Green Jobs Series: Careers in Electric Vehicles [Installment Five]

According to a study by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology at the University of California, Berkeley, the largest source of job creation related to alternative fuel vehicles is expected to come from the construction of a nationwide charging infrastructure. This installment of The Daily Leap's green job series describes some of the most common jobs in infrastructure development.

Occupations in Infrastructure Development

Urban and regional planners will be involved in planning the infrastructure upgrades, while electrical power-line installers and repairers will lay the wires that carry this extra electricity. Electricians will install the charging stations.

Job Duties

Urban and regional planners plan and implement infrastructure upgrades to support electric vehicles. Urban and regional planners determine how many charging stations are necessary to support a given number of vehicles, as well as where to situate them to reach the greatest number of citizens.

Electrical power-line installers and repairers install and maintain the power grid—the network of power lines that move electricity from generating plants to customers. Electrical power-line installers install new lines that are capable of handling the anticipated increased load.

Electricians install charging stations and any other equipment needed for electric vehicles. They attach the charging stations to lines that have been installed by electrical power-line installers and ensure that the chargers are working properly. When there is a problem with the charger, electricians are called to make necessary repairs.

Education and Training

Urban and regional planners typically work for local or state governments and enter the field with a master’s degree in urban or regional planning or a related field. Some urban and regional planners may be certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners if they have the appropriate combination of education and professional experience, and pass an examination.

Electrical power-line installers and repairers must have a high school diploma or equivalent and have basic math and reading skills. Technical knowledge of electricity is helpful but not required for entry into this field. Installers and repairers receive 1 to 5 years of on-the-job training from their employer.

Electricians should have a high school diploma or equivalent and must go through an apprenticeship that lasts at least 3 years. During an apprenticeship, an electrician receives formal classroom training as well as on-the-job training from an experienced electrician to gain the skills necessary to work independently. In addition, most states and localities require an electrician to be licensed, which usually involves passing an examination that covers knowledge of building codes, the National Electric Code, and electrical theory. Before electricians are certified to install a particular type of charging station, they are required to go through specialized training by the manufacturer.

Earnings

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not have wage data specific to the electric vehicle industry. The table shows wages for selected infrastructure occupations for May 2010. The wages shown are median annual wages for the United States as a whole; wages vary by employer and location.

Occupation	Median annual wage
Urban and regional planners	$63,040
Electrical power-line installers and repairers	$58,030
Electricians	$48,250

For more detailed information on infrastructure development occupations in the electric vehicle industry, follow the Occupational Outlook Handbook link.

Next week's green job series installment: Careers in Solar Power

Green Jobs Series: Careers in Electric Vehicles [Installment Four]

All vehicles need to be occasionally maintained and repaired. However, special skills and knowledge are required of automotive service technicians and mechanics to work on electric vehicles. This installment of The Daily Leap's green job series describes some of the most common jobs in electric vehicle maintenance.

Occupations in Electric Vehicle Maintenance

Much of the routine maintenance and repair work can be done by normal repair workers, but the electrical systems and drivetrain will often need skilled workers familiar with electric vehicles. Repairing or installing electric vehicle batteries requires workers who are trained to work with specific types of batteries. Batteries need to be replaced every few years depending on usage and type of battery.

Job Duties

Automotive service technicians and mechanics inspect, maintain, and repair automobiles that run on gasoline, electricity, or a combination of the two. They plan and perform basic car maintenance and vehicle repairs. The job of automotive service technicians and mechanics has evolved from simple mechanical repairs to high-level technology-related work. Integrated electronic systems and complex computers regulate vehicles and their performance on the road. Fixing problems with these systems requires workers to use computerized shop equipment and work with electronic components as well as traditional hand tools.

