Occupation Summary

Solar Energy Systems Engineers

O*NET 17-2199.11

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.

Annual Wages:
$116,753.00
Employment Rate:
Employment is expected to increase by 14.66%.
Education Level:
Bachelor's Degree. According to O*Net, the majority of people employed in this occupation have this level of education.
Endorsement:
STEM

  1. Test or evaluate photovoltaic (PV) cells or modules.
  2. Review specifications and recommend engineering or manufacturing changes to achieve solar design objectives.
  3. Perform thermal, stress, or cost reduction analyses for solar systems.
  4. Develop standard operation procedures and quality or safety standards for solar installation work.
  5. Design or develop vacuum tube collector systems for solar applications.
  6. Provide technical direction or support to installation teams during installation, start-up, testing, system commissioning, or performance monitoring.
  7. Perform computer simulation of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation system performance or energy production to optimize efficiency.
  8. Develop design specifications and functional requirements for residential, commercial, or industrial solar energy systems or components.
  9. Create plans for solar energy system development, monitoring, and evaluation activities.
  10. Create electrical single-line diagrams, panel schedules, or connection diagrams for solar electric systems, using computer-aided design (CAD) software.
  11. Create checklists for review or inspection of completed solar installation projects.
  12. Design or coordinate design of photovoltaic (PV) or solar thermal systems, including system components, for residential and commercial buildings.
  13. Conduct engineering site audits to collect structural, electrical, and related site information for use in the design of residential or commercial solar power systems.


National Industry Employment Patterns


Industry % of Solar Energy Systems Engineers employed Annual Growth Rate
Architectural, engineering, and related services 12.2 0.47
Scientific research and development services 6 0.67
Aerospace product and parts manufacturing 4.7 0.49
Employment services 4.2 0.27
Computer systems design and related services 3.3 1.32
Electronic instrument manufacturing 3.2 0.18
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services 2.3 1.24
Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing 2.1 1.09


Labor Market Information


2023 Statewide average hourly wage $56.13
2023 National average hourly wage $56.90
2022 National employment 170,300
2022 Texas employment 9,767
Texas projected employment by 2032 11,199
Texas projected annual employment and Turnover openings through 2032 735




TEXAS COUNTY MAP BY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AREA
* Due to confidentiality rules, not all regions may have the data displayed. The sum of all the regions may not be equal to the state total.


Top 10 Relevant Knowledge Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Engineering and Technology
Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
86.40%
Design
Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
82.80%
Building and Construction
Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
78.60%
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
76.40%
Mechanical
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
71.20%
Physics
Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
65.80%
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
65.80%
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
64.20%
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
62.80%
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
59.20%


Top 10 Relevant Skill Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
80.00%
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
80.00%
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
77.60%
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
77.60%
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
77.60%
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
75.00%
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
67.60%
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
67.60%
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
65.00%
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
65.00%


Top 10 Relevant Abilities Relevant Importance Levels
Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
80.00%
Written Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
80.00%
Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
80.00%
Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
80.00%
Inductive Reasoning
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
77.60%
Fluency of Ideas
The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
77.60%
Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
77.60%
Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
75.00%
Mathematical Reasoning
The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
72.40%
Information Ordering
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
72.40%


  • 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.
  • Working with Computers
    -- Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Other Activities


  • Achievement
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
  • Working Conditions
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.



Tools

Abrasion testers: Abrasion testers;

Ageing ovens: Accelerated weathering machines; Solar simulators;

Ammeters: Picoammeters; Recording ammeters;

Analytical balances: High-precision balances;

Atomic absorption AA spectrometers: Atomic absorption spectrometers;

Binocular light compound microscopes: Optical compound microscopes;

Brushless motor DC: Direct current DC power supplies;

Calorimeters: Differential scanning calorimeters;

Capacitance meters: Inductance capacitance resistance LCR meters;

Colorimeters: Spectrocolorimeters;

Compression testers: Compression testers;

Coulometers: Flow coulometric detectors; Coulometers;

Creep testers: Creep testers;

Electrical frequency meters: Phase angle meters;

Electrometers: Electrometers;

Extruders: Film extruders;

Fatigue testers: Fatigue testers;

Fish tape: Pull testers;

Flexure or transverse testing machines: Flexure testers;

Frequency calibrator or simulator: Photovoltaic array simulators;

Goniometers or arthrometers: Goniometers or arthrometers;

Graphic recorders: Current versus voltage IV curve tracers;

Graphics tablets: Graphics tablets;

Hand held camcorders or video cameras: Video cameras;

Hardness testers: Hardness testers;

Hipot testers: Hipot testers;

Impact testers: Impact testers;

Infrared dryers: Ultraviolet UV exposure units;

Infrared imagers: Infrared cameras;

Infrared spectrometers: Fourier transform infrared FTIR spectrometers;

Isolation glove boxes: Inert atmosphere glove boxes;

Laboratory evaporators: Electron beam evaporators; Vacuum evaporators;

Laboratory mechanical convection ovens: Humidity ovens; Bench ovens;

Laminators: Vacuum laminators;

Laser fax machine: Laser facsimile machines;

Laser printers: Laser printers;

Lasers: Lasers;

Liquid chromatographs: Liquid chromatographs LC;

Load frame: Load frames;

Mass spectrometers: Mass spectrometers;

Megohmmeters: Meggers;

Metal testing instruments: Adhesion testers;

Moisture meters: Moisture analyzers;

Multi gas monitors: Permeation testers;

Optical character recognition systems: Optical scanners;

Orbital shakers: Mechanical shakers;

Personal computers: Personal computers;

pH meters: pH meters;

Photocopiers: Copy machines;

Plotter printers: Plotters;

Pocket calculator: Hand calculators;

Polarimeters: Polarographic analyzers;

Portable data input terminals: Data loggers;

Potentiometers: Chronopotentiometers; Potentiostats;

Power meters: Apparent power meters; Power quality meters; Reactive power meters;

Refrigerated and heated reach in environmental or growth chambers: Environmental chambers;

Resistance thermometers: Digital resistance thermometers;

Rheometers: Rheometers;

Roughness measuring instruments: Surface profilometers;

Scanning electron microscopes: Field emission scanning electron microscopes FESEM; Scanning electron microscopes SEM;

Scanning probe microscopes: Scanning probe microscopes SPM;

Semiconductor process systems: Focused ion beam FIB systems; Ion beam assisted deposition IBAD systems; Ion mills; Mask aligners; Micromanipulators; Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition PECVD systems; Spin coaters; Sputtering systems;

Semiconductor testers: Lifetime testers;

Shear strength testers: Shear testers;

Signal generators: Digital pattern generators;

Solar radiation surface observing apparatus: Pyranometers; Irradiance detectors;

Spectrometers: Photoluminescence spectrometers; Auger electron spectrometers; Electron energy loss spectrometers; Energy dispersive x-ray spectrometers EDS; Reflectance spectrometers; Raman spectrometers; X-ray photoelectron spectrometers;

Spectrophotometers: Fluorescence spectrophotometers; Spectrophotometers;

Strain gauges: Strain gauges;

Temperature cycling chambers or thermal cyclers: Thermal cyclers;

Tension testers: Tensile testers;

Thermo gravimetry analyzers: Thermogravimetric analyzers;

Thermocouples: Thermocouples; Thermopiles;

Thickness measuring devices: Spectroscopic ellipsometers;

Transmission electron microscopes: Transmission electron microscopes TEM;

Tube furnaces: Laboratory tube furnaces;

Ultrasonic cleaning equipment: Ultrasonic cleaners;

Vacuum ovens: Vacuum ovens;

Videoscopes: Digital imaging microscopes;

Voltage or current meters: Voltmeters;

X ray diffraction equipment: X ray diffractometers;


Technology

Analytical or scientific software: Ansys Fluent; Aurora HelioScope; Data acquisition software; Data visualization software; Energy-10; Finite element method FEM software; HOMER Micropower Optimization Model; National Instruments Compact FieldPoint System; PV Optics; PVsyst; Optical Physics Technologies SUN_CHART; Regional Energy Deployment System ReEDS; RETScreen; Solar Advisor Model; Solar and Wind Energy Resource Assessment SWERA; SOLAR-2; SolTrace; Simple Model of the Atmospheric Radiative Transfer of Sunshine SMARTS; Simulation software; The MathWorks MATLAB;

Computer aided design CAD software: Trimble SketchUp Pro; IMSI TurboCAD; Computer aided design and drafting CADD software; Dassault Systemes SolidWorks; Autodesk AutoCAD; Autodesk AutoCAD LT; Autodesk Revit;

Customer relationship management CRM software: Salesforce software;

Data base user interface and query software: Structured query language SQL; Database software; Microsoft Access;

Development environment software: National Instruments LabVIEW; Microsoft Visual Basic; Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications VBA; Software development tools;

Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook;

Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Oracle Hyperion;

Geographic information system: ETAP; Geographic information system GIS systems;

Industrial control software: Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software;

Mobile location based services software: Global positioning system GPS software;

Object or component oriented development software: C++; Python; Python Tools for Visual Studio (PTVS); R;

Office suite software: Microsoft Office software;

Operating system software: Linux; Bash;

Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint;

Process mapping and design software: Microsoft Visio;

Program testing software: Debugging software;

Project management software: Microsoft Project;

Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel;

Web platform development software: JavaScript;

Word processing software: Microsoft Word;


Related O*NET occupational titles for Solar Energy Systems Engineers include:
  • 17-2071.00 Electrical Engineers
  • 17-2072.00 Electronics Engineers, Except Computer
  • 47-4011.01 Energy Auditors
  • 17-2199.03 Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar
  • 17-2141.00 Mechanical Engineers
  • 47-1011.03 Solar Energy Installation Managers
  • 41-4011.07 Solar Sales Representatives and Assessors
  • 47-2152.04 Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians
  • 11-9199.10 Wind Energy Development Managers
  • 17-2199.10 Wind Energy Engineers


No sources of additional information found.

Contact Texas Workforce Commission
Labor Market and Career Information  |  101 E. 15th Street, Annex Room 0252  |  Austin, Texas 78778
Official Website  |  1-800-822-PLAN (7526)  |  512.936.3200

** The information in this report may be derived from many sources like O*NET, BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), OOH (Occupational Outlook Handbook), and Career One Stop.