By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: December 2024

Bausch + Lomb in Waterford, Ireland - GetReskilled

In this article, you’ll find…

Overview of Bausch + Lomb Worldwide

  • Total Sales 2023: $4.15 billion
    • Vision Care segment revenue 2023: $2.54 billion
    • Surgical segment revenue 2023: $0.77 billion
    • Ophthalmic Pharmaceuticals segment revenue 2023: $0.84 billion
  • R&D Spend 2023: $0.32 billion
  • Global Number of Employees 2023: 13,300

Bausch + Lomb began in Rochester, New York in 1853, as an optical goods store.

In 1971, the company launched the first mass-produced soft contact lens. An expansion into ophthalmic pharmaceuticals came in 1986 via the acquisition of Dr Mann Pharma. In 1997, the 3rd business unit (surgical) was created after further acquisitions.

Today, Bausch + Lomb employs approximately 13,300 people in over 100 countries and maintains its focus on eye care via those 3 business units:

“ We’re solely dedicated to protecting and enhancing the gift of sight through every phase of life.”
– Bausch + Lomb

Bausch + Lomb in Ireland

  • Employees in Waterford: 1500
  • Activities: Contact lens manufacturing

Bausch + Lomb established their manufacturing facility in Waterford, Ireland in 1980.

Over time, and with significant investment from the company, the site has become Bausch + Lomb’s biggest manufacturing site worldwide and Waterford’s largest private employer.

The plant supports research and development, as well as the manufacturing of contact lenses and surgical products. There is also a pharmaceutical manufacturing area within the site.

Between 2015 and 2017, the company invested $200m in the site, leading to 300 new jobs. And in 2018, Bausch + Lomb announced a further expansion with the addition of multiple production lines (and approximately 100 new jobs) to support the manufacture of daily disposable contact lenses.

Bausch + Lomb won “Overall Waterford Business of the Year” and “Exporter of the Year” at the 2020 Waterford Business Awards.

Most recently, in 2021, the company announced a further €90m investment in the site that was expected to create 130 new jobs.

Check out this video from IDA Ireland about Bausch + Lomb’s Waterford operations…

Overall rating by their employees 2024 (source):

image of 3 and a half gold stars

GetReskilled Graduates in Bausch + Lomb

GetReskilled courses taken by alumni employed by Bausch + Lomb:

Connect with Bausch + Lomb

How to Get a Job With Bausch + Lomb in Ireland

If you already have experience in the pharma or medical device manufacturing industries, you can head straight over to our dedicated pharma jobs board and search for current Bausch + Lomb vacancies in Ireland.

If you have some science, quality, or engineering qualifications/work experience, check out our specialist conversion courses that bridge the gap between your current knowledge and the technical information required to work in this highly regulated industry:

For all other backgrounds (including sales, retail, hospitality, etc), check out our Conversion Course into Pharmaceutical Manufacturing. This course helps you take the transferable skills acquired in any other industry and combines them with essential technical knowledge and job-hunting skills, to make you an ideal candidate for entry-level pharma manufacturing jobs. (Note: NO science or engineering knowledge or experience is needed!)

Other Pharma and Med Device Companies

About the Author

Image with Claire Wilison from GetReskilled Team

Claire Wilson

Content Marketing and Career Coaching

Claire runs GetReskilled’s Advanced Career Coaching Programme – our specially devised job hunting course that helps our trainees take that final step into employment by leading them through the job hunting process. She is extremely enthusiastic about helping people reach their final goal of employment in their new career path.

Claire has a BSc (Hons) in Medical Biology from Edinburgh University and spent 7 years working in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries.