US-based cyber security firm Contrast Security will create 120 jobs, paying an expected average of £30,000 at its new development centre in Belfast over the next three years.
The Californian company specialises in software security. Its technology includes sensors that work inside applications to uncover vulnerabilities, allowing software developers to easily write secure software and protecting them from data breaches.
The new development and delivery centre at River House in Belfast is part of the company’s international expansion, including serving companies worldwide in key verticals such as financial services, eCommerce, retail, insurance, healthcare, enterprise IT and technology companies.
Belfast’s Lord Mayor Councillor John Finucane said: “We are delighted to welcome Contrast Security to Belfast and we’re pleased to hear that direct access to experienced professionals, strong technical universities, and proximity to their European customer base have all influenced their decision. We’re committed to securing Foreign Direct Investment through our Belfast Agenda – and to putting ourselves at the forefront of innovation and digital development through the Belfast Region City Deal, so this is excellent news today.”
Economic development agency Invest NI has offered £786,500 towards the creation of new jobs, which its CEO, Alastair Hamilton says will contribute nearly £4m annually in additional salaries when fully operational.
He continued: “Cybersecurity is one of the greatest challenges facing the public, private and third-party sectors. In today’s digital world every major company across almost every industry is building software to empower the digital experiences consumers expect.
“As more products and services are procured, delivered or operated via the internet, the risk of security breaches by well organised, highly motivated criminals increases daily.The new centre will include an R&D (research and development) team of software developers to help create new innovative products, along with sales and marketing teams to support the company’s European growth plans.”
The cybersecurity industry in Northern Ireland is on course to employ almost 1,700 cybersecurity professionals, generating salaries of over £70m each year in the field.
“We’re continuing to execute on our vision to ‘Finally Make All Software Secure’ and be the global leader in application security,” said Alan Naumann, CEO at Contrast Security.
“There are 30 million developers worldwide and our job is to enable them to easily deliver software that is inherently secure and built to withstand sophisticated attacks. To do this, we have ambitious plans to expand our footprint across Europe and the team here in Northern Ireland will be crucial to helping us achieve this.”
