What does a pv design engineer do?
Pv design engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real pv design engineer resumes:
- Manage the BOM and control the revisions of engineering drawings for each PV design generate.
- Size systems, wiring, and structures to comply with NEC, NFPA, and IBC code standards.
- Utilize Ansys FEA modeling to provide``real time"feedback throughout design process.
- Complete structural and electrical calculations to ensure safety and compliance with national code and AHJ requirements.
- Design and assemble powerful workstations with off-the-shelf components to perform large COMSOL models at higher speeds to perform FEA.
- Provide sales design to support sales team and design and engineering plan sets with BOM to support installation team's requirements.
- Develop new products, produce prototypes and ultimately submit viable product samples to UL for verification working in conjunction with sales/marketing.
- Design and execute SystemVerilog test benches and test sequences for digital verification of several analog IP blocks.
Pv design engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 16% of PV Design Engineers are proficient in Renewable Energy, CAD, and Residential Clients. They’re also known for soft skills such as Creativity, Listening skills, and Math skills.
We break down the percentage of PV Design Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Renewable Energy, 16%
Use Quick Books to estimate renewable energy projects and MS Visio to draw one- line and thee- line Power System diagrams.
- CAD, 15%
Performed Cad software implementation and maintenance.
- Residential Clients, 14%
Used AutoCAD 2D and custom software tools to design code-compliant solar photovoltaic systems for SolarCity's residential clients.
- NEC, 12%
Designed custom 3-line wiring diagram for all jobs and made sure electrical scheme complies with NEC 690.
- PV Systems, 9%
Design and drafting of solar module array layouts and corresponding TLD diagrams for roof and ground mounted PV systems.
- AHJ, 8%
Completed structural and electrical calculations to ensure safety and compliance with national code and AHJ requirements.
Most pv design engineers use their skills in "renewable energy," "cad," and "residential clients" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential pv design engineer responsibilities here:
Creativity. The most essential soft skill for a pv design engineer to carry out their responsibilities is creativity. This skill is important for the role because "mechanical engineers design and build complex pieces of equipment and machinery." Additionally, a pv design engineer resume shows how their duties depend on creativity: "devised and prepared text and illustrations for product manuals and technical bulletins as well as spreadsheets for cost analysis and inventory. "
Listening skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling pv design engineer duties is listening skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "mechanical engineers often work on projects with others, such as architects and computer scientists." According to a pv design engineer resume, here's how pv design engineers can utilize listening skills in their job responsibilities: "interfaced and effectively communicated design requirement with mechanical design engineers, manufacturers, and sales representative and departmental managers. "
Math skills. This is an important skill for pv design engineers to perform their duties. For an example of how pv design engineer responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "mechanical engineers use the principles of calculus, statistics, and other advanced subjects in math for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a pv design engineer: "prepare engineering reports with supporting fea results and/or mathcad or spreadsheet calculations. ".
Mechanical skills. A big part of what pv design engineers do relies on "mechanical skills." You can see how essential it is to pv design engineer responsibilities because "mechanical skills allow engineers to apply basic engineering concepts and mechanical processes to the design of new devices and systems." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical pv design engineer tasks: "design detailed electrical, mechanical and construction drawings for residential photovoltaic systems. "
Problem-solving skills. Another crucial skill for a pv design engineer to carry out their responsibilities is "problem-solving skills." A big part of what pv design engineers relies on this skill, since "mechanical engineers need good problem-solving skills to take scientific principles and discoveries and use them to design and build useful products." How this skill relates to pv design engineer duties can be seen in an example from a pv design engineer resume snippet: "provide customers with cost effective solutions to pv based water treatment systems. "
The three companies that hire the most pv design engineers are:
- ENGIE North America2 pv design engineers jobs
- Mortenson1 pv design engineers jobs
- Productive Resources1 pv design engineers jobs
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Compare different pv design engineers
Pv design engineer vs. Solar systems designer
Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, pv design engineer responsibilities require skills like "cad," "residential clients," "pv systems," and "pvsyst." Meanwhile a typical solar systems designer has skills in areas such as "cad design," "battery," "salesforce," and "solar system design." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Solar systems designers tend to reach similar levels of education than pv design engineers. In fact, solar systems designers are 2.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Pv design engineer vs. Solar project engineer
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, pv design engineer responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "cad," "residential clients," "nec," and "pv systems." Meanwhile, a solar project engineer has duties that require skills in areas such as "construction management," "pv," "construction projects," and "rfi." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Average education levels between the two professions vary. Solar project engineers tend to reach similar levels of education than pv design engineers. In fact, they're 3.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for pv design engineers in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Galen Duree
Head of the Department of Physics and Optical Engineering and Professor, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Pv design engineer vs. Solar process engineer
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from pv design engineer resumes include skills like "renewable energy," "cad," "residential clients," and "nec," whereas a solar process engineer is more likely to list skills in "autocad," "assembly fixtures," "pilot line," and "improvement idea. "
When it comes to education, solar process engineers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to pv design engineers. In fact, they're 3.1% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 16.7% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Pv design engineer vs. Engineer
Types of pv design engineer
Updated January 8, 2025
