Solar Energy Systems Engineers
Architecture and Engineering Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 17-2199.11
Perform site-specific engineering analysis or evaluation of energy efficiency and solar projects involving residential, commercial, or industrial customers. Design solar domestic hot water and space heating systems for new and existing structures, applying knowledge of structural energy requirements, local climates, solar technology, and thermodynamics.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Very high· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.066
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.30
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
Task-level exposure
Show 12 hidden tasks13 rated tasks · 11 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (84.6%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- All rated tasks are in the O*NET 31.0 task list.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
| Task (O*NET 30.2) | Claude.aiRaw / share % | APIRaw / share % |
|---|---|---|
Provide technical direction or support to installation teams during installation, start-up, testing, system commissioning, or performance monitoring.17-2199.11 | 0.0200100.0 | 0.00000.0 |
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Create checklists for review or inspection of completed solar installation projects.O*NET Task ID 16573 | 1.0 |
Review specifications and recommend engineering or manufacturing changes to achieve solar design objectives.O*NET Task ID 16564 | 0.5 |
Perform thermal, stress, or cost reduction analyses for solar systems.O*NET Task ID 16565 | 0.5 |
Develop standard operation procedures and quality or safety standards for solar installation work.O*NET Task ID 16566 | 0.5 |
Design or develop vacuum tube collector systems for solar applications.O*NET Task ID 16567 | 0.5 |
Perform computer simulation of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation system performance or energy production to optimize efficiency.O*NET Task ID 16569 | 0.5 |
Develop design specifications and functional requirements for residential, commercial, or industrial solar energy systems or components.O*NET Task ID 16570 | 0.5 |
Create plans for solar energy system development, monitoring, and evaluation activities.O*NET Task ID 16571 | 0.5 |
Create electrical single-line diagrams, panel schedules, or connection diagrams for solar electric systems, using computer-aided design (CAD) software.O*NET Task ID 16572 | 0.5 |
Design or coordinate design of photovoltaic (PV) or solar thermal systems, including system components, for residential and commercial buildings.O*NET Task ID 16574 | 0.5 |
Conduct engineering site audits to collect structural, electrical, and related site information for use in the design of residential or commercial solar power systems.O*NET Task ID 16575 | 0.5 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (13)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Review specifications and recommend engineering or manufacturing changes to achieve solar design objectives. | Core |
| Perform thermal, stress, or cost reduction analyses for solar systems. | Core |
| Develop standard operation procedures and quality or safety standards for solar installation work. | Core |
| Provide technical direction or support to installation teams during installation, start-up, testing, system commissioning, or performance monitoring. | Core |
| Perform computer simulation of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation system performance or energy production to optimize efficiency. | Core |
| Develop design specifications and functional requirements for residential, commercial, or industrial solar energy systems or components. | Core |
| Create plans for solar energy system development, monitoring, and evaluation activities. | Core |
| Create electrical single-line diagrams, panel schedules, or connection diagrams for solar electric systems, using computer-aided design (CAD) software. | Core |
| Create checklists for review or inspection of completed solar installation projects. | Core |
| Design or coordinate design of photovoltaic (PV) or solar thermal systems, including system components, for residential and commercial buildings. | Core |
| Conduct engineering site audits to collect structural, electrical, and related site information for use in the design of residential or commercial solar power systems. | Core |
| Test or evaluate photovoltaic (PV) cells or modules. | Supplemental |
| Design or develop vacuum tube collector systems for solar applications. | Supplemental |
0.00/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)
E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site
Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.
| Task (O*NET 29.3) | Robot environment tier |
|---|---|
| Conduct engineering site audits to collect structural, electrical, and related site information for use in the design of residential or commercial solar power systems. | E0 none |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
Values for the whole SOC 17-2199 group (Engineers, all other), not for this O*NET occupation alone.
- Employment, 2025
- 167K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 173K
- Change (2025–35)
- +3.7%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $122,930
- Typical education needed for entry
- Bachelor's degree
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23720 | 신재생에너지 기술자 및 연구원 | This occupation is narrower | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 2149Engineering Professionals Not Elsewhere Classified
The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.
This unit group covers engineering professionals not classified elsewhere in Minor Group 214: Engineering Professionals (excluding Electrotechnology) or in Minor Group 215: Electrotechnology Engineers. For instance, the group includes those who conduct research and advise on or develop engineering procedures and solutions concerning workplace safety, biomedical engineering, optics, materials, nuclear power generation and explosives.
Tasks
- In such cases tasks would include -
- (a) applying knowledge of engineering to the design, development and evaluation of biological and health systems and products such as artificial organs, prostheses and instrumentation;
- (b) designing devices used in various medical procedures and imaging systems such as magnetic resonance imaging, and devices for automating insulin injections or controlling body functions;
- (c) designing components of optical instruments such as lenses, microscopes, telescopes, lasers, optical disc systems and other equipment that utilize the properties of light;
- (d) designing, testing, and coordinating the development of explosive ordnance material to meet military procurement specifications;
- (e) designing and overseeing construction and operation of nuclear reactors and power plants and nuclear fuels reprocessing and reclamation systems;
- (f) designing and developing nuclear equipment such as reactor cores, radiation shielding and associated instrumentation and control mechanisms;
- (g) assessing damage and providing calculations for marine salvage operations;
- (h) studying and advising on engineering aspects of particular manufacturing processes, such as those related to glass, ceramics, textiles, leather products, wood and printing;
- (i) identifying potential hazards and introducing safety procedures and devices.
Example occupations
Biomedical engineer · Explosive ordnance engineer · Marine salvage engineer · Materials engineer · Nuclear power generation engineer · Optical engineer · Quantity surveyor · Safety engineer
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- solar energy engineerESCO 2149.7.4Same scope
Solar energy engineers design systems which generate electrical energy from sunlight, such as photovoltaic systems. They design and construct systems which optimise the energy output from solar power, and the sustainability of the production process of solar systems.
- renewable energy engineerESCO 2149.7.3Overlapping, not the same
Renewable energy engineers research alternative sources of energy in order to design systems for renewable energy production. They strive to optimise energy production from renewable sources, and reduce production expenses and environmental strain. They design systems which focus on energy sustainability and efficiency.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| H1237 | Ingénieur / Ingénieure énergies renouvelables | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
| F1113 | Responsable énergie | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| M1411 | Consultant / Consultante en énergie renouvelable | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 2439 | Ingenieros no clasificados bajo otros epígrafes | Related, not a match |
| 2441 | Ingenieros en electricidad | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 26244 | Berufe in der regenerativen Energietechnik - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | This occupation is narrower |
| 26243 | Berufe in der regenerativen Energietechnik - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Related, not a match |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 072 | 電気・電子・電気通信技術者（通信ネットワーク技術者を除く）（開発） | Related, not a match |
| 091 | 建築技術者 | Related, not a match |
| 092 | 土木技術者 | Related, not a match |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources