By: Claire Wilson (BSc, University of Edinburgh). Last Updated: May 2026

Pfizer in Cork, Dublin and Kildare, Ireland

Pfizer is the world’s largest research-based pharmaceutical company. Its research headquarters are located in Groton, Connecticut, USA but their operations span the globe.

Pfizer develops and produces vaccines and medicines for a range of conditions in the areas of oncology, infections and infestations, cardiology, ophthalmology, neurology and psychiatry. The company has operated in Ireland for over 50 years and currently has 3 manufacturing plants located there.

Key facts about Pfizer in Ireland

  • Pfizer has operated in Ireland for over 50 years — since 1969
  • Total capital investment in Ireland exceeds $9 billion
  • Pfizer employs approximately 5,000 people across 4 sites in Ireland
  • Sites located in Ringaskiddy (Cork), Grange Castle (Dublin), Newbridge (Kildare)
  • Grange Castle is one of the largest integrated biopharmaceutical plants in the world — over 1 million sq ft
  • Pfizer announced a €1.2 billion expansion at Grange Castle in 2022, creating 400–500 new permanent jobs
  • Pfizer ranked No.1 employer in engineering and natural sciences in Ireland (Most Attractive Employers Index, 2022)
  • Global revenue 2024: $63.8 billion — ranked No.1 pharma company in the world by revenue
  • Pfizer manufactures over 80 products at Newbridge alone, exported to more than 100 countries

In this article, you’ll find…

Pharmaceutical Industry Courses

Interested in a new career in the pharmaceutical or medical device industry? Or are you ready to upskill for a better job or a promotion? Then check out our range of award winning pharmaceutical courses.

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Pfizer in Ireland — Cork, Dublin and Kildare

This video covers everything you need to know about Pfizer’s operations in Ireland — the company’s 50-year history in the country, where its sites are located across Cork, Dublin and Kildare, what is manufactured at each site, and what Pfizer’s ongoing investment means for jobs and careers in Irish pharma. Read on below for the full written guide.

Overview of Pfizer Worldwide

  • Total Revenue 2024: $63.8 billion
  • Estimated R&D Spend 2024: $10.8 billion
  • Global Number of Employees 2024: 88,000

The company was first established in 1849 as a fine-chemicals business in New York by cousins Charles Pfizer and Charles Erhart and has grown to its current size through both pipeline development and acquisition.

Pfizer has treatments in many prominent disease areas and therapies in most high-growth markets including oncology, infections and infestations, cardiology, ophthalmology, neurology and psychiatry.

Pfizer retains the No.1 position as the No.1 pharma company in the world ranked by revenue.

Ref: Pfizer Inc Annual Report 2024

Pfizer in Ireland

Pfizer was one of the first pharmaceutical companies to move into Ireland, in 1969.

To date, their total capital investment in Ireland exceeds $9 billion and they now employ approximately 5,000 people across 4 sites in Cork, Dublin, and Kildare. This makes them one of the largest pharmaceutical sector investors and employers in Ireland.

Their manufacturing operations include active pharmaceutical ingredients, solid dose pharmaceuticals, sterile injectables, vaccines, biopharmaceuticals and the BioNTech Pfizer covid 19 vaccine, Comirnaty. In addition to manufacturing, Pfizer’s Irish operations include shared services, R&D, treasury and commercial operations.

2022’s Most Attractive Employers Index Ireland ranked Pfizer as number 1 in the categories of engineering and natural sciences professionals.

Overall rating by their employees 2025 (source):

Image of 4 gold stars

Pfizer in Cork

  • Employees in Cork: 700
  • Activities: API Manufacturing

There has been a Pfizer plant on the Ringaskiddy site since 1969. The site has three organic synthesis plants and a new product testing laboratory.

The company describe the site as a…

“multi-award-winning manufacturing facility [that] is key to the Pfizer business and plays a critical strategic role in new global products and launches”

(Pfizer.com)

As well as manufacturing of bulk pharmaceuticals for export around the world, the site also works alongside Pfizer Global Research & Development to scale up new products for regulatory approval and launch.

Pfizer Ringaskiddy won the Health and Safety award at the Pharma Awards 2022.

