Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar
In the Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar occupation, workers design, develop, or evaluate energy-related projects or programs to reduce energy costs or improve energy efficiency during the designing, building, or remodeling stages of construction. A regular part of the work is to identify and recommend energy savings strategies to achieve more energy-efficient operation. With a code of RIC, this is mostly a job for people drawn to hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world. Investigative interests also help, rated 4.7 out of 7. Plan on a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience; O*NET labels this considerable preparation. Strength in reading comprehension, writing, and systems analysis helps most here. It tends to suit people who want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, and it offers little for anyone seeking creative work with room for original expression.
What they do
Design, develop, or evaluate energy-related projects or programs to reduce energy costs or improve energy efficiency during the designing, building, or remodeling stages of construction. May specialize in electrical systems; heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems; green buildings; lighting; air quality; or energy procurement.
Main tasks
- Identify and recommend energy savings strategies to achieve more energy-efficient operation.
- Collect data for energy conservation analyses, using jobsite observation, field inspections, or sub-metering.
- Monitor and analyze energy consumption.
- Prepare energy-related project reports or related documentation.
- Monitor energy related design or construction issues, such as energy engineering, energy management, or sustainable design.
- Conduct energy audits to evaluate energy use and to identify conservation and cost reduction measures.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Systems Analysis
- Critical Thinking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Active Listening
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
- You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
- You are ready to spend around four years on a degree, then build experience.
- You are comfortable relying on reading comprehension and writing.
May not suit you if
- You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
- You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 2.0 out of 7 here.
- You want to avoid a four-year degree or its equivalent.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RIC takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.
Preparation
Considerable preparation. Most jobs here ask for a bachelor’s degree, and employers usually expect a few years of related experience as well.
Also called
- Energy Efficiency Engineer
- Energy Engineer
- Industrial Energy Engineer
- Test and Balance Engineer (TAB Engineer)
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.