You’ve always been fascinated by how things work and how you can “create” the future. And your zest for all things environmentally friendly runs deep. Becoming an energy engineer will allow you to tap into both passions.
Research shows that employment in the mechanical engineering field, including energy engineering, is slated to increase by 2% between 2021 and 2031.
As global energy systems become increasingly important, careers in this field will only continue to expand. The question is, “What does an energy engineer do?”
Here’s a rundown of everything you need to know about energy engineering jobs in the USA.
Let’s jump in!
Energy engineers work with new kinds of alternative energy sources. They are trailblazers when it comes to the development of new fuel options, like solar power and wind.
As an energy engineer, you will work with companies and government agencies to meet people’s energy needs long term. As part of this process, you will design and develop projects and programs related to energy.
In addition, you may evaluate construction projects to determine how well they are reducing energy costs. Likewise, you may assess how well energy efficiency is being improved during a construction project. This is important during the remodeling, building, and designing states of construction.
As an energy engineer, you may specialize in several areas. These include the following:
You might even specialize in HVAC systems.
On the job as an energy engineer, you will be responsible for identifying and recommending energy-saving strategies. This will allow companies to operate in an energy-efficient way.
You may also conduct audits to assess a company’s current energy use. Then, you can identify the cost reduction and conservation measures they need to take.
Finally, you will handle the monitoring and analysis of energy consumption.
The majority of the energy in the world came from fossil fuels, like oil. Unfortunately, such fuels aren’t renewable.
For this reason, energy engineers must find alternative fuel sources. And they must do this quickly before people all over the world consume the resources that are currently available.
Energy engineers may also take part in projects involving creating technologies designed to drive more efficient energy consumption.
In addition to working with solar and wind power, energy engineers work with water power and geothermal energy — the energy present in the crust of the earth.
In an energy engineering job, you will design the methods needed to trap and use these types of energy without harming the environment. This energy can be used to power homes and buildings. However, they can also help with running vehicles.
Energy engineers may develop energy management strategies when it comes to improving energy efficiency. In this type of role, you might also look for better ways of transferring energy while minimizing loss.
You may also focus on creating the best mechanisms for utilizing energy.
For instance, energy engineers are the ones who created systems that regulate homes’ lighting and heat to turn off and on when individuals are absent or present. Likewise, energy engineers developed solar cells, wind turbines, and energy-efficient lights.
Energy engineers have also helped with creating insulated windows, which lessen the loss of heat.
To become an energy engineer, you should complete a bachelor’s degree in engineering.
Many energy engineers have a background in mechanical engineering in particular. This will help you to develop new technologies for creating and using renewable energy.
Your technology and engineering courses may range from construction and building to service and product development. Business courses should also be part of your curriculum. These classes may focus on management and customer service.
In addition, you should take several science and math courses. These include the following:
You may also want to complete some environmental training at the collegiate level. After all, this is the main focus of an energy engineer’s job. Your responsibility will be to create new energy sources with minimal impact on the environment.
As an energy engineer, you should have stellar reading comprehension and communication skills.
You should additionally be interested in figuring out how systems work, as well as how future changes may affect them. For this reason, an analytical mind and the ability to see the big picture are critical to an energy engineer’s success.
The ability to choose the proper kind of math for solving a problem is additionally important in the energy engineering field. In addition, you should be able to create answers from a large amount of information.
Strong listening skills and the ability to pay attention to detail will furthermore help you to succeed in this career field.
The median salary of an energy engineer in 2021 was more than $45 per hour, or more than $95,000 per year. You can expect this salary to increase as you gain more years of experience.
If you’re wondering “what does an energy engineer do,” note that an energy engineer drives the development of alternative energy options.
To excel in energy engineering jobs in the USA, you must be able to problem-solve. This will allow you to find ways of making energy use more efficient.
At SSA Group, we specialize in placing job candidates in engineering and construction industry jobs across the United States. Get in touch with us to learn more about our services, and land your dream job today!
