Bechtel Picks Dublin for Software Center

The Bechtel Group, one of the world’s largest engineering companies, said Monday that it has picked Dublin, Ireland, as the site for its new international computer software center.

The center, which will create up to 30 jobs in three years, likely will open this fall and be housed in rented space somewhere in the Irish capital, a spokesman for San Francisco-based Bechtel said.

Announcement of the center followed negotiations between Bechtel and the Industrial Development Authority of Ireland.

In a prepared statement, Bechtel said the new software center will “support a variety of the firm’s software products on an international basis.”

Operations will include development and modification of software in the areas of project management, artificial intelligence, financial systems and custom contract programming.

The company noted that it was involved in the construction of three hotels in Dublin in the early 1960s, as well as other industrial projects in Ireland.

Bechtel, a privately held construction and engineering services company, during the past few months has moved to boost its computer services by acquiring a Florida-based consulting firm that specializes in expert computer systems and reorganizing its 700-person information technology operations into a new business unit.

In addition to providing construction and consulting services worldwide, Bechtel also markets software through its technology unit and publishes U.S. market data through an arrangement with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The privately held company said it performed $4.5 billion in work in 75 countries last year.