Click here to see our full county guide for Cork.

Pfizer in Dublin

  • Employees in Dublin: 3,000+ (over 2,500 within the Grange Castle manufacturing site)
  • Activities: Biologics manufacturing; shared services; R&D; treasury; commercial operations

Pfizer has a commercial and business site at Ringsend in Dublin, but it also has the Grange Castle manufacturing site.

The Grange Castle site (previously owned by Wyeth) is one of the company’s leading biotechnology manufacturing sites. It represents the largest investment in a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Ireland, with a total investment of €1.8 billion. Opened in 2005, the facilities cover more than 1 million square feet making it “one of the largest integrated biopharmaceutical plants in the world”.

Grange Castle is responsible for producing a wide range of biologics and vaccines (including finished vaccine products in pre-filled syringes and the company’s Covid-19 vaccine). The site also manufactures products for clinical trials.

The Quality Control laboratories in Grange Castle provide support to other Pfizer manufacturing sites around the world and there are significant research and development activities happening here as well.

In December 2022, Pfizer announced a €1.2 billion capital investment in the Grange Castle site. The investment, which is Pfizer’s biggest expansion investment to date in Ireland, will see a new facility built on the site premises that will double the capacity for biological drug substance manufacturing at the site. This expansion is expected to create a further 400-500 jobs at Grange Castle. For more information, see the “The Future of Pfizer in Ireland” section below.

Click here for our full county guide for Dublin.

Pfizer in Kildare

  • Employees in Kildare: 1,300
  • Activities: Solid dose pharmaceutical manufacturing

Pfizer established the Newbridge, Kildare site in 1992. After years of ongoing investment (including over €350m since 2006 alone) the site now covers 1 million square feet, making it one of the largest solid dose pharmaceutical manufacturing sites in Europe.

Over 80 products are currently manufactured here and then exported to more than 100 countries around the world.

GetReskilled Students working in Pfizer

Richenda Bailey — From Dentist to Process Technician at Pfizer

GetReskilled Graduate · Now working at Pfizer Ireland

“I have been working as a process technician in Pfizer for over a year now. I absolutely love my new career — I work with a great team and I really am so glad I made the decision to take this course.”
— Richenda Bailey, Process Technician, Pfizer Ireland

Richenda had been self-employed as a dentist for many years before deciding to make a complete career change. With no prior pharmaceutical industry experience, she enrolled in GetReskilled’s Conversion Course into Pharmaceutical Manufacturing. She found the study materials and lectures clear and well-presented, enjoyed every module, and particularly valued the job hunting module — having not needed to prepare a CV or attend an interview for many years. Richenda secured a role as a Process Technician at Pfizer and has now been in post for over a year.

Richenda’s story is a powerful example of what’s possible — a self-employed professional from a completely different field making a successful transition into one of Ireland’s largest and most respected pharmaceutical employers.

Read more graduate success stories →

Pat O’Loughlin — From Semiconductor Industry to Pfizer

GetReskilled Graduate · Now working at Pfizer Ireland

“Focus just as much on learning to actually educate yourself as much as passing exams. I found the course quite useful — I was able to understand terms and concepts about what happened in a pharmaceutical plant. So when I constructed my CV it was useful, and when it came to the interview it was useful again to be able to talk with a bit more authority about what goes on and link it to my own background.”
— Pat O’Loughlin, GetReskilled Graduate, now at Pfizer Ireland

Pat came from a background in the semiconductor industry — a completely different manufacturing environment to pharma. He used the GetReskilled course to build his understanding of pharmaceutical terminology and GMP before applying, which gave him the confidence and language to present himself credibly at interview. His story is a great example of how transferable manufacturing experience, combined with the right industry knowledge, opens doors at companies like Pfizer.

Read Pat’s full story →

The Future of Pfizer in Ireland

In December 2022, Pfizer went on to announce a massive $1.2bn capital investment in their Grange Castle, Dublin site. Once built, the new facility will double the biologic drug substance manufacturing capabilities. The company’s largest single investment in Ireland to date is expected to bring 400-500 permanent new jobs once completed.

“this major additional investment, adding further drug substance capacity to its already substantial Irish operations and jobs, underscores the strategic importance of Ireland in Pfizer’s global operations. It is proof of the company’s future commitment to Ireland and testament to Ireland’s continued attractiveness as a location for investment.”

– IDA Ireland Interim CEO, Mary Buckley.

Connect with Pfizer

How to Get a Job With Pfizer in Ireland

If you already have experience in the pharma or medical device manufacturing industries, you can head straight over Pfizer’s career page and see the current Pfizer 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!)

Frequently Asked Questions About Pfizer in Ireland

Q1) Does Pfizer hire people without previous pharma experience in Ireland?

Yes. While some specialist roles at Pfizer require specific qualifications or prior industry experience, entry-level manufacturing and operator positions are available to candidates from outside the pharmaceutical industry. What Pfizer and other major pharma employers consistently look for is a patient-first mindset, the ability to follow strict procedures, and an understanding of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). Completing a pharma-specific retraining course before applying significantly strengthens your application.

Q2) What types of jobs are available at Pfizer Ireland?

Pfizer Ireland employs people across a wide range of functions including pharmaceutical manufacturing and production operations, biologics and vaccine manufacturing, quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC), engineering and facilities maintenance, validation and CQV roles, research and development, and shared services including finance, HR, and IT. Entry-level manufacturing operator and technician roles are typically the most accessible for career changers.

Q3) Where are Pfizer’s sites in Ireland?

Pfizer operates across three locations in Ireland. The Ringaskiddy site in Cork has been operational since 1969 and focuses on active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing, employing around 700 people. The Grange Castle site in Dublin is one of the largest biopharmaceutical manufacturing plants in the world, employing over 2,500 people and producing biologics, vaccines, and clinical trial materials. The Newbridge site in Kildare focuses on solid dose pharmaceutical manufacturing, employs approximately 1,300 people, and produces over 80 products exported to more than 100 countries.

Q4) What is Pfizer making at its Irish sites?

Pfizer’s Irish operations produce a broad range of pharmaceutical products. The Cork site manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) — the core chemical compounds used in medicines. The Dublin site manufactures biologics, vaccines (including the BioNTech-Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty), and products for clinical trials. The Kildare site manufactures solid dose pharmaceuticals — tablets and capsules — across more than 80 product lines for global distribution.

Q5) How do I get a job at Pfizer Ireland with no pharma experience?

The most effective route is to first build a foundation of pharmaceutical industry knowledge — specifically an understanding of GMP, pharma manufacturing processes, and the regulatory environment — before applying. GetReskilled’s Conversion Course into Pharmaceutical Manufacturing is a 10-week part-time online programme designed specifically for people making this transition regardless of their previous background. No science or engineering knowledge is required. Once qualified, you can apply directly through Pfizer’s careers portal or monitor vacancies on our pharma jobs board.

Q6) How many people does Pfizer employ in Ireland?

Pfizer employs approximately 5,000 people across its four Irish sites — around 700 in Cork, over 2,500 in Dublin, and approximately 1,300 in Kildare. This makes Pfizer one of the largest pharmaceutical employers in Ireland. The planned €1.2 billion expansion at Grange Castle is expected to add a further 400–500 permanent positions once complete.

Q7) Is Pfizer a good company to work for in Ireland?

Based on employee reviews, Pfizer Ireland scores an average of 4 out of 5 stars as an employer. The company was ranked No.1 in the Most Attractive Employers Index Ireland 2022 in the engineering and natural sciences categories. Pfizer is known for competitive salaries, strong benefits packages, ongoing professional development, and a well-established culture of safety and quality. As one of the largest and most established pharma employers in the country, it also offers significant long-term career progression opportunities.

Q8) What is the €1.2 billion Pfizer Grange Castle expansion?

In December 2022 Pfizer announced a €1.2 billion capital investment in its Grange Castle site in Dublin — its largest single investment in Ireland to date. The expansion will build a new facility on the site that doubles the biologic drug substance manufacturing capacity. It is expected to create 400–500 permanent new jobs at the site once completed. IDA Ireland described the investment as proof of Ireland’s continued attractiveness as a global pharmaceutical manufacturing location.

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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.