Management consulting firm Accenture is to create 100 new jobs over the next four years at a new research and innovation centre in Dublin.
The company, which already employs 1,300 staff in Ireland, said the centre will develop advanced statistical modelling techniques known as analytics.
The investment, which is backed by IDA Ireland, will form part of a wider Accenture global network of innovation centres dedicated to analytics.
Accenture Ireland managing director Mark Ryan said the announcement marked "another milestone" in the ongoing development of the company in Ireland.
"Many of the 100 new roles created will be focussed specifically on research and development and we are currently recruiting both graduates and experienced hires with analytical and statistics experience ranging from PhD level to graduate level," he said.
Minister for Enterprise Batt O'Keeffe said the Accenture jobs showed Government investment in research was vital for recovery.
"The creation of 100 jobs in Accenture's new analytics innovation centre demonstrates that the Government's approach to investing in our research and development capacity is the right one for economic recovery," Mr O'Keeffe said.
IDA Ireland's Barry O'Leary said: "Analytics constitutes an area of growing importance within services and this is an important investment by a global leader in professional business services."
The business analytics services market, including advanced analytics and other related sources is expected to continue to grow, estimated by IDC to exceed $48 billion globally by 2013.