Types of Solar Engineer Jobs

01Why are there so many titles ?

The term 'Solar Engineer' is used broadly across the industry, leading to a variety of job titles.

The cause is structural. No single BLS occupation covers solar engineering. Companies therefore name positions according to their own teams and workflows.

This guide maps the real titles you'll see in postings.

02Job Title Mapping Table

03Photovoltaic (PV) Design Engineer

PV Design Engineer is the most common title and the most accessible entry point. The engineer turns a roof, parking lot or ground site into a system that a crew can build.

Day-to-day: Build the system layout, then produce a permit-ready drawing set. Residential teams often combine this work with sales engineering.

Software commonly required: PVsyst is common for production modeling. Aurora or Helioscope usually covers layout work.

Certifications commonly requested: NABCEP PV Installation Professional (PVIP) appears on some postings. EIT is usually a plus rather than a requirement at this level.

Degree requirement: Many residential and small-commercial roles accept an associate degree with software and field experience. Utility-scale employers are more likely to require a bachelor's degree in electrical or mechanical engineering.

Salary range: Job postings place residential design around $60,000–$85,000. Commercial and utility design runs about $80,000–$110,000. Senior or PE-licensed roles can reach $110,000–$140,000.

Scope skew: Residential and small-commercial, with utility-scale roles at larger EPCs.

04Solar Systems Engineer

Solar Systems Engineer and PV Systems Engineer usually describe ownership of the full system. These roles appear most often at EPCs, integrators and large-project developers.

Day-to-day: Own the system architecture and review designs produced by others. The central question is whether the project will work and meet code.

Software commonly required: PVsyst and AutoCAD are common. Utility-scale roles may also use PVCase or PlantPredict.

Certifications commonly requested: NABCEP PVIP is frequently listed. EIT/PE track is more common here than in residential design. Some postings explicitly say "PE preferred" or "EIT required."

Degree requirement: A bachelor's degree in electrical engineering is the most common requirement. Structural-heavy roles may accept mechanical engineering. Equivalent experience appears less often than in residential design.

Salary range: Postings show $80,000–$120,000 for mid-level roles. Senior or PE-licensed positions reach $110,000–$150,000+. Large utility EPCs sit near the top.

Scope skew: Commercial and utility-scale.

05Solar Project Engineer

Project Engineer is a construction-industry title that solar has adopted. It's the role that sits between the design office and the field crew. It is a common lateral move for design engineers who want more site exposure.

Day-to-day: Resolve site questions and coordinate changes once construction starts. Smaller companies may combine this role with design work.

Software commonly required: AutoCAD and a construction-management platform such as Procore are common. Design software matters less here.

Certifications commonly requested: NABCEP PVIP is a plus. OSHA 30 is frequently required for site work. EIT/PE is less common unless the role includes stamping responsibility.

Degree requirement: Civil, mechanical or electrical engineering is the usual degree path. Some postings accept construction management or equivalent field experience.

Salary range: Mid-level postings run about $70,000–$100,000. Senior project engineers at utility-scale EPCs reach $95,000–$130,000.

Scope skew: Commercial and utility-scale, with some large residential builders hiring project engineers for multi-site rollouts.

06Electrical Engineer (Solar Focus)

These postings are usually written by companies that need a licensed-track electrical engineer who understands PV. The emphasis is on the electrical side of the system.

Day-to-day: Design the electrical side of the project and prepare utility interconnection work. Utility-scale roles can include substation coordination.

Software commonly required: AutoCAD Electrical and ETAP are common. PVsyst appears less often in this electrical-engineering track.

Certifications commonly requested: EIT is frequent. Stamping roles often prefer or require a PE. NABCEP PVIP remains secondary to those electrical credentials.

Degree requirement: A BS in electrical engineering from an ABET-accredited program is the standard requirement. This is the one solar engineering category where the degree is genuinely hard to bypass — PE-track roles require it by definition.

Salary range: EIT-level postings run about $80,000–$115,000. PE-licensed roles reach $110,000–$150,000+. Large EPCs and utilities sit near the top.

Scope skew: Commercial and utility-scale, with some residential companies hiring electrical engineers for interconnection-heavy markets.

07Solar Thermal Engineer

Solar thermal is rare in the US market. These systems heat water or process fluids. Most solar engineering openings instead focus on photovoltaics.

Thermal roles usually sit in mechanical engineering departments or specialized commercial hot-water firms. The work is closer to HVAC and plumbing design than PV electrical design.

If you're interested in thermal, the best advice is to pursue a mechanical engineering background and look for companies with a thermal product line.

