Solar Energy Engineer

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Work Tasks

SOLAR ENERGY ENGINEERS harness the power of the sun for use in supplying needs. They use the sun's energy to provide heat, light, hot water, electricity, and even cooling, for homes, businesses, and industry. Solar energy engineers design solar hot water, space heating and cooling systems, and lighting for new and existing structures. They estimate energy requirements of buildings based on utility bills, thermal efficiency, and prevailing weather conditions and calculate the heat generating capacity of different solar panels to determine the best size to use.

Salary, Size & Growth

• $80,500 average per year ($38.75 per hour)
• A medium occupation (139,600 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow slowly (0.6% per year)

Entry Requirements

A bachelor's degree in engineering is generally required for entry-level engineering jobs. College graduation with a degree in a physical science or mathematics may occasionally qualify for some engineering jobs. Graduate training is essential for engineering faculty positions. Many engineers obtain graduate degrees in engineering or business administration to learn new technology, broaden their education, and improve their advancement opportunities. Licensing may be required for SOLAR ENERGY ENGINEERS. Licensing requirements include a degree from an engineering program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), four years of relevant work experience, and a passing grade on two national examinations.