Occupation Details
Wind Energy Engineers
Design underground or overhead wind farm collector systems and prepare and develop site specifications.
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Interests
Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Investigative
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Enterprising
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Work Values
Achievement
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Working Conditions
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$67,750.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$103,560.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$134,740.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
4,640
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
5,130
+49 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
355
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.1%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
Degree Needed - Four-year college
Experience Requirements
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Education Requirements
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Training Details
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, conservation scientists, art directors, and cost estimators.
School Programs
The following lists school programs which are applicable to this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
New York State requires workers in this occupation to hold a license or certification.
Professional Engineer
Learn MoreSkills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
Engineering and Technology
Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Design
Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Physics
Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Achievement/Effort
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Analytical Thinking
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Persistence
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- Barometric pressure sensors
- Cup anemometers
- Dataloggers
- Desktop computers
- Digital still cameras
- Digital video cameras
- Electronic temperature sensors
- Handheld global positioning system GPS units
- Laptop computers
- Light detection and ranging LIDAR systems
- Mainframe computers
- Portable meteorological stations
- Propeller anemometers
- Pyranometers
- Recording anemometers
- Soil samplers
Technology
- ANSYS simulation software
- Amazon Web Services AWS software
- Apache Ant
- Apache Subversion
- Bentley MicroStation
- C++
- DIgSILENT PowerFactory
- Dassault Systemes SolidWorks
- EMD International WindPRO
- ESRI ArcInfo
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Extensible markup language XML
- Formula translation/translator FORTRAN
- GE Energy Positive Sequence Load Flow Software PSLF
- Geographic information system GIS software
- Git
Duties
Job duties information is not available for this occupation.
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- Create or maintain wind farm layouts, schematics, or other visual documentation for wind farms.
- Provide engineering technical support to designers of prototype wind turbines.
- Recommend process or infrastructure changes to improve wind turbine performance, reduce operational costs, or comply with regulations.
- Investigate experimental wind turbines or wind turbine technologies for properties such as aerodynamics, production, noise, and load.
- Create models to optimize the layout of wind farm access roads, crane pads, crane paths, collection systems, substations, switchyards, or transmission lines.
- Develop active control algorithms, electronics, software, electromechanical, or electrohydraulic systems for wind turbines.
- Develop specifications for wind technology components, such as gearboxes, blades, generators, frequency converters, or pad transformers.
- Test wind turbine components, using mechanical or electronic testing equipment.
- Oversee the work activities of wind farm consultants or subcontractors.
- Test wind turbine equipment to determine effects of stress or fatigue.
- Monitor wind farm construction to ensure compliance with regulatory standards or environmental requirements.
- Direct balance of plant (BOP) construction, generator installation, testing, commissioning, or supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) to ensure compliance with specifications.
- Analyze operation of wind farms or wind farm components to determine reliability, performance, and compliance with specifications.
- Perform root cause analysis on wind turbine tower component failures.
- Design underground or overhead wind farm collector systems.
- Write reports to document wind farm collector system test results.

