowed a problem, what you decided not to build, and what evidence you used.
That changes the shape of a winning portfolio. Three or four case studies, each opening with the business problem and the constraint, then the research, then two or three decisions with the reasoning shown, then the outcome with a number attached. Final screens belong at the end, not the beginning.
Password-protected portfolios lose applications. If confidentiality is genuinely an issue, write a redacted version rather than asking a recruiter to request access, because most will not.
Indicative Irish design salaries in 2026
Base salary ranges advertised in Dublin. Regional roles typically sit 10 to 15 percent lower.
| Level | Dublin range | What employers expect |
|---|---|---|
| Junior product / UX designer | €38,000 – €48,000 | Portfolio with structured process, some team experience |
| Mid-level product designer | €50,000 – €68,000 | End-to-end ownership of features, evidence of testing |
| Senior product designer | €70,000 – €90,000 | Influence on product direction, mentoring, measurable outcomes |
| UX researcher | €55,000 – €80,000 | Mixed methods, research operations, stakeholder influence |
| Design systems designer | €65,000 – €85,000 | Component library ownership, accessibility, engineering fluency |
| Design lead / principal | €90,000 – €115,000 | Team leadership or org-level design strategy |
Indicative advertised ranges for 2026, varying with company stage, sector and equity.
What to fix before you apply
- ·One-page CV plus a portfolio link that opens without a password.
- ·Case studies written around outcomes, with at least one number per study.
- ·Figma named explicitly, alongside prototyping, research and accessibility practice.
- ·A line naming your target level and specialism, so recruiters do not guess.
- ·Work authorisation and availability stated plainly if you are outside Ireland.
- ·Evidence of working with engineers: handover, component thinking, or front-end literacy.
How to run the search
Target companies, not job boards
Irish design roles are often filled from a shortlist before they age on a job board. Build a list of 40 product companies and check their careers pages weekly.
Rebuild one case study to Irish standards
Before applying anywhere, rewrite your strongest project as problem, constraint, evidence, decision, outcome. Everything else follows from that template.
Use the design community
Dublin and Cork have active design meetups and Slack communities. A conversation with one in-house designer is worth twenty cold applications.
Prepare a portfolio review
Expect 45 minutes presenting one case study and defending your decisions. Practise it out loud, timed, with the metric at the end.
Prepare a whiteboard or take-home
Many teams still run one. Ask about constraints and success criteria before you start; that question alone reads as senior.
Keep going
What clients say about working with us
“My experience with HULA Career exceeded my expectations. They provided exceptional guidance throughout every step of my dream job search. I am incredibly grateful to Hugo and Laura for their unwavering support.”
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“If you're looking for any career related help or advice in Ireland, HULA is the one for you. Hugo and Laura are two of the sweetest and kind hearted people who go above and beyond to support you.”
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Want a second opinion on your portfolio before you apply?
In the free consultation we look at your case studies, your target level and your permit position, and tell you what an Irish hiring manager will see in the first two minutes.
Written by
Hugo Faria
Career coach and co-founder of HULA. He works every week with international professionals hiring into Ireland, the UK and Portugal, and coaches them through CV, LinkedIn, applications and interviews. More about Hugo.
Frequently asked questions
Are design jobs in Ireland open to non-EU candidates?+
Yes, mostly at mid and senior level. Product design and UX roles in technology companies are the ones that clear salary thresholds and justify an employment permit. Junior graphic and marketing design roles are rarely sponsored, because the local supply is sufficient.
What do Irish employers want in a design portfolio?+
Three or four deep case studies, not a gallery. Each should show the problem, the constraints, what you tested, what you changed and what happened to the metric. Irish product teams are small and outcome-focused, so a portfolio that only shows final screens reads as decoration.
How much do designers earn in Ireland?+
Indicative Dublin ranges for 2026: junior product or UX designer €38,000 to €48,000, mid-level €50,000 to €68,000, senior €70,000 to €90,000, lead or principal €90,000 to €115,000. UX research and design systems specialists sit at the upper end of each band.
Do I need to be in Dublin?+
Not always. Dublin has most of the product design roles, but Cork, Galway and Limerick have medtech, software and agency design work, and hybrid arrangements of two or three days on site are now standard. Fully remote design roles hired from outside Ireland are rare when a permit is involved.
Is a design degree required in Ireland?+
No. Portfolio and demonstrable process outweigh formal qualifications for product and UX roles. A degree matters more if you need an employment permit, because the application benefits from evidence of relevant qualifications or several years of documented experience.
Which tools should be on a design CV in Ireland?+
Figma is the default. Add prototyping, design systems, accessibility standards such as WCAG, research tools like Maze, Dovetail or UserTesting, and any front-end literacy in HTML, CSS or component libraries. Irish teams value designers who can work directly with engineers.