Brightwater is a Dublin-based specialist recruitment consultancy established in 1998, covering professional services, technical, and executive roles across permanent, contract, and temporary placements.
View Brightwater Recruitment's salary guideFigures reported by Brightwater Recruitment, not verified by us. The numbers below reflect roles reported in Brightwater Recruitment's published 2026 Ireland salary guide, one of several sources behind PayMetric Labs' independent Ireland benchmarks. This page is not produced, endorsed, or affiliated with Brightwater Recruitment. See our disclaimer for details.
| Role | Brightwater Recruitment range | PayMetric Labs median |
|---|---|---|
| Lead Software Engineer | €100K to €120K | €90K |
| Scala Developer | €85K to €95K | €90K |
| Python Developer | €70K to €75K | €75K |
| Front End Developer | €65K to €75K | €70K |
| Java Developer | €65K to €70K | €75K |
| .NET Developer | €60K to €70K | €68K |
| Android Developer | €60K to €70K | €73K |
| C/C++ Developer | €60K to €70K | €68K |
Comparing Brightwater Recruitment's 2025 and 2026 guides, reported figures moved by an average of +0% across roles covered in both years.
Brightwater Recruitment's reported range vs PayMetric Labs' blended Ireland median for the same role.
.NET Developer
PayMetric Labs median: €68K
0% vs 2025 guide
€60K-€70K
-4% vs blended median
Android Developer
PayMetric Labs median: €73K
0% vs 2025 guide
€60K-€70K
-11% vs blended median
C/C++ Developer
PayMetric Labs median: €68K
0% vs 2025 guide
€60K-€70K
-4% vs blended median
Engineering Manager
PayMetric Labs median: €103K
0% vs 2025 guide
€110K-€140K
+21% vs blended median
Enterprise Architect
PayMetric Labs median: €120K
0% vs 2025 guide
€90K-€130K
-8% vs blended median
Front End Developer
PayMetric Labs median: €70K
0% vs 2025 guide
€65K-€75K
0% vs blended median
Java Developer
PayMetric Labs median: €75K
0% vs 2025 guide
€65K-€70K
-9% vs blended median
Lead Software Engineer
PayMetric Labs median: €90K
0% vs 2025 guide
€100K-€120K
+22% vs blended median
PHP Developer
PayMetric Labs median: €63K
0% vs 2025 guide
€55K-€65K
-5% vs blended median
Python Developer
PayMetric Labs median: €75K
0% vs 2025 guide
€70K-€75K
-3% vs blended median
QA Engineer
PayMetric Labs median: €65K
0% vs 2025 guide
€75K-€85K
+23% vs blended median
Scala Developer
PayMetric Labs median: €90K
0% vs 2025 guide
€85K-€95K
0% vs blended median
Solutions Architect
PayMetric Labs median: €109K
0% vs 2025 guide
€95K-€120K
-1% vs blended median
Brightwater Recruitment's reported range vs PayMetric Labs' blended Ireland median for the same role.
Cybersecurity Analyst
PayMetric Labs median: €70K
0% vs 2025 guide
€60K-€85K
+4% vs blended median
GRC Specialist
PayMetric Labs median: €78K
+15% vs 2025 guide
€60K-€95K
0% vs blended median
IT Auditor
PayMetric Labs median: €70K
0% vs 2025 guide
€55K-€85K
0% vs blended median
Security Architect
PayMetric Labs median: €113K
-5% vs 2025 guide
€80K-€110K
-16% vs blended median
Security Engineer
PayMetric Labs median: €80K
-15% vs 2025 guide
€55K-€80K
-15% vs blended median
Brightwater Recruitment's reported range vs PayMetric Labs' blended Ireland median for the same role.
