Software Engineer
The Job of a Solar Software Engineer, a comprehensive guide
Software engineers in the solar industry work for companies that are building digital tools to make solar sales, design, training, financing, and project management easier with time-saving software. They develop and maintain the software that powers these tools, ensuring they meet the specific requirements of the industry and are user-friendly.
Overview of Software Engineering in Solar
Software engineers are one of the hottest jobs in the overall labor market and with a wave of funding and regulatory incentives in the solar industry, there are now hundreds of startups building customer software tools for solar professionals.
Software Engineer in Solar Salary
Software Engineers earn a median salary of $127,260 per the BLS. The top 10% of earners receive more than $198,100 per year. As you develop expertise in a specific technology or industry, you can continue to earn more given your experience.
Common Solar Software Engineer Job Descriptions
Software engineers have similar responsibilities across technology companies including:
Developing Software: Develop and maintain software that powers digital tools such as solar design software, financing platforms, and project management software.
Collaborating with Cross-Functional Teams: Partner closely with cross-functional teams including project managers, product managers, and designers to develop software that meets the needs of the industry and its users.
Conducting QA: Conduct technical analysis to ensure that the software is secure, stable, and scalable.
Testing and Debugging: Test and debug software to ensure it is free of errors and bugs.
Keeping Up-to-Date with Industry Trends and Customers: Software engineers keep up-to-date with industry trends and new programming languages and resources to create a better product. Engineers may be involved in communicating with customers directly to hear their feedback on using the software.
Software Engineer in Solar Job and Skill Requirements
To obtain a job as a software engineer at a solar company, you will generally see the following bare requirements
A Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field is sometimes required, but engineers today are increasingly self-taught or have learned through coding bootcamps
Have a portfolio of projects that you can speak to and/or share to demonstrate your coding skills
Technical skills in programming languages such as Java, Python, and JavaScript, as well as experience with software development tools such as Git and Jira. You generally want to be an expert in at least a couple of languages with enough knowledge to be dangerous in others
Softer skills such as strong problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills are important to collaborate with other engineers and your project/product managers to communicate the technical details of your work.
Interest in solar - if you are applying to a solar company, be prepared to speak to why you are interested in joining the industry.
What's the day-to-day of a Software Engineer in Solar?
The bulk of a software engineer’s job is spent coding and building the software. You will have daily or weekly standups with team and planning meetings to make sure the requirements are clear. Senior engineers will spend more time in design and product review meetings in order to develop the specifications and requirements for junior engineers to work on. Another chunk of your time each release cycle will be spent QA-ing your code, writing test cases, and making sure the customer’s product experience is as expected.
Job Outlook for Software Engineers in Solar
Software engineers and developers are one of the most talked about jobs today and will continue to grow. While recent advances in technology have made it easier for anyone to learn how to code, software developers are still in increasing demand.
Career Opportunities for Software Engineers
Software engineers are one of the most sought after roles in the industry. While you won’t be able to bridge into a skilled labor position, you can ascend into an engineering leadership position at a solar technology company.
How to get a job as a Software Engineer in Solar
Software Engineers can search for thousands of positions online, but the best way to find a job you are interested in and care about is by researching companies whose products you would be excited to work on and subscribe to their job posting through a site like Indeed or LinkedIn.
Recruiters are constantly scouring LinkedIn to search for software engineers, so update your setting to show that you are open to work (privately if you are still employed!) and want to work for a solar company.
WorkInSolar’s job board is focused on primarily skilled labor, manufacturing, and installation roles, but is still a good spot to browse solar jobs if you have decided solar is right for you.
How to keep learning more
Software engineers are in constant demand and the solar industry has explored with innovation across hundreds of startups. If you have the skillset and background, there are solar companies looking to hire you. Subscribe to our blog to stay up to date on the latest solar news as you begin your job search.
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