Education and Training

Automotive service technicians and mechanics are increasingly required to have formal training because of the rapidly growing sophistication of automotive technology. Training typically begins in high school or a postsecondary vocational school or community college. Certification from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) is usually required to work for larger repair shops or at dealerships. Formal education programs can last from a few weeks of on-the-job training to a 2-year associate’s degree. On-the-job training is necessary before a worker can begin to work independently. It typically takes 2 to 5 years of experience to become a fully qualified automotive service technician through ASE.

Electric vehicles use new and unique technologies, so technicians generally are trained to work on a particular type of vehicle and often specialize in vehicles made by a single manufacturer. Auto manufacturers typically provide this specialized training to technicians and mechanics. Workers are usually sent by their employers to formal training courses to gain certification on a particular vehicle type.

Programs, such as the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC), have been developed to train workers on a wide variety of skills needed to work on electric or alternative fuel vehicles. NAFTC provides curricula and training to secondary and postsecondary students studying automotive technology as well as automotive technicians who are already working in the field.

Earnings

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not have wage data specific to the electric vehicle industry. The median annual wage for automotive service technicians and mechanics in the automotive repair and maintenance industry group was $33,010 for May 2010. The wage is for the United States as a whole; wages vary by employer and location.

For more detailed information on vehicle maintenance occupations in the electric vehicle industry, follow the Occupational Outlook Handbook link.

Tomorrow’s final electric vehicle industry series installment: Occupations in Infrastructure Development

Green Jobs Series: Careers in Electric Vehicles [Installment Three]

Manufacturing jobs in the electric vehicle industry include various assemblers, machine tool operators, machinists, and industrial production managers. Many of the occupations involved in manufacturing electric vehicles are also involved in the manufacture of vehicle charging stations, which are necessary for most types of plug-in hybrid vehicles and all types of battery-electric vehicles. This installment of The Daily Leap's green job series describes some of the most common jobs in manufacturing.

Occupations in Manufacturing

Manufacturing workers usually work in large automotive assembly plants. These plants are usually quite noisy because they are filled with robotic devices, powerful machines, and hydraulic lifts. Safety conditions in assembly plants have improved considerably over the past several decades. However, manufacturing workers might use machinery or chemicals that require special handling.

Job Duties

Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers build products such as electric motors, computers, electronic control devices, and sensing equipment. Some of these components may be too small or fragile for human assembly, so they are assembled by automated systems. Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers fit together the parts of larger components or controlling automated systems that are used for smaller pieces.

Electromechanical equipment assemblers use a variety of tools to build and assemble electromechanical components used in electric vehicles, such as gasoline engines, electric motors, and generators.

Engine and other machine assemblers construct and assemble engines used in automobiles. They put together the gasoline-powered engines that are present in hybrid cars and may be responsible for other components as well.

Team assemblers work on a variety of manufacturing tasks. They may work on a traditional assembly line or in a so-called “lean” manufacturing system, in which they may rotate between several different types of assembly work. These workers are usually on a team that completes the final assembly of a vehicle.

Computer-controlled machine tool operators use machines to fabricate metal and plastic components of vehicles. To set up the machine for certain operations, they download a program and fix the appropriate tools into the machine. After positioning the piece that is being worked on, computer-controlled machine tool operators start the machine.

Machinists use machine tools, such as lathes, milling machines, and grinders, to produce precision metal parts. Producing large quantities of a single part may be partially or fully automated, and machinists are responsible for monitoring the machines and the quality of the output. Machinists are also responsible for producing small batches or making one-of-a-kind parts for prototypes or testing. If many more pieces are needed, they are often mass-produced using computer-controlled machines.

Industrial production managers plan, direct, and coordinate the production activities required to manufacture vehicles and vehicle components. Depending on the size of a manufacturing plant, industrial production managers may oversee the entire plant or just one area of it.

Education and Training

Manufacturing workers have a variety of skill levels. Most assembly positions require short-term on-the-job training to familiarize workers with production processes and with any equipment they use. Experienced assemblers may be promoted to supervisory positions after several years of working on the assembly line.

Computer-controlled machine tool operators are usually trained on the job. Machinists require more training, and they often learn their trade through an apprenticeship that lasts 3 to 5 years. Industrial production managers usually have at least a bachelor’s degree, typically in an engineering discipline, such as mechanical or industrial engineering, and several years of experience working in the automobile manufacturing industry.

Earnings

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not have wage data specific to the electric vehicle industry. The table shows wages for selected manufacturing occupations in the transportation equipment manufacturing industry group for May 2010. The wages shown are median annual wages for the United States as a whole; wages vary by employer and location.

Occupation	Median annual wage
Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers	$29,470
Electromechanical equipment assemblers	$32,430
Engine and other machine assemblers	$47,440
Team assemblers	$32,500
Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic	$35,580
Machinists	$40,810
Industrial production managers	$91,460

For more detailed information on manufacturing occupations in the electric vehicle industry, follow the Occupational Outlook Handbook link.

Next Wednesday's electric vehicle industry series installment: Occupations in Electric Vehicle Maintenance

Green Jobs Series: Careers in Electric Vehicles [Installment Two]

Workers who design and develop electric automobile technology include engineers, engineering technicians, and drafters; software developers; and industrial designers. This installment of The Daily Leap's green job series describes some of the most common jobs in design and development.

Occupations in Design and Development

Design and develop work is the link between scientific research and commercial applications. It takes place in offices, laboratories, or industrial plants, where teams of engineers, designers, scientists, and industrial production managers collaborate to create new processes or devices for the manufacture of electric vehicles—or to improve existing ones.

Job Duties

Chemical engineers apply the principles of chemistry to design or improve equipment or to devise processes for manufacturing chemicals and products. Because the batteries of electric vehicles store power through chemical processes, chemical engineers are responsible for developing new battery designs and improving current battery technologies. They are also vital in designing equipment and processes for large-scale manufacturing and in planning and testing the methods of battery manufacturing.

Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture of electrical components. They are responsible for designing the electrical circuitry that allows a gas engine to charge the battery and distribute the electricity from the battery to the electric motor. Electrical engineers also might work on the heating and air-conditioning systems, vehicle lighting, and visual displays.

Electronics engineers design, develop, and test electronic components and systems for vehicles. These engineers are primarily focused on the control systems and additional electronic components for the vehicle.

Industrial engineers determine the most effective ways to use the basic factors of production—people, machines, materials, information, and energy—to manufacture vehicles. Because many electric vehicles require original manufacturing plans, industrial engineers design innovative manufacturing processes and retool plants that formerly made different models of cars.

Materials engineers are involved in the development, processing, and testing of materials used in electric vehicles. Materials engineers may also incorporate environmentally friendly materials that are derived from plant-based materials or recycled materials.

Mechanical engineers design, develop, and test the tools, engines, machines, and other mechanical devices in electric vehicles. These devices may be components of electric vehicles, or machines that are used in the manufacture or repair of these vehicles. These engineers may focus on engines, electric motors, or other mechanical devices, such as transmissions, drivetrains, or steering systems.

Mechanical engineering technicians assist engineers with solving technical problems in research, development, manufacturing, construction, inspection, and maintenance. They may also help engineers or scientists to make prototypes of newly designed equipment or assist with computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) equipment.

Mechanical drafters prepare detailed drawings, or visual guidelines, that show how to assemble machinery and mechanical devices. Most drafters use CADD systems to prepare drawings.

Software developers design and create software that controls the on-board computers in hybrid and electric vehicles, which produce and distribute the proper amount of electricity or gasoline to power the vehicle in given conditions, as well as when to use the engine to recharge the battery.

Commercial and industrial designers are responsible for the style, function, quality, and safety of vehicles. The designers prepare sketches or diagrams, usually with the aid of computers, and work with engineers and other designers to improve a design.

