A pharmaceutical company is to create nearly 130 jobs in Northern Ireland.
Co Armagh-based Almac said it was creating 99 full time and 28 temporary posts and held out the prospect of more to come.
Over 90 per cent of the permanent jobs are for graduates, with scientists in particular being sought.
The fast-growing Craigavon company is boosting its staff after taking on 250 people last year, bringing its Northern Ireland workforce to 1,559 and 2,422 worldwide.
It said 20 of the full-time posts were filled in January with an additional 25 due to start this month. A further 54 are being advertised.
Almac provides research, development and manufacturing services for more than 600 companies world wide and the jobs are being created across the range of the company's research and pharmaceutical development activities.
Chief executive Alan Armstrong said he was confident that 2009 would be a year of significant growth for the company.
"Last year we grew our employee numbers by 15 per cent in Northern Ireland," he said.
"This is down to the continued success of the company in the pharmaceutical sector and particularly in the clinical trial and research areas."
The majority of positions they were seeking to fill would require a third-level qualification, he said.
PA