AN IRISH cloud computing firm is set for a major expansion, creating 75 new positions at its Dublin and UK operations.

Ammeon, which provides software to telecommunications firms, has already filled 46 of the roles at its headquarters in Dublin in the past few weeks.

It is now looking for candidates to take up the remaining positions. Nine of the jobs will be at its UK subsidiary in Reading.

The high-tech positions have become necessary as the company expands its business in Europe and the Americas.

The new jobs – which will include software architects, senior software developers and business development specialists – are part of Ammeon’s strategy that focuses on helping telecommunications carriers and infrastructure providers to move to cloud-based services.

The firm is targeting application development, high-availability telecommunications platforms and test automation to boost growth.

Ammeon is hoping to attract both graduates and experienced emigrants returning to Ireland for the remaining 20 jobs, which it is aiming to fill next year.

Chairman Joe Cunningham says the firm is confident it will find the necessary skills, despite the availability of fewer science and engineering graduates.

“We’re confident we’ll get them but it’s certainly more challenging,” he said.

Ammeon has experience of driving innovation despite a difficult economic environment.

The firm was founded in 2003, but has roots back more than two decades to the team that was involved in developing text messaging technology in the 1990s.

Mr Cunningham pointed out the company managed to recruit the necessary staff in the 1980s.

Despite the current slowdown in the Irish and global economies, Mr Cunningham said the industry is recording growth at the moment.

“People are going for the relatively safe jobs,” he explained.

“Ironically, we’re moving into that ‘safe’ category,” he said.

The company is primarily export-focused, and is looking to the US to grow further.

However, the company expects that most of the growth in high-skilled jobs at Ammeon will be focused at the Irish headquarters in Dublin.

This is thanks to the availability of strong technical skills to put projects out on time according to the firm.

“We can do that in Ireland and do it extremely competitively,” he said.

“It’s that level of skill you can’t get anywhere else.”

However, Mr Cunningham warned that a lack of skilled graduates may undermine this, and the company has been proactive in contacting colleges to consult on courses that would help meet these needs.