These careers play a role in developing and using energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass. This also includes traditional, non-renewable sources of energy undergoing significant green technological changes (e.g., oil, coal, gas, and nuclear).
Biofuels Development Managers
define, plan, or execute biofuels/biodiesel research programs that evaluate alternative feedstock and process technologies with near-term commercial potential.
$158100
Bachelor's degree
High job satisfaction
Wind Energy Operations Managers
manage wind field operations, including personnel, maintenance activities, financial activities, and planning.
$125740
Bachelor's degree
High job satisfaction
Personality Match
Geothermal Production Managers
manage operations at geothermal power generation facilities. Maintain and monitor geothermal plant equipment for efficient and safe plant operations.
$118190
Associate's degree
High job satisfaction
Personality Match
Biofuels Production Managers
manage biofuels production and plant operations. Collect and process information on plant production and performance, diagnose problems, and design corrective procedures.
$118190
Bachelor's degree
High job satisfaction
Personality Match
Biomass Power Plant Managers
manage operations at biomass power generation facilities. Direct work activities at plant, including supervision of operations and maintenance staff.
$118190
Bachelor's degree
High job satisfaction
Methane Gas Collection Operators
direct daily operations, maintenance, or repair of landfill gas projects, including maintenance of daily logs, determination of service priorities, and compliance with reporting requirements.
$118190
Bachelor's degree
High job satisfaction
Personality Match
Hydroelectric Production Managers
manage operations at hydroelectric power generation facilities. Maintain and monitor hydroelectric plant equipment for efficient and safe plant operations.
$118190
Post-secondary certificate
High job satisfaction
Personality Match
Wind Energy Project Managers
lead or manage the development and evaluation of potential wind energy business opportunities, including environmental studies, permitting, and proposals. May also manage construction of projects.
$107260
Bachelor's degree
High job satisfaction
Personality Match
Wind Energy Engineers
design underground or overhead wind farm collector systems and prepare and develop site specifications.
$107060
Bachelor's degree
High job satisfaction
Solar Energy Systems Engineers
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.
$107060
Bachelor's degree
High job satisfaction
Personality Match
Electrical Engineers
research, design, develop, test, or supervise the manufacturing and installation of electrical equipment, components, or systems for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use.
$105990
Bachelor's degree
High job satisfaction
Storage and Distribution Managers
plan, direct, or coordinate the storage or distribution operations within an organization or the activities of organizations that are engaged in storing or distributing materials or products.
$105100
Bachelor's degree
High job satisfaction
Personality Match
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
operate or control nuclear reactors. Move control rods, start and stop equipment, monitor and adjust controls, and record data in logs. Implement emergency procedures when needed. May respond to abnormalities, determine cause, and recommend corrective action.
$104470
No degree required
Solar Sales Reps
contact new or existing customers to determine their solar equipment needs, suggest systems or equipment, or estimate costs.
$99680
Associate's degree
Strong job growth
Personality Match
Mechanical Engineers
perform engineering duties in planning and designing tools, engines, machines, and other mechanically functioning equipment. Oversee installation, operation, maintenance, and repair of equipment such as centralized heat, gas, water, and steam systems.
$95560
Bachelor's degree
Civil Engineers
perform engineering duties in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, and water and sewage systems.
$95440
Bachelor's degree
Strong job growth
High job satisfaction
Power Distributors And Dispatchers
coordinate, regulate, or distribute electricity or steam.
$93260
No degree required
Nuclear Equipment Technicians
operate equipment used for the release, control, or utilization of nuclear energy to assist scientists in laboratory or production activities.
$83810
Associate's degree
Strong job growth
Personality Match
Power Plant Operators
control, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. Includes auxiliary equipment operators.
$81890
No degree required
High job satisfaction
Solar Energy Installation Managers
direct work crews installing residential or commercial solar photovoltaic or thermal systems.
$72990
Post-secondary certificate
Strong job growth
Geological Sample Test Technicians
test or analyze geological samples, crude oil, or minerals to detect presence of petroleum, gas, or mineral deposits indicating potential for exploration or production or to determine physical or chemical properties to ensure that products meet quality standards.
