Biomedical engineering is the application of engineering principles to study how the human body works and to design medical devices and diagnostic equipment. Biomedical engineers are found working in companies making medical devices such as cardiac pacemakers, stents, MRI scanners and aids for people with disabilities. They also work in pharmaceutical companies and as clinical engineers in hospitals.

Though the biomedical engineering sector worldwide is not as large as some of the major, traditional engineering sectors such as telecommunications and automotive engineering, Ireland has a very strong concentration of medical companies making it a European hub for the manufacture of medical devices and pharmaceuticals. These companies have a strong need for high quality graduates at the Masters and PhD level because of the high technical level of their products.