Overview
Responsibilities
T-A-S-K
Education
Income & Employability
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Related Careers

Description

Perform site-specific engineering analysis or evaluation of energy efficiency and solar projects involving residential, commercial, or industrial customers. Design solar domestic hot water and space heating systems for new and existing structures, applying knowledge of structural energy requirements, local climates, solar technology, and thermodynamics.

Interests

  • Realistic
  • Investigative
  • Conventional

Learn More about Interests

Work Values

  • Achievement
  • Working Conditions
  • Independence

Learn More about Work Values

Work Styles

  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Integrity
  • Cooperation
  • Adaptability/Flexibility

Learn More about Work Styles

Tasks

  • Conduct engineering site audits to collect structural, electrical, and related site information for use in the design of residential or commercial solar power systems.
  • Create plans for solar energy system development, monitoring, and evaluation activities.
  • Design or coordinate design of photovoltaic (PV) or solar thermal systems, including system components, for residential and commercial buildings.
  • Provide technical direction or support to installation teams during installation, start-up, testing, system commissioning, or performance monitoring.
  • Create electrical single-line diagrams, panel schedules, or connection diagrams for solar electric systems, using computer-aided design (CAD) software.

Work Activities

  • Getting Information
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Detailed Work Activities

  • Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment - Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Technology Skills

  • Analytical or scientific software
  • Presentation software
  • Computer aided design CAD software
  • Development environment software
  • Object or component oriented development software

Skills

  • Critical Thinking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Complex Problem Solving
  • Speaking
  • Writing

Knowledge

  • Engineering and Technology
  • Design
  • Building and Construction
  • Mathematics
  • Mechanical

Most Common Education Level

The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.

Certificates

Certificate name

PV Design Specialist

Certifying Organization

North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners

Type

Specialty

Certificate name

Engineering Principles

Certifying Organization

YouScience

Type

Core

Income Percentile

The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.

Income PercentileIncome
Low (10%)$NaN
Median (50%)$NaN
High (90%)$NaN

Income by Experience

This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–7 years), to senior level (8+ years).

ExperienceIncome
Entry Level$50,000
Mid Level$100,000
Senior Level$150,000

Employability

There are currently 161,100 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 169,200 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 5%.

The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.

Projected Job Growth of 5%

The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), with ONET® being a registered trademark of USDOL/ETA. Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA; CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA) and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED); and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

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