Fuel Cell Engineers: Career Profile
Design, evaluate, modify, or construct fuel cell components or systems for transportation, stationary, or portable applications.
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What Tasks Do Fuel Cell Engineers Do?
Typical responsibilities of fuel cell engineers include:
- Plan or conduct experiments to validate new materials, optimize startup protocols, reduce conditioning time, or examine contaminant tolerance.
- Provide technical consultation or direction related to the development or production of fuel cell systems.
- Characterize component or fuel cell performances by generating operating maps, defining operating conditions, identifying design refinements, or executing durability assessments.
- Plan or implement fuel cell cost reduction or product improvement projects in collaboration with other engineers, suppliers, support personnel, or customers.
- Conduct fuel cell testing projects, using fuel cell test stations, analytical instruments, or electrochemical diagnostics, such as cyclic voltammetry or impedance spectroscopy.
- Analyze fuel cell or related test data, using statistical software.
- Conduct post-service or failure analyses, using electromechanical diagnostic principles or procedures.
- Define specifications for fuel cell materials.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top fuel cell engineers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Fuel Cell Engineers Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Design Cell Engineer
- Engineer
- Fuel Cell Designer
- Fuel Cell Engineer
- Fuel Cell Systems Engineer
- Fuel Cell Test Engineer
- Research Engineer
- Space Battery Technician
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 157,340 fuel cell engineers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to decline by -1.8% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Fuel Cell Engineers
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $137,020 |
| Hourly median | $65.88 |
| 10th percentile | $93,140 |
| 25th percentile | $115,080 |
| 75th percentile | $158,959 |
| 90th percentile | $180,899 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Fuel Cell Engineers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New Mexico | $141,490 |
| District of Columbia | $130,000 |
| Alaska | $129,990 |
| California | $126,370 |
| Massachusetts | $122,670 |
| Wyoming | $116,910 |
| Rhode Island | $115,270 |
| Louisiana | $114,050 |
| Maryland | $111,740 |
| Washington | $109,370 |
| Texas | $108,240 |
| Colorado | $108,060 |
| New Jersey | $107,020 |
| Connecticut | $106,600 |
| Delaware | $106,020 |
| South Carolina | $105,360 |
| New York | $105,130 |
| New Hampshire | $103,890 |
| Idaho | $103,660 |
| Michigan | $102,730 |
| Arizona | $102,510 |
| Maine | $101,500 |
| Oregon | $101,290 |
| North Carolina | $100,990 |
| West Virginia | $100,610 |
| Vermont | $100,520 |
| Illinois | $99,730 |
| Kentucky | $99,410 |
| Virginia | $99,350 |
| Tennessee | $99,330 |
| Montana | $99,250 |
| Indiana | $99,200 |
| Utah | $99,050 |
| Minnesota | $98,980 |
| Nevada | $98,110 |
| Iowa | $97,570 |
| Alabama | $97,550 |
| Pennsylvania | $97,450 |
| Florida | $97,190 |
| Georgia | $96,820 |
| Ohio | $96,330 |
| Hawaii | $95,250 |
| Wisconsin | $94,820 |
| Missouri | $91,890 |
| Kansas | $91,770 |
| Mississippi | $90,730 |
| South Dakota | $90,590 |
| Oklahoma | $90,510 |
| North Dakota | $84,020 |
| Nebraska | $82,510 |
| Arkansas | $78,570 |
| Puerto Rico | $62,520 |
| Guam | $60,700 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Pay for fuel cell engineers shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $119,653 | 14.5% | 0.93 |
| New England | $113,963 | 7.1% | 1.52 |
| Southwest | $107,712 | 9.8% | 0.78 |
| Rocky Mountains | $104,904 | 4.3% | 1.12 |
| Middle Atlantic | $103,845 | 12.1% | 0.96 |
| Great Lakes | $99,669 | 26.2% | 2.45 |
| Southeast | $99,253 | 18.7% | 0.87 |
| Plains States | $94,360 | 7.2% | 1.15 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $147,730 | 3,910 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $145,640 | 4,670 |
| Salinas, CA | CA | $141,420 | 60 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | LA | $132,850 | 480 |
| Anchorage, AK | AK | $129,990 | 400 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | CA | $129,190 | 200 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $128,660 | 3,320 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | TX | $126,870 | 7,010 |
Industry Breakdown
Most fuel cell engineers are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 127,220 | $99,990 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 89,470 | $106,190 |
| Wholesale Trade | 18,910 | $98,380 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 11,080 | $108,040 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 8,330 | $94,330 |
| Construction | 5,680 | $97,790 |
| Utilities | 1,710 | $130,420 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1,710 | $98,770 |
Fuel Cell Engineers work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Development environment software: C (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: C++ (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Oracle Database (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: Python (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: The MathWorks MATLAB (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for fuel cell engineers tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How to Become Fuel Cell Engineers
Entry-level fuel cell engineers positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers (Primary-Short)
- Aerospace Engineers (Primary-Long)
- Chemical Engineers (Primary-Short)
- Electrical Engineers (Primary-Short)
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer (Primary-Long)
- Mechanical Engineers (Primary-Long)
- Automotive Engineers (Primary-Short)
- Nuclear Engineers (Primary-Long)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Students preparing for fuel cell engineers typically earn programs in:
Engineering
3 programs across 3 majors
References
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 17-2141.01 (Mechanical Engineers).
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