Almac creates jobs for graduates - graduate jobs

Job opportunities will be available to science graduates after pharmaceutical company Almac Laboratories announced major expansion plans.

More than 500 new jobs are to be created at its Portadown base, taking the number of people employed at the plant to over 2,000, and more than 3,000 worldwide.

Many of the jobs in the research and development fields will be given to new graduates.

Almac chairman Sir Allen McClay said the expansion plans were an "exciting development". He added: "We have attracted graduates from all over the world working with us, including many from countries like Russia, India, China and France. We are working with local universities to attract the right sort of people to our company."

Director of commercial development, John Irvine, said the three-storey office block, followed by a new laboratory suite is the first stage of a five year plan.

A new $120 million (£74 million) plant in Pennsylvania, US, is set to open in July 2010.