Education and Training

Engineers typically enter the electric vehicle industry with a bachelor’s degree or higher in engineering. However, some positions require previous experience or an advanced degree. Entry-level engineers may begin their career as an assistant to a more senior engineer until they develop the skills needed to work independently. Engineers are also expected to complete continuing education courses to keep up with rapidly changing technology.

Engineers are usually required to be certified in specific systems and technologies, depending on the systems used by a particular manufacturer. Licensure as a professional engineer (PE) is highly desired by employers and is often required for anything higher than an entry-level position.

Engineering technicians and drafters usually have an associate’s degree or certification from a community college or a technical school. Technicians and drafters participate in on-the-job training and are closely supervised by engineers.

Software developers typically need at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related discipline, combined with experience in computer programming and software design.

Commercial and industrial designers also typically have at least a bachelor’s degree in engineering or industrial design, and they usually receive some on-the-job training.

Earnings

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not have wage data specific to the electric vehicle industry. The table shows wages for selected engineers, mechanical engineering technicians, drafters, software developers, and commercial and industrial designers in the transportation equipment manufacturing industry group for May 2010. The wages shown are median annual wages for the United States as a whole; wages vary by employer and location.

Occupation	Median annual wage
Chemical engineers	$97,480
Electrical engineers	$87,580
Electronics engineers, except computer	$100,450
Industrial engineers	$77,160
Materials engineers	$89,000
Mechanical engineers	$81,290
Mechanical engineering technicians	$52,950
Mechanical drafters	$53,840
Software developers, applications	$94,680
Commercial and industrial designers	$67,790

For more detailed information on design and development occupations in the electric vehicle industry, follow the Occupational Outlook Handbook link.

Thursday's electric vehicle industry series installment: Occupations in Manufacturing

Green Jobs Series: Careers in Electric Vehicles

Workers from a variety of educational and employment backgrounds are employed in the electric vehicle industry, such as the scientists who conduct research in electric drive technology, the manufacturing workers who build the vehicles, and the automotive maintenance technicians who repair the vehicles. This installment of The Daily Leap's green job series describes some of the most common jobs in scientific research.

Occupations in Scientific Research

Scientists in this industry search for new knowledge and conduct research to improve electric vehicle technology. Both chemists and materials scientists conduct research on improving battery life and recharging time. Materials scientists also research and develop new materials for use in electric vehicles.

Scientists usually work in offices and laboratories. Research and development (R&D) scientists work in offices, where they do research, and they plan, record, and report on their lab research. Some laboratories are small, and others are large enough to incorporate prototype chemical manufacturing facilities and advanced testing equipment. Scientists often work with engineers and processing specialists in industrial manufacturing facilities.

Job Duties

Chemists investigate the properties, composition, and structure of matter, and the laws that govern the reactions of substances to each other. Using this knowledge, chemists working on electric vehicles find new chemicals to use in batteries or ways to make existing batteries work better. They work closely with engineers and other scientists to develop new batteries and other technologies.

Materials scientists study the structures and chemical properties of various materials to develop new products or enhance existing ones. For electric vehicles, materials scientists are heavily involved in battery research, but also develop materials for other parts of the vehicle. For example, some electric vehicles have interior components, such as seats and upholstery, made out of plant-based and recycled materials that were developed by materials scientists.

Education and Training

A doctoral degree is a necessity for scientists who conduct original research and develop new products. However, other scientific workers may find jobs with a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Computer skills are essential for scientists to perform data analysis, integration, modeling, and testing. Certification or licensure is not necessary for most of these scientists.

Earnings

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not have wage data specific to the electric vehicle industry. The table shows wages for selected scientist occupations for May 2010. The wages shown are median annual wages for the United States as a whole; wages vary by employer and location.

Occupation	Median annual wage
Chemists	$68,320
Materials scientists	$84,720

For more detailed information on scientific research occupations the electric vehicle industry, follow the Occupational Outlook Handbook link.

Next Wednesday's electric vehicle industry series installment: Occupations in Design and Development