All About Wind Energy Engineers
Job Description & Duties Design underground or overhead wind farm collector systems and prepare and develop site specifications.
Wind Energy Engineer Responsibilities
- Test wind turbine equipment to determine effects of stress or fatigue.
- Investigate experimental wind turbines or wind turbine technologies for properties such as aerodynamics, production, noise, and load.
- Recommend process or infrastructure changes to improve wind turbine performance, reduce operational costs, or comply with regulations.
- Monitor wind farm construction to ensure compliance with regulatory standards or environmental requirements.
- Perform root cause analysis on wind turbine tower component failures.
- Create or maintain wind farm layouts, schematics, or other visual documentation for wind farms.
Featured schools near , edit
Skills Needed to be a Wind Energy Engineer
When polled, Wind Energy Engineers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Wind Turbine Design Engineer
- Turbine Measurements Engineer
- Wind Turbine Mechanical Engineer
- Wind Farm Electrical Systems Designer
- Wind Science and Planning
Are There Job Opportunities for Wind Energy Engineers?
In the United States, there were 132,500 jobs for Wind Energy Engineer in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 6.4% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 8,500 new jobs for Wind Energy Engineer by 2026. There will be an estimated 9,500 positions for Wind Energy Engineer per year.
The states with the most job growth for Wind Energy Engineer are Nevada, Utah, and North Dakota. Watch out if you plan on working in Alaska, Minnesota, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Wind Energy Engineer Make?
Wind Energy Engineers make between $50,750 and $155,650 a year.
Wind Energy Engineers who work in District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia, make the highest salaries.
How much do Wind Energy Engineers make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $115,710 |
Alaska | $114,040 |
Arizona | $94,450 |
Arkansas | $71,510 |
California | $107,700 |
Colorado | $111,610 |
Connecticut | $100,230 |
District of Columbia | $132,530 |
Florida | $82,970 |
Georgia | $93,580 |
Hawaii | $96,940 |
Idaho | $110,270 |
Illinois | $87,220 |
Indiana | $73,340 |
Iowa | $78,230 |
Kansas | $82,060 |
Kentucky | $79,690 |
Louisiana | $90,580 |
Maine | $85,800 |
Maryland | $118,420 |
Massachusetts | $109,220 |
Michigan | $90,420 |
Minnesota | $101,620 |
Mississippi | $79,630 |
Missouri | $86,850 |
Montana | $79,590 |
Nebraska | $82,760 |
Nevada | $94,950 |
New Hampshire | $99,070 |
New Jersey | $114,990 |
New Mexico | $114,790 |
New York | $95,270 |
North Carolina | $83,900 |
North Dakota | $83,270 |
Ohio | $93,370 |
Oklahoma | $83,080 |
Oregon | $90,720 |
Pennsylvania | $96,550 |
Rhode Island | $95,790 |
South Carolina | $100,750 |
South Dakota | $84,320 |
Tennessee | $82,030 |
Texas | $113,370 |
Utah | $89,810 |
Vermont | $81,960 |
Virginia | $118,390 |
Washington | $104,890 |
West Virginia | $91,420 |
Wisconsin | $86,600 |
Wyoming | $97,040 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Wind Energy Engineers
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Wind Energy Engineers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Git
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Python
- Microsoft Access
- Word processing software
- Microsoft Project
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Microsoft Visio
- Structured query language SQL
- The MathWorks MATLAB
- Linux
- Microsoft Visual Basic
- Extensible markup language XML
- Microsoft SQL Server
- UNIX
Becoming a Wind Energy Engineer
Are there Wind Energy Engineers education requirements?
What work experience do I need to become a Wind Energy Engineer?
Wind Energy Engineers Sector
The table below shows the approximate number of Wind Energy Engineers employed by various industries.
References:
Image Credit: luis gomes via CC0 License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
Request Info | Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |