Towards the tail end of 2023, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released the second edition of its World Energy Employment report, which analyses energy sector employment.
One of the key findings to come out of the report was that global energy employment rose to 67 million.
That is a 3.5 million increase from pre-pandemic levels.
Furthermore, the report highlights that more than half of this growth was across just five sectors, including three areas Astute’s Renewable energy recruitment team specialises in recruiting within, namely:
- Wind
- Electric vehicles and batteries
- Solar photovoltaic (PV)
With that in mind, for our latest Renewable energy jobs blog, I share the top five most in-demand renewable energy jobs across the sector, typical role responsibilities and the qualifications possessed by the ideal candidates.
In demand Renewable energy jobs
AD Plant Manager
AD Plant Managers are one of the renewable energy jobs we are seeing exceptional demand for, primarily because there is a finite supply of people who have managed waste plants.
As a result, employers are doing all they can to keep hold of these prized assets, with highly enticing counter-offers commonplace.
For those plants needing an injection of senior leadership, and, in some cases, the improved performance of failing assets, good Plant Managers with AD experience can be hard to come by.
Typical role responsibilities for AD Plant Managers include:
- Optimising process plant operations
- Managing feedstock processing and planning
- Weekly and monthly reporting of plant efficiency, trends, and data analysis
- Providing solutions to technical variances
- Site maintenance and coordination of PPM
- Managing external contractors
- Drafting RAMS and being accountable for HSE
- Managing the relationships with external bodies
- Managing a team
- First-line mechanical maintenance
The following qualifications are proving highly beneficial for applicants considering their next AD Plant Manager role:
- WAMITAB AD
- Qualification in a relevant engineering discipline
Solar O&M Technician/Field Service Engineer
With relatively thin margins in the solar O&M world, paying the right salary is always the tough bit when it comes to staff retention in the larger scale solar world.
Some industry veterans and professionals have set up/are setting up Task Forces to combat this skills shortage and we’re hoping to spotlight one of these soon.
Typical role responsibilities for a Solar Field Technician/Field Service Engineer include:
- Maintaining and carrying out proactive maintenance programmes to maximise asset performance
- Monitoring and generating statistics
- Identifying and responding to faults
- Engaging in ongoing training, maintaining records, and managing contractors
- Ensuring equipment is fully functional and calibrated
Qualifications an in-demand Solar O&M Technician/Field Service Engineer hold include:
- NVQ Level 3 or equivalent electrical qualification
- BS7671 wiring regulations to 18th Edition
- Experience performing O&M responsibilities on commercial or utility scale solar
- HVAP
Electrical Design Engineer or FSE in Battery
With high demand for co-located storage on existing and new sites, the pace of growth is outstripping the supply of people with experience in this area.
Simple economics dictate that the price (or salary) will increase for the top talent with experience as the supply is less than the demand.
How do we combat this?
Well, in my opinion, those with transferrable industry experience will provide the answer to this distinct talent shortage.
Typical role responsibilities for an Electrical Design Engineer or FSE in Battery include:
- Producing substation layouts, SLD preparation, wiring schematics, cable sizing calculations, earthing layouts, protection scheme development, cable containment solutions
- Ensuring engineering designs are completed to planned timescales
- Evaluating technical specifications in the tender documentation packages and reviewing risks and implications of the requirements
- Electrical design activities for the DC and AC installation of energy storage projects
People with the following qualifications should actively consider applying for any of Astute’s Electrical Design Engineer or FSE in Battery renewable energy jobs:
- HNC/HND or equivalent minimum; BSc, BEng or equivalent desired
Technical Analyst/Technical Asset Manager – Wind
Yield analysis and technical diligence on wind assets is crucial.
Many turbines are sold with a minimum return rate and it’s crucial to maintain uptime on these machines to generate that agreed minimum ROI.
Technical Analysts or Technical Asset Managers can provide that insight and much like other roles in other sides of green tech, there is a limited supply of these candidates.
Internal progression can be an answer, but then that creates gaps at the bottom of the skills chain.
Partnering with a professional recruitment agency to help structure your business’ growth will undoubtedly help combat these problems.
Typical role responsibilities for a Technical Analyst/Technical Asset Manager – Wind include:
- Designing and managing wind data measurement campaigns, including remote sensing, met mast install, maintenance, and decommissioning
- Designing and yielding analysis of wind and solar farms, maximise site potential with considerations of environmental and technical constraints.
- Managing a team of Engineers and GIS analysts, mentoring and developing the team
- Developing and maintaining links to major wind turbine suppliers, maintaining sites which are designed and planned to the latest technology
- Working closely with Project Managers to resolve technical constraints on sites, including access, aviation, and telecoms, also alerting management to any risks to project costs, commercial programme, budgets, and developments.
- Taking the lead on resolving technical constraints to the wind or solar farm’s developments.
- Continual development of the technical work processes to ensure up to date software, processes and thinking are being used
We are actively placing Technical Analysts/Technical Asset Managers across the wind sector with the following qualifications:
- A relevant degree in Engineering
- Proven background within the wind development sector
- Strong and demonstrable knowledge of wind farm yield analysis, GIS, and commercial & financial modelling
- Proven experience of wind data modelling
Contract Project/Site Managers – across all renewable projects
There are so many electrically connected infrastructure projects in development, which is increasing talent shortages across the sector.
Experienced contractors are being paid significant amounts by clients eager to retain their services, therefore there isn’t the same level of job movement you might see in other sectors.
Businesses looking to hire experienced Project/Site Managers on a contract basis are having to offer significant employee value propositions and financial incentives to lure talent in this area.
Project/Site Managers are typically:
- Managing projects through the full cycle of development
- Supporting the identification of potential developments
- Ensuring communication and project updates are routinely and clearly communicated with internal and external stakeholders and authorities
- Setting of achievable project milestones, budgets and programs to support the development
- Coordinating project phases to achieve milestones on schedule
Astute is placing Project/Site Managers with the following qualifications and skills:
- Demonstrable background in project management
- Degree qualified in a renewable energy/engineering field of study
- Able to lead and coordinate internal and external teams and stakeholders
As the need for renewable solutions continues to increase, I believe that the demand for these, and other, renewable energy jobs within the sector will only increase.
The businesses that are analysing their employee value proposition and utilising experienced contractors to plug skills gaps and upskill internally are the ones best-placed to make the most out of the sector’s incredible growth potential.
I also believe that businesses actively engaging with professional recruitment agencies, with deep sector knowledge and vast candidate pools, will be able to attract the passive candidates who are not actively looking for their next opportunity.
Learn more about Astute’s renewable energy talent solutions.
If you are a candidate looking for your next Renewable Energy career opportunity, click here to view all of Astute’s permanent and contract jobs.
About the author
Tim Norford is Astute’s Head of Renewables, having joined the business in September 2019.
He recruits permanent and contract roles across all levels, including Directors and C-suite, for leading businesses in the green technology and renewable energy space.
If you enjoyed Tim’s blog “5 in demand renewable energy jobs” blog, then connect with him on LinkedIn.
