By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: December 2024

Johnson & Johnson in Cork, Galway and Limerick in Ireland

In this article, you’ll find…

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Overview of Johnson & Johnson Worldwide

  • Total Sales 2023: $85.16 billion
    • 2023 Sales from Pharma: $54.8 billion
  • R&D Spend 2023: $14.6 billion
  • Global Number of Employees 2023: 134,900

Johnson & Johnson is a US-based multinational company that was founded in 1886 with the initial idea that wounds should be treated and dressed using sterile equipment. Over time it has grown to be one of the biggest healthcare companies in the world.

Johnson & Johnson operates three distinct divisions – medical devices (Johnson & Johnson MedTech), pharmaceuticals (Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine), and consumer health (where it’s a leading name with brands such as Neutrogena, BandAid and Clean and Clear).

Products from these three divisions are marketed in 57 countries via almost 250 operating companies with global personnel of almost 156,000.

Johnson & Johnson in Ireland

Johnson & Johnson have had a presence in Ireland for over 80 years. Today, both the medical device and pharmaceutical divisions have manufacturing sites in the country and there are more than 5,000 people employed across sites in Cork, Galway and Limerick. The company also has offices in Dublin and Mayo.

Since 2012, Johnson and Johnson have invested over $2 billion in their Irish operations.

The company is aiming for net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. As a step towards that, they announced that Irish operations were powered by 100% renewable energy in October 2021.

Johnson & Johnson in Cork

  • Employees in Cork: 2800
  • Activities: API Manufacturing, Biologics Manufacturing, Medical Device Manufacturing

There are three Johnson & Johnson manufacturing sites across Cork:

  • J&J Innovative Medicine Little Island (formerly Janssen)
  • J&J Innovative Medicine Ringaskiddy (formerly Janssen)
  • J&J MedTech Orthopaedics (formerly DePuy)

J&J Innovative Medicine Little Island (formerly Janssen)

This J&J Innovative Medicine Pharmaceutical manufacturing site has been operational since 1981. It is one of four within the company that make up the “small molecule cluster organisation”. The bulk active pharmaceutical ingredients that are manufactured here are used by other J&J Innovative Medicine sites and third party companies around the world for use in tablets, creams and injectable dosage forms. Approximately 400 people are currently employed here.

J&J Innovative Medicine Ringaskiddy (formerly Janssen)

This J&J Innovative Medicine site is responsible for biologics research, development and manufacturing. A €400m investment led to the opening of the site in 2005. It currently employs over 700 people and the 5 commercial products manufactured here are used in the treatment of cancer and immune related diseases.

The company describes this site as a “Global Centre of Excellence for Clinical Drug Substance and Drug Product Release and Stability Management”

In 2019, J&J invested €300m to expand the Ringaskiddy site and add 200 new jobs.

Then, in 2022, the company announced a €150m expansion that is expected to lead to another 180 jobs once completed.

“The strength of our people has been paramount to J&J’s success in Cork and Ireland.”

– Gary Hartnett, Site Lead at J&J Innovative Medicine

J&J Innovative Medicine – overall rating by their employees 2023 (source):

Image of 4 gold stars

J&J MedTech Orthopaedics (formerly DePuy)

This medical device manufacturing facility produces orthopaedic and joint replacement products. It was opened in 1997 and is the now company’s largest manufacturing site for these products, which are then sold around the world. Approximately 1700 people are employed across a variety of roles here.

In 2015, the Ringaskiddy site was awarded the Shingo Prize for operational excellence. It was then named as one of the top nine most advanced factories in the world by the World Economic Forum in 2018 for its use of Internet of Things (IoT) technology.

The company invested €36m in 2019 to establish additional R&D projects at the J&J MedTech Orthopaedics site. This investment led to the establishment of a 3D Printing Development & Launch Centre, as well as 30 additional jobs. As a result, the company was able to launch its “first commercial 3D printed knee product”.

“Our greatest asset is our team”

– Colm Hynes, Plant Manager at DePuy Ireland

J&J MedTech Orthopaedics – Overall rating by their employees 2023 (source):

image of 3 and a half gold stars

Johnson & Johnson in Galway

  • Employees in Galway: 90
  • Activities: Medical Device R&D

Cerenovus is a Johnson & Johnson MedTech company that researches and develops a range of products that all aim to provide help to patients after a stroke.

“Our work at Cerenovus is focused on changing the trajectory of stroke”
– Michael Gilvarry, General Manager of Cerenovus in Galway

In 2020, Cerenovus was awarded the Johnson Medal – a prestigious Johnson & Johnson award that recognises research and development.

An investment of €50m was announced in February 2022 and it is anticipated that 30 new jobs will be created as a result.


In 2022, Cerenovus was awarded MedTech Company of the Year at the Irish MedTech Awards.

Johnson & Johnson in Limerick

  • Employees in Limerick: 2100
  • Activities: Medical Device Manufacturing – Contact Lenses

Johnson & Johnson MedTech Vision (previously Vistakon) is part of Johnson & Johnson MedTech and has had a manufacturing site in Limerick since 1996.

“We have been in Limerick for more than 25 years and our success is testament to our talented workforce.”

– John Lynch, Plant Leader at Johnson & Johnson MedTech Vision

Today, it is one of the largest contact lens manufacturing sites in the world and there are currently 36 production lines. It operates a largely automated 24/7 production process to manufacture Acuvue brand contact lenses.

The facility uses electricity from 100% renewable sources, including an onsite wind turbine.

In 2019, the company invested €100m and created 100 new jobs at the site.

In March 2022, Johnson & Johnson MedTech Vision announced a €35m investment to expand manufacturing capabilities at the Limerick site, leading to 200 new jobs over the following three years.

Then in September, a further €100m investment was announced to expand manufacturing capacity through the introduction of fully automated flexible manufacturing lines. That expansion is expected to lead to another 80 new jobs.

Watch the video below to see inside the Johnson & Johnson MedTech Vision plant and hear directly from the staff…

And while a little older now, this video is still worth watching if you’re interested in the operational set-up of the site…

Johnson & Johnson MedTech Vision – Overall rating by their employees 2023 (source):

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GetReskilled Graduates in Johnson & Johnson

GetReskilled courses taken by alumni employed by Johnson & Johnson:

Connect with Johnson & Johnson

How to Get a Job With Johnson & Johnson in Ireland

Firstly, be sure to follow:

This video gives some insight into what kind of candidates Johnson & Johnson look for, and what it’s like to work for them in sites across 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.

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!)

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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.