08BESS Engineer

Battery storage is one of the fastest-growing areas of solar engineering. Projects now pair storage with residential, commercial and utility-scale generation.

A BESS Engineer designs the storage side of a project: battery sizing and the controls that dispatch it. Utility-scale roles can also include medium-voltage integration.

Our guide explains BESS technician requirements. You can also browse the BESS technician jobs board. Engineering requires a different level of responsibility, but both markets face a shortage of qualified people.

09Residential vs. Commercial vs. Utility-Scale

The same title means different work depending on the market segment. This matters more in solar than in most industries.

Residential: Permitting changes by state and jurisdiction. A design accepted in one county may fail in the next. Teams process dozens of small systems each week under tight cost pressure. Slower installations and thinner margins also make these roles more exposed to market swings.

Commercial: Engineers work on larger rooftops and parking structures. Three-phase systems, higher voltages and more complex interconnections extend the design cycle. The title "systems engineer" begins to appear in this segment.

Utility-scale: The work includes interconnection studies, medium-voltage collection, tracker layouts and complex bills of materials. Projects take one to three years from design to energization. Pay is highest here, along with the education bar. PE licensure is common and the work resembles traditional power engineering.

Residential design is the most accessible entry point. Utility-scale and BESS offer the stronger route toward the top of the pay range.

10Career Path / Progression Map

Solar engineering careers allow more lateral movement than many traditional tracks. Four paths appear regularly:

• Technician → Junior Design Engineer → Design Engineer → Senior Design Engineer: The most common non-degree path. Field experience plus software proficiency (PVsyst, Aurora, Helioscope) plus NABCEP certification can substitute for a degree at many residential and small-commercial companies.
• Design Engineer → Project Engineer → Project Manager: A lateral move that trades design depth for construction coordination. Project Engineers who can read drawings, manage RFIs, and keep schedules on track often move into project management within 2–4 years.
• Design Engineer → Systems Engineer → PE-licensed Senior Engineer: The degree-required track. Systems engineering roles at EPCs and utilities lead toward PE licensure and the highest salaries in the field.
• Electrical Engineer → Solar Electrical Engineer → Utility Interconnection / Grid Engineer: Electrical engineers can specialize into interconnection and grid integration, which is one of the most in-demand niches as solar penetration grows.

A first solar engineering job does not lock in a specialty. People move between design, project and systems roles. BESS teams recruit from all three.

11Do You Need an Engineering Degree?

It really depends on the role.

Many residential and small-commercial postings accept a technician background with software skills and NABCEP certification. Without a four-year degree, candidates need evidence of PVsyst or Aurora proficiency. Field experience and knowledge of string sizing and NEC basics also matter.

For systems engineering and utility-scale roles, a BS in electrical or mechanical engineering is the standard requirement. PE-track roles require an ABET-accredited degree by definition.

An associate degree in engineering technology can open residential design when paired with NABCEP and software skills. Experience can then lead to commercial work. Without a bachelor's degree, the practical ceiling often arrives around senior design engineer, before the PE-track systems roles.

12FAQ

What software do solar design engineers use?

PVsyst handles production modeling. Helioscope and Aurora Solar cover layout and shading. AutoCAD supports plan sets. Utility-scale teams may add PVCase or PlantPredict.

Do solar engineers need a PE license?

Most design roles do not require a PE license. Stamping structural or electrical drawings does. That responsibility appears most often on utility-scale and certain commercial projects. EIT status is also common in postings.

What's the difference between a solar design engineer and a solar installer?

Installers build the system on a roof or ground mount. Design engineers work in software before construction begins. They handle layout, electrical calculations and permit documents. Installers can move into design after learning the tools and code.

Can I become a solar design engineer without an engineering degree?

Yes, particularly in residential and small-commercial design. Employers may accept field experience plus software skills and a NABCEP credential. PE-track and utility-scale roles are more likely to require an ABET-accredited degree.

What is the salary range for solar engineers?

Residential design postings typically range from $60,000 to $85,000. Commercial and utility-scale roles run from $80,000 to $120,000. Senior or PE-licensed positions can reach $150,000 or more. Region and scope affect the offer.

What certifications help for solar engineering jobs?

NABCEP PVIP is the most common solar-specific credential in engineering postings. EIT or PE status matters on the licensed track. Some design roles also name NABCEP PV Design Specialist or manufacturer training.

Is solar thermal engineering a real career path in the US?

It exists, but the market is small. Most US solar-engineering jobs focus on photovoltaics. Solar thermal usually appears as a niche within mechanical engineering.