The expanding solar universe offers innumerable careers; this map explores 40. An ambitious worker could progress within any of these solar-related occupations, or seek the skills and credentials to advance between them. Click any dot to find out more.

There are many ways to pursue evolving interests or new opportunities in solar. These wide-ranging sample career routes are intended to suggest affinity and possibility; each would entail significant intermediate sequences of work and learning. Click a path on the right to explore other solar itineraries.

America’s solar industry needs the technical skills of America’s veterans, and with appropriate training and certification, transitioning service members can make solid solar career matches. Military skills translate well for electrical and mechanical technicians, logistics specialists, and engineers. Explore logical targets below.

IT Specialist
IT Specialist

IT specialists support clean energy’s cutting edge digital tools — for photovoltaic system design and monitoring; solar investment, finance, and sales; project permitting and service logistics.

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Solar Assembler / Basic Installer
Solar Assembler / Basic Installer

Entry-level installers assemble and mount photovoltaic systems on roofs or other structures in compliance with system design schematics

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Solar Crew Chief
Solar Crew Chief

Supervise teams of basic PV installers at a worksite. Motivate and coordinate, keeping crews focused and on schedule; verifying safety procedures and equipment, and providing quality assurance.

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Solar Project Manager
Solar Project Manager

Coordinates all of the workers and materials involved in a solar installation, managing time and budgets, and translating between engineers, system designers, and installers in the field.

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Solar Instructor
Solar Instructor

Solar instructors transmit the industry’s fundamental principles and best practices — in science, technology, craft, and safety — to students at every level. They are experts, teachers, visionaries.

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Solar Fleet Manager
Solar Fleet Manager

Identify, cultivate, and manage third-party vendors to service residential or commercial solar installations. Interact with multiple business interests to ensure service level agreements are met. Oversee logistics coordination for existing and new solar installation equipment.

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Software Engineer
Software Engineer

Software engineers design cutting edge digital tools — for PV system design and monitoring; clean energy investment, finance, and sales; field training, project permitting, and service logistics.

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Roofer with Solar Expertise
Roofer with Solar Expertise

Use best practices in roofing to install racking systems, mount photovoltaic panels or thermal collectors; and waterproof the flashing around installed components.

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HVAC Technician with Solar Expertise
HVAC Technician with Solar Expertise

HVAC Technicians install, service, and repair commercial solar thermal systems. They also manage whole-building systems, which is key to the future of residential solar energy.

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Solar Service Technician (residential)
Solar Service Technician (residential)

Residential Service Technicians are quality assurance professionals who monitor, diagnose, optimize and repair underperforming PV systems.

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Solar PV Installer
Solar PV Installer

PV Installers are the solid core of the solar industry: They set up and maintain the sophisticated equipment and wiring that connects a solar energy system to the electrical grid.

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Plumber with Solar Expertise
Plumber with Solar Expertise

Install or repair tanks, piping, and other components of solar thermal systems. Pull permits and ensure that work complies with plumbing and building codes. May sell related equipment and systems.

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Solar PV Technician (commercial/utility)
Solar PV Technician (commercial/utility)

Operation and maintenance (O&M) of large-scale photovoltaic systems involves highly technical performance monitoring with sophisticated instrumentation and controls.

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Solar Site Assessor
Solar Site Assessor

Solar Assessors evaluate sites in-person or remotely to determine how much energy can be harvested at a given location, then make written and verbal system recommendations to potential customers.

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Solar Installation Contractor
Solar Installation Contractor

Generally licensed in a trade, a contractor plans and directs solar installation projects – submitting bids, pulling permits, and managing material, labor and equipment.

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Electrician with Solar Expertise
Electrician with Solar Expertise

Install, maintain and repair electrical wiring, equipment and fixtures for PV systems. Ensure that work complies with electrical and building codes.

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Solar Sales Representative
Solar Sales Representative

Contact prospective customers to determine their solar energy and equipment needs. Evaluate and recommend systems, estimate cost benefits, provide written summaries, and follow-up with customers.

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Solar Marketing Specialist
Solar Marketing Specialist

Solar Marketing Specialists analyze the promotional potential of a solar company and create outreach programs and advertising tools to drive business expansion.

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Building Inspector with Solar Expertise
Building Inspector with Solar Expertise

Building inspectors examine solar-related structures using construction experience to determine structural soundness and compliance with specifications, building codes and other regulations.

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Solar Project Developer
Solar Project Developer

Combining the best sites and technologies to produce the most effective solar energy solutions for their clients, solar project developers provide a critical link between engineering, procurement, and construction.

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Electrical Inspector with Solar Expertise
Electrical Inspector with Solar Expertise

Ideally a solar PV trained electrician, the Electrical Inspector examines electrical systems and equipment to confirm that they are safe, functional, and conform to code.

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Code Official with Solar Expertise
Code Official with Solar Expertise

Code Officials examine plans for construction, alteration or repair of buildings and associated solar equipment systems to ensure compliance with building and safety codes and regulations.

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Residential PV System Designer
Residential PV System Designer

A residential PV designer devises small-scale photovoltaic systems — grid-tied and stand-alone — for individual homes and related dwellings.

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Engineering Technician
Engineering Technician

Work with engineers in applying the theory and principles of engineering to plan, design, evaluate, and improve the performance of solar energy-related equipment, processes, and facilities.

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Lawyer with Solar Expertise
Lawyer with Solar Expertise

Represent clients in regulatory proceedings; draft legal documents and contracts; assist clients with project development and financing; and manage or advise clients on regulatory compliance matters.

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Solar Utility Procurement Specialist
Solar Utility Procurement Specialist

Develop contracts for solar energy delivery and tactics to negotiate favorable terms; Build strategic relationships with new and existing solar producers; Track related policy and energy markets;

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Utility Interconnection Engineer
Utility Interconnection Engineer

A Utility Interconnection Engineer manages the interconnection of power generation equipment to the electric grid, a job that involves design, evaluation, and technical or material problem-solving.

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Structural Engineer
Structural Engineer

Design and/or analysis of structural support systems for solar projects; may supervise the construction of CSP plants, PV plants, and related structures.

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Solar Energy Systems Designer
Solar Energy Systems Designer

Perform site-specific engineering analysis of commercial, industrial, or utility-scale solar projects. Design large photovoltaic or solar thermal systems.

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Power Systems Engineer
Power Systems Engineer

Power systems engineers are experts in the large-scale generation, transmission, and distribution of electric power. They provide the power system research, development and analysis required to integrate renewable technologies into the grid.

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Advanced Manufacturing Technician
Advanced Manufacturing Technician

Advanced Manufacturing Technicians set up, test, and adjust plant machinery and equipment, using any combination of electrical, electronic, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic or computer technologies.

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Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Operator
Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Operator

CNC operators run, monitor, and can advance to programming computerized machinery to produce the precisely crafted component parts essential to a wide variety of solar technologies.

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Quality Assurance Specialist
Quality Assurance Specialist

Identify quality problems in solar component production; recommend and implement solutions.

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Instrumentation and Electronics Technician
Instrumentation and Electronics Technician

Instrumentation and Electronics Technicians help develop, test, calibrate, and manufacture electrical and electronic equipment , including solar components or the machines that make them.

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Electrical Engineer
Electrical Engineer

Research, design, test and supervise the development and performance of equipment and components for solar PV systems.

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Industrial Engineer
Industrial Engineer

Industrial engineers increase solar manufacturing productivity through the management of people, the use of technology, and the introduction of more efficient processes in solar component production.

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Process Control Technician
Process Control Technician

Improve solar manufacturing quality and efficiency by measuring and analyzing the design, integration, and operation of production systems, including hardware, software, and human capital.

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Environmental Engineer
Environmental Engineer

Using tools and principles from a variety of engineering disciplines, establish practices to prevent, control, and/or remediate environmental, health and safety hazards in solar industry operations.

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Mechanical Engineer
Mechanical Engineer

Mechanical engineers provide technical leadership and support for manufacturers in the design and development of new solar products, components, and equipment.

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Materials Scientist
Materials Scientist

Study the structures/chemical properties of materials, including metals, alloys, rubber, ceramics, semiconductors, polymers and glass. Improve or invent new processes and materials for solar products.

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Advanced
Mid-Level
Entry

Along the y-axis, jobs sit at three skill levels: Entry (pre-apprentice or apprentice-level, less than a 2-year post-secondary credential, 1-3 years experience), Mid- (journey or associate's level, 3-5 years experience), Advanced (master craft or bachelor's level and higher, 5+ years experience).

Along the x-axis, jobs fall into four broad sectors: Manufacturing, System Design, Project Development, Installation & Operations. There is much overlap and conversation between these linked segments of the solar value chain.

Manufacturing
System Design
Project Development
Installation & Operations