$61130
Bachelor's degree
Strong job growth
Personality Match
Biofuels Processing Technicians
calculate, measure, load, mix, and process refined feedstock with additives in fermentation or reaction process vessels and monitor production process. Perform, and keep records of, plant maintenance, repairs, and safety inspections.
$59600
No degree required
Methane/Landfill Gas Generation System Technicians
monitor, operate, and maintain landfill gas collection system components and environmental monitoring and control systems.
$59600
No degree required
Personality Match
Biomass Plant Technicians
control and monitor biomass plant activities and perform maintenance as needed.
$59600
No degree required
Hydroelectric Plant Technicians
monitor and control activities associated with hydropower generation. Operate plant equipment, such as turbines, pumps, valves, gates, fans, electric control boards, and battery banks. Monitor equipment operation and performance and make necessary adjustments to ensure optimal performance. Perform equipment maintenance and repair as necessary.
$59600
Post-secondary certificate
Wind Turbine Service Technicians
inspect, diagnose, adjust, or repair wind turbines. Perform maintenance on wind turbine equipment including resolving electrical, mechanical, and hydraulic malfunctions.
$59340
No degree required
Strong job growth
Continuous Miner Operators
operate self-propelled mining machines that rip coal, metal and nonmetal ores, rock, stone, or sand from the mine face and load it onto conveyors, shuttle cars, or trucks in a continuous operation.
$58340
No degree required
Personality Match
Sheet Metal Workers
fabricate, assemble, install, and repair sheet metal products and equipment, such as ducts, control boxes, drainpipes, and furnace casings. Work may involve any of the following: setting up and operating fabricating machines to cut, bend, and straighten sheet metal; shaping metal over anvils, blocks, or forms using hammer; operating soldering and welding equipment to join sheet metal parts; or inspecting, assembling, and smoothing seams and joints of burred surfaces. Includes sheet metal duct installers who install prefabricated sheet metal ducts used for heating, air conditioning, or other purposes.
$55320
No degree required
Strong job growth
Personality Match
Oil, Gas and Mining Service Operators
operate equipment to increase oil flow from producing wells or to remove stuck pipe, casing, tools, or other obstructions from drilling wells. Includes fishing-tool technicians.
$52510
No degree required
Strong job growth
Solar PV Installers
assemble, install, or maintain solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on roofs or other structures in compliance with site assessment and schematics. May include measuring, cutting, assembling, and bolting structural framing and solar modules. May perform minor electrical work such as current checks.
$48020
No degree required
Strong job growth
Machinists
set up and operate a variety of machine tools to produce precision parts and instruments out of metal. Includes precision instrument makers who fabricate, modify, or repair mechanical instruments. May also fabricate and modify parts to make or repair machine tools or maintain industrial machines, applying knowledge of mechanics, mathematics, metal properties, layout, and machining procedures.
$47800
Post-secondary certificate
Strong job growth
Personality Match
Separating Machine Operators
set up, operate, or tend continuous flow or vat-type equipment; filter presses; shaker screens; centrifuges; condenser tubes; precipitating, fermenting, or evaporating tanks; scrubbing towers; or batch stills. These machines extract, sort, or separate liquids, gases, or solids from other materials to recover a refined product. Includes dairy processing equipment operators.
$46850
No degree required
High job satisfaction
Personality Match
Geothermal Technicians
perform technical activities at power plants or individual installations necessary for the generation of power from geothermal energy sources. Monitor and control operating activities at geothermal power generation facilities and perform maintenance and repairs as necessary. Install, test, and maintain residential and commercial geothermal heat pumps.
$46160
No degree required
Strong job growth
Solar Hot Water Installers
install or repair solar energy systems designed to collect, store, and circulate solar-heated water for residential, commercial or industrial use.
$44180
No degree required
Strong job growth
General Maintenance and Repair Workers
perform work involving the skills of two or more maintenance or craft occupations to keep machines, mechanical equipment, or the structure of a building in repair. Duties may involve pipe fitting; HVAC maintenance; insulating; welding; machining; carpentry; repairing electrical or mechanical equipment; installing, aligning, and balancing new equipment; and repairing buildings, floors, or stairs.
$43790
No degree required
Strong job growth
Personality Match