What Does it Take to Be a Fuel Cell Engineer?
Job Description & Duties Design, evaluate, modify, or construct fuel cell components or systems for transportation, stationary, or portable applications.
Life As a Fuel Cell Engineer
- Coordinate fuel cell engineering or test schedules with departments outside engineering, such as manufacturing.
- Authorize release of fuel cell parts, components, or subsystems for production.
- Develop or evaluate systems or methods of hydrogen storage for fuel cell applications.
- Design fuel cell systems, subsystems, stacks, assemblies, or components, such as electric traction motors or power electronics.
- Integrate electric drive subsystems with other vehicle systems to optimize performance or mitigate faults.
- Fabricate prototypes of fuel cell components, assemblies, stacks, or systems.
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Fuel Cell Engineer Skills
Fuel Cell Engineers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
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.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Science: Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Types of Fuel Cell Engineer
- Professor of Chemical Engineering
- Fuel Cell Designer
- Engineering Professor
- Research Engineer
- Alternative Energy Technician
Job Demand for Fuel Cell Engineers
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 288,800 jobs in the United States for Fuel Cell Engineer. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 8.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 25,300 new jobs for Fuel Cell Engineer by 2026. The BLS estimates 21,200 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Fuel Cell Engineer are Nevada, Utah, and North Dakota. Watch out if you plan on working in Alaska, Maine, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Fuel Cell Engineer Make?
Fuel Cell Engineers make between $56,270 and $136,550 a year.

Fuel Cell Engineers who work in District of Columbia, New Mexico, or Alaska, make the highest salaries.
How much do Fuel Cell Engineers make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $90,030 |
Alaska | $128,690 |
Arizona | $98,390 |
Arkansas | $71,730 |
California | $107,370 |
Colorado | $104,220 |
Connecticut | $94,270 |
Delaware | $106,220 |
District of Columbia | $112,780 |
Florida | $87,770 |
Georgia | $84,870 |
Hawaii | $81,730 |
Idaho | $86,010 |
Illinois | $92,030 |
Indiana | $82,510 |
Iowa | $80,530 |
Kansas | $82,210 |
Kentucky | $84,380 |
Louisiana | $101,810 |
Maine | $93,310 |
Maryland | $109,960 |
Massachusetts | $98,190 |
Michigan | $91,100 |
Minnesota | $87,030 |
Mississippi | $85,570 |
Missouri | $85,450 |
Montana | $77,140 |
Nebraska | $80,650 |
Nevada | $88,950 |
New Hampshire | $97,270 |
New Jersey | $95,680 |
New Mexico | $110,210 |
New York | $91,820 |
North Carolina | $87,470 |
North Dakota | $75,770 |
Ohio | $81,020 |
Oklahoma | $88,190 |
Oregon | $85,890 |
Pennsylvania | $85,740 |
Rhode Island | $94,520 |
South Carolina | $93,730 |
South Dakota | $76,220 |
Tennessee | $87,990 |
Texas | $105,570 |
Utah | $88,150 |
Vermont | $94,580 |
Virginia | $100,540 |
Washington | $96,860 |
West Virginia | $84,070 |
Wisconsin | $79,360 |
Wyoming | $84,200 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Fuel Cell Engineers
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Fuel Cell Engineers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Minitab
- National Instruments LabVIEW
- C
- Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
- Statistical software
- Wolfram Research Mathematica
- Maplesoft Maple
- The MathWorks Simulink
- ANSYS FLUENT
- Failure mode and effects analysis FMEA software
- C++
- Gaussian software
- GE Energy GateCycle
- Ansoft Simplorer
How do I Become a Fuel Cell Engineer?
Education needed to be a Fuel Cell Engineer:

What work experience do I need to become a Fuel Cell Engineer?

Where do Fuel Cell Engineers Work?

The table below shows the approximate number of Fuel Cell Engineers employed by various industries.

References:
Image Credit: Michel Villeneuve via Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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