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Energy engineer
Renewable energy engineer
Energy engineers research, design and build power generation plants, and work in the oil and gas industry.
Average salary (a year)
£20000
Starter
£50000
Experienced
Typical hours (a week)
41.0 to 43.0 hours
a week
Work Hours
evenings / weekends
away from home
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You can get into this job through:a university course; an apprenticeship
University
You can do a degree in an engineering or a scientific subject. Some employers may expect you to have a postgraduate qualification.
Relevant subjects include
mining or petroleum engineering, energy engineering, Earth sciences, environmental engineering, renewable or sustainable energy
mining or petroleum engineering, energy engineering, Earth sciences, environmental engineering, renewable or sustainable energy
Getting work experience during your studies through summer internship and year placement schemes can give you an advantage.
Your university careers service can help you find suitable opportunities.
If you're interested in postgraduate research and want to continue your studies up to PhD level, you may be able to apply for a course like an EngD.
These courses are offered by the Industrial Doctoral Centre for Offshore Renewable Energy. You would be sponsored by a company to research offshore technologies for wind, wave and tidal power.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent, including maths and a science for a degree
- a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study
More Information
equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
student finance for fees and living costs|https://www.gov.uk/student-finance
university courses and entry requirements|https://www.ucas.com/
Apprenticeship
You may be able to start by doing a higher or degree apprenticeship in areas like
nuclear engineering, electrical power networks engineering, power and propulsion gas turbine engineering
nuclear engineering, electrical power networks engineering, power and propulsion gas turbine engineering
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
More Information
equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide
More Information
Further Information
You'll find more on energy engineering careers from:the Energy Institute, National Grid Careers, Energy and Utilities Jobs
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
Knowledge of engineering science and technology
Maths knowledge
Analytical thinking skills
To be thorough and pay attention to detail
Thinking and reasoning skills
The ability to use your initiative
The ability to come up with new ways of doing things
Knowledge of building and construction
Digital Skills Level
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
Day to day tasks
You could
research and design new generating sites, decide on the best locations for sites, plan and oversee production programmes for sites, manage and coordinate teams of technicians or site workers, design and select equipment, meet environmental standards, like carbon reduction targets, find the most cost efficient and productive processes, carry out laboratory experiments, convert experiments into large-scale industrial processes, work with geologists, geophysicists and specialist contractors, manage projects and budgets
research and design new generating sites, decide on the best locations for sites, plan and oversee production programmes for sites, manage and coordinate teams of technicians or site workers, design and select equipment, meet environmental standards, like carbon reduction targets, find the most cost efficient and productive processes, carry out laboratory experiments, convert experiments into large-scale industrial processes, work with geologists, geophysicists and specialist contractors, manage projects and budgets
Working environment
You could work at a power station, in an office, in a laboratory or on a rig.
With experience, you could move into planning, policy development, or freelance consultancy.
You could gain skills for project management roles in the energy sector through a Project controls professional, degree apprenticeship.
Job profile data provided by The National Careers Service.
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