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Solar designer vs senior field engineer

The differences between solar designers and senior field engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a solar designer and a senior field engineer. Additionally, a senior field engineer has an average salary of $97,104, which is higher than the $58,292 average annual salary of a solar designer.

The top three skills for a solar designer include CAD, system design and solar power. The most important skills for a senior field engineer are RF, technical support, and excellent interpersonal.

Solar designer vs senior field engineer overview

Solar DesignerSenior Field Engineer
Yearly salary$58,292$97,104
Hourly rate$28.02$46.68
Growth rate3%3%
Number of jobs46,16086,767
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Average age4545
Years of experience22

Solar designer vs senior field engineer salary

Solar designers and senior field engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Solar DesignerSenior Field Engineer
Average salary$58,292$97,104
Salary rangeBetween $35,000 And $94,000Between $67,000 And $139,000
Highest paying CityPetaluma, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companySmith & AssociatesApple
Best paying industryProfessionalEnergy

Differences between solar designer and senior field engineer education

There are a few differences between a solar designer and a senior field engineer in terms of educational background:

Solar DesignerSenior Field Engineer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Most common majorMechanical EngineeringElectrical Engineering
Most common collegeCarnegie Mellon UniversityMichigan Technological University

Solar designer vs senior field engineer demographics

Here are the differences between solar designers' and senior field engineers' demographics:

Solar DesignerSenior Field Engineer
Average age4545
Gender ratioMale, 88.1% Female, 11.9%Male, 95.1% Female, 4.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 14.5% White, 64.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between solar designer and senior field engineer duties and responsibilities

Solar designer example responsibilities.

  • Modify SRV-1 source code using JavaScript software to attain tracking at any instantaneous time.
  • Use of SalesForce, SketchUp, Pictometry & SunCalc to complete design to local AHJ requirements.
  • Base on previous data, optimize the amount of cushioning material for balancing battery protection and weight.
  • Design electrical and structural plans for permitting and commissioning at multiple AHJ's and utility companies in AZ.
  • Determine roof pitch, azimuth, obstructions, BOM & conduit routing for optimum lifetime performance & cost.
  • Provide AutoCAD drawings and support electrical engineers in construction and renovation of custom homes.
  • Show more

Senior field engineer example responsibilities.

  • Manage a team of 10 engineers to install and repair commercial HVAC and refrigeration units.
  • Promote from original position as a staff engineer managing a variety of geotechnical engineering activities to a field engineer inspector position.
  • Upgrade firmware on all components in the SAN.
  • Provide UNIX host setup and provide administration for the duration of the engagement.
  • Work with vendor partners to troubleshoot hardware and software issues with core nodes.
  • Perform site acceptance testing and provide system maintenance support for FAA and DOD sites.
  • Show more

Solar designer vs senior field engineer skills

Common solar designer skills
  • CAD, 36%
  • System Design, 24%
  • Solar Power, 13%
  • Solar PV, 8%
  • Solar Panels, 6%
  • Line Diagrams, 4%
Common senior field engineer skills
  • RF, 7%
  • Technical Support, 6%
  • Excellent Interpersonal, 6%
  • Technical Problems, 5%
  • Test Equipment, 5%
  • Linux, 4%

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