What is a Fuel Cell Engineer?
Job Description: Design, evaluate, modify, or construct fuel cell components or systems for transportation, stationary, or portable applications.
Life As a Fuel Cell Engineer
- Evaluate the power output, system cost, or environmental impact of new hydrogen or non-hydrogen fuel cell system designs.
- Calculate the efficiency or power output of a fuel cell system or process.
- Simulate or model fuel cell, motor, or other system information, using simulation software programs.
- Develop or evaluate systems or methods of hydrogen storage for fuel cell applications.
- Prepare test stations, instrumentation, or data acquisition systems for use in specific tests of fuel cell components or systems.
- Characterize component or fuel cell performances by generating operating maps, defining operating conditions, identifying design refinements, or executing durability assessments.
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Fuel Cell Engineer Needed Skills
Fuel Cell Engineers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Science: Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Related Job Titles
- Engineering Professor
- Battery Technician
- Scientist/Engineer
- Senior Engineer
- Fuel Cell Designer
Job Opportunities for Fuel Cell Engineers
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 288,800 jobs in the United States for Fuel Cell Engineer. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 8.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 25,300 new jobs for Fuel Cell Engineer by 2026. The BLS estimates 21,200 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Fuel Cell Engineer are Nevada, Utah, and North Dakota. Watch out if you plan on working in Alaska, Maine, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Fuel Cell Engineer Average Salary
Fuel Cell Engineers make between $56,270 and $136,550 a year.
Fuel Cell Engineers who work in District of Columbia, New Mexico, or Alaska, make the highest salaries.
How much do Fuel Cell Engineers make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $90,030 |
Alaska | $128,690 |
Arizona | $98,390 |
Arkansas | $71,730 |
California | $107,370 |
Colorado | $104,220 |
Connecticut | $94,270 |
Delaware | $106,220 |
District of Columbia | $112,780 |
Florida | $87,770 |
Georgia | $84,870 |
Hawaii | $81,730 |
Idaho | $86,010 |
Illinois | $92,030 |
Indiana | $82,510 |
Iowa | $80,530 |
Kansas | $82,210 |
Kentucky | $84,380 |
Louisiana | $101,810 |
Maine | $93,310 |
Maryland | $109,960 |
Massachusetts | $98,190 |
Michigan | $91,100 |
Minnesota | $87,030 |
Mississippi | $85,570 |
Missouri | $85,450 |
Montana | $77,140 |
Nebraska | $80,650 |
Nevada | $88,950 |
New Hampshire | $97,270 |
New Jersey | $95,680 |
New Mexico | $110,210 |
New York | $91,820 |
North Carolina | $87,470 |
North Dakota | $75,770 |
Ohio | $81,020 |
Oklahoma | $88,190 |
Oregon | $85,890 |
Pennsylvania | $85,740 |
Rhode Island | $94,520 |
South Carolina | $93,730 |
South Dakota | $76,220 |
Tennessee | $87,990 |
Texas | $105,570 |
Utah | $88,150 |
Vermont | $94,580 |
Virginia | $100,540 |
Washington | $96,860 |
West Virginia | $84,070 |
Wisconsin | $79,360 |
Wyoming | $84,200 |
What Tools do Fuel Cell Engineers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Fuel Cell Engineers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Minitab
- National Instruments LabVIEW
- C
- Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
- Statistical software
- Wolfram Research Mathematica
- Maplesoft Maple
- The MathWorks Simulink
- ANSYS FLUENT
- Failure mode and effects analysis FMEA software
- C++
- Gaussian software
- GE Energy GateCycle
- Ansoft Simplorer
Becoming a Fuel Cell Engineer
Individuals working as a Fuel Cell Engineer have obtained the following education levels:
How Long Does it Take to Become a Fuel Cell Engineer?
Where Fuel Cell Engineers Work
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
References:
Image Credit: Michel Villeneuve via Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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