Louth’s Xocean to create 300 jobs in the marine-tech space

21 Jul 2023

Opportunities at Xocean include engineering roles, as well as roles in data analysis, project management, technical operations and geophysics.

Xocean, a Louth-headquartered company that provides turnkey ocean data to clients, has announced it is creating 300 new jobs. The company’s news coincided with the official opening of its new marine robotics tech centre in Rathcor, Co Louth.

The centre will be a base for Xocean’s team of engineers and robotics professionals. The company has already expanded its headcount in recent times, having doubled its staff to more than 200 over the past 12 months. It’s aiming to increase the team to 500 over the next two years. Some of the jobs currently advertised are remote, while others are onsite.

As part of this recruitment round the company is looking to hire across all areas of its business, with jobs available for engineers, technicians, data analysts, project managers, geophysicists, field operatives and qualified mariners.

Xocean’s client list includes a variety of international customers, with many in the offshore wind market. The growing offshore wind industry is driving a major uptick in demand for ocean data. “Xocean continues to experience rapid growth, driven largely by the major expansion of the international offshore wind market and the need for clean, renewable energy globally,” said James Ives, CEO of Xocean.

The company delivers this data using marine robotics called uncrewed surface vessels, which are manufactured and maintained by the company’s team in Louth. They can perform tasks such as mapping the seabed and monitoring the marine environment. The company’s emit less carbon than other vessels providing similar services.

“Xocean is delighted to be supporting many of the world’s largest energy companies through the delivery of safe, cost-effective and ultra-low-impact ocean data. The future looks set to be an exciting time for Xocean as we continue to grow our brilliant team and our fleet of uncrewed surface vessels to meet growing market demands,” said Ives.

Minister of State for Trade Promotion and Digital Transformation, Dara Calleary, TD, attended the opening of the company’s new tech centre. “Ireland is one of the largest maritime states in Europe and has become a global leader in the uncrewed service vessel market and marine-tech sector,” he said, describing Xocean as “a young, but truly innovative company”.

Founded in 2017, the business has offices in the UK, Canada, Norway and Australia as well as in Ireland.

10 things you need to know direct to your inbox every weekday. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic’s digest of essential sci-tech news.

Blathnaid O’Dea
By Blathnaid O’Dea

Blathnaid O’Dea joined Silicon Republic in 2021 as Careers reporter, coming from a background in the Humanities. She likes people, pranking, pictures of puffins – and apparently alliteration.

Loading now, one moment please! Loading