Job Details
Sector(s)
Component Manufacturing and Research & Development; Project Development; Construction; Operations and Maintenance
Median Pay
$101,780 per year
$48.93 per hour
Job Type
Entry- to Mid-Level
Typical Entry-Level
Education and Work
Experience
Requirements
Bachelor's degree required; little to no experience required
Alternate Titles
Power systems, utility interconnect engineer, transmission engineer, and supervisory control and data acquisition engineer.
Brief Job Description
Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture, installation, operation, testing, and maintenance of electrical components and instrumentation for marine energy generation, including electric motors, machinery protection and controls, lighting and wiring, generators, communications systems, and electricity transmission systems. Electrical engineers perform detailed calculations and develop technical drawings and specifications to ensure compliance with relevant electrical specifications, codes, and standards.
Education and Training Level Description
Electrical engineers must have a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. Employers also value experience, so prior experience as an electrician or participation in internships or university cooperative education programs are a plus. To be hired into a formal engineering role, electrical engineers generally need to acquire a Fundamentals of Engineering license by passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam.
With a Fundamentals of Engineering license and 4 or more years of work experience, electrical engineers can take a test to acquire a Professional Engineer license. Electrical engineers with a Professional Engineer license can be a technical specialist within the electrical engineering discipline, oversee other engineers, and develop designs and specifications. An advanced degree, additional work experience, and a Professional Engineer license can lead to more job opportunities in the research and development sector and training, education field, and managerial roles, as well as increased opportunity for career advancement.
Job Profile
Electrical engineers apply their education and training in various ways throughout every sector of the marine energy industry.
A primary role for electrical engineers is to design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture, installation, testing, and operation and maintenance of marine energy electrical components and instrumentation for hydropower generation, including electric motors, machinery protection and controls, lighting and wiring, generators, communications systems, and electricity transmission systems. They are responsible for developing and implementing systems that use electricity to control marine energy systems or signal processes.
Electrical engineers work on the complex electronic systems used to operate marine energy equipment and to support transmission of power to the electric grid. Using supervisory control and data acquisition, they implement systems that operate marine energy technologies remotely and transfer data about the marine technologies for future analysis. They ensure that the power electronics and all controls for safety, grid, and power production work properly. They also design and adapt marine energy array electrical systems to increase electrical efficiency.
Electrical engineers may work for an organization as an electrical engineer or as another position, such as project or transmission engineer. Electrical engineers may also work in research fields, using their experience to research, develop, and evaluate electronic devices and systems, or in education and training fields, conducting research and training students to enter the workforce.
Typically electrical engineers:
- Design new ways to use electrical power to develop or improve products such as electronic components, software, products, and systems
- Analyze electrical system requirements, capacity, cost, and project needs and then develop a system plan
- Perform detailed calculations to develop manufacturing, construction, installation, and operational standards, specifications, and designs for electrical systems or components
- Direct manufacturing, installation, testing, and operations to ensure that the product as-built meets specifications and codes
- Develop and integrate marine energy generation with other energy generation sources on the electrical grid
- Develop maintenance and testing procedures for electrical and electronic components and equipment
- Inspect electrical and electronic equipment, instruments, and systems to make sure they meet safety standards and applicable regulations
- Evaluate systems and recommend repair or design modifications
- Work with project managers on production efforts to ensure projects are completed satisfactorily, on time, and within budget
- Plan and develop applications and modifications for electrical and electronic components used in parts and systems to improve technical performance.
Job Skills
Electrical engineers typically need:
- To actively learn. Electrical engineers have to apply knowledge learned in school to new tasks in every project they undertake. In addition, continuing education is important for them so that they can keep up with changes in technology, and is often required to maintain professional licensure.
- Communication skills. Electrical engineers work closely with other engineers and technicians. They must be able to clearly explain their designs, specifications, and reasoning and to relay instructions during product development and production. They may also need to explain complex issues to people who have little or no technical expertise.
- To be detail oriented. Electrical engineers design and develop complex electrical systems and electronic components and products. They must keep track of multiple design elements and technical characteristics during these processes.
- Math skills. Electrical engineers use the principles of calculus and other advanced topics in mathematics for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work.
- Teamwork. Electrical engineers must be able to work effectively with others to ensure that their plans are being correctly implemented. This includes monitoring technicians to see that plans are being implemented properly and devising remedies to address problems.
More Information, Job Opportunities, etc.
For more information on electrical engineer jobs, see:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Electrical and Electronics Engineers.