BI Developer
PayMetric Labs median: €78K
0% vs 2025 guide
€65K-€80K
-6% vs blended median
Data Analyst
PayMetric Labs median: €63K
0% vs 2025 guide
€55K-€70K
0% vs blended median
Data Architect
PayMetric Labs median: €113K
0% vs 2025 guide
€100K-€130K
+2% vs blended median
Data Engineer
PayMetric Labs median: €70K
0% vs 2025 guide
€65K-€75K
0% vs blended median
Data Scientist
PayMetric Labs median: €93K
0% vs 2025 guide
€80K-€90K
-9% vs blended median
Head of Analytics
PayMetric Labs median: €130K
€140K-€160K
+15% vs blended median
Brightwater Recruitment's reported range vs PayMetric Labs' blended Ireland median for the same role.
Brightwater Recruitment's reported range vs PayMetric Labs' blended Ireland median for the same role.
Cloud Engineer
PayMetric Labs median: €90K
0% vs 2025 guide
€85K-€120K
+14% vs blended median
IT Support Specialist
PayMetric Labs median: €50K
0% vs 2025 guide
€40K-€60K
0% vs blended median
Platform Engineer
PayMetric Labs median: €80K
-14% vs 2025 guide
€50K-€110K
0% vs blended median
Service Delivery Manager
PayMetric Labs median: €85K
0% vs 2025 guide
€60K-€95K
-8% vs blended median
Systems Administrator
PayMetric Labs median: €65K
+16% vs 2025 guide
€60K-€85K
+12% vs blended median
Brightwater Recruitment's reported range vs PayMetric Labs' blended Ireland median for the same role.
Brightwater Recruitment's reported range vs PayMetric Labs' blended Ireland median for the same role.
Brightwater Recruitment's reported range vs PayMetric Labs' blended Ireland median for the same role.
Agile Coach
PayMetric Labs median: €86K
0% vs 2025 guide
€75K-€100K
+2% vs blended median
Business Analyst
PayMetric Labs median: €70K
0% vs 2025 guide
€60K-€85K
+4% vs blended median
PMO Analyst
PayMetric Labs median: €55K
€55K-€75K
+18% vs blended median
Programme Manager
PayMetric Labs median: €108K
0% vs 2025 guide
€95K-€140K
+9% vs blended median
Project Manager
PayMetric Labs median: €83K
+15% vs 2025 guide
€85K-€110K
+18% vs blended median
Scrum Master
PayMetric Labs median: €81K
0% vs 2025 guide
€75K-€100K
+9% vs blended median
The figures reported above come from Brightwater Recruitment's own published Ireland salary guide (2026). This page is not produced, endorsed, or reviewed by Brightwater Recruitment, it's an independent comparison built by PayMetric Labs, showing Brightwater Recruitment's reported figures alongside our own blended Ireland benchmarks, which draw on Brightwater Recruitment's guide as one of several contributing sources.
For each role, we compare Brightwater Recruitment's reported typical salary to PayMetric Labs' blended national median for that same role in Ireland. A positive variance means Brightwater Recruitment reports higher than the blended market median; a negative variance means lower. It isn't a judgement on which figure is "right", different agencies see different segments of the market depending on their client base and specialisms.
Both figures are aggregate benchmarks, not a quote for any specific role. Company size, sector, location within Ireland, and individual experience all move real offers away from any published median. Use the linked role pages for a fuller breakdown by seniority and location.
Every figure on this page is gross. To see what a role in Brightwater Recruitment's guide actually pays after tax in Ireland, open the relevant role page above and use the take-home pay calculator, which breaks the figure down band by band using current 2026 rates.
Use it as a national benchmark rather than a guaranteed Dublin offer. Dublin hiring can differ by employer, work arrangement, specialist skill, and seniority. Open the role page for the city and seniority context behind the published range before using it in a negotiation.
Yes. Compare like-for-like roles and years, then use the blended PayMetric Labs median as a separate reference point. A difference between guides is not automatically an error: recruitment firms can see different employer segments, locations, and candidate seniority mixes.
Next step
A salary guide is one view of the market. Compare it with the wider benchmark before you use it in a conversation or offer decision.
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