Career Map: Analyst/Researcher

Position Title Analyst/Researcher
Alternate Title(s) Research Analyst, Technical Analyst, Policy Analyst, Market Research Analyst
Education & Training Level Bachelor’s degree required, prefer graduate degree
Education & Training Level Description A bachelor’s degree is required for entry level positions. Researchers can also be students, recent graduates, or people changing careers who participate in internships.
Brief job description Government, academic, and industry researchers test wind turbine technology, study wind power systems, research wind energy costs, study the domestic and international wind power markets and workforces, and explore ways to improve technology, acceptance and understanding of wind power systems. Researchers publish and disseminate their findings by attending conferences, meetings, reports, and advising decision-makers.
Preferred Level of Education Master’s degree or Ph.D. in economics, finance, social sciences, engineering, political science, environmental science, environmental policy, or public administration.
Preferred Level of Experience See the Bureau of Labor Statistics for more information.
Estimated/Expected Salary See the Bureau of Labor Statistics for more information.
Job Profile

Government, academic, and industry researchers test wind turbine technology, study wind power systems, research wind energy costs, study the domestic and international wind power markets and workforces, and explore ways to improve technology, acceptance and understanding of wind power systems. Researchers publish and disseminate their findings by attending conferences, meetings, reports, and advising decision-makers. Researchers publish and disseminate their findings by attending conferences, meetings, sending out reports, and advising decision-makers. Researchers typically work with other researchers, engineers, and scientists in teams.

Government, academic, and industry researchers:

  • Explore ways to improve technology
  • Perform market and policy projections, test wind turbine technology (e.g., blade flexibility or weather tests, gear box research)
  • Study wind power systems (e.g., explore arrays and atmospheric science, mesoscale modeling)
  • Research wind energy costs, and explore ways to reduce costs
  • Analyze the domestic and international wind power markets and workforces
  • Improve technology
  • Present results of their research to decision-makers including CEOs, business leaders, county commissioners, public utility commissions, governor’s staffs and other researchers
  • Enhance understanding of wind power systems.
Job Skills
  • Problem solving and analysis skills. Researchers need to be able to develop and analyze the results of models.
  • Math skills. Researchers use calculus, statistics, and other advanced topics in mathematics to develop models used in their research.
  • Market awareness. Analysts typically have a keen awareness of new and upcoming policies and how they relate their field of study.
  • Communication, presentation, and writing skills. Researchers must be able to communicate their progress and findings both orally and in written form to their team, managers, customers and in public forums. They also must document process, keep records, describe findings, and make recommendations in published reports and presentations.
  • Teamwork skills. Most analysis problems are complex and best solved in teams.
  • Planning skills. Researchers may have to secure their own funding or funding for their team, including government or foundation grant writing. They need to plan projects, including budgeting.
Resources

Back to Wind Career Map