Job:
Assistant Engineer at a top Solar Energy Design and Installation company in NYS.

Bio:
Born and raised in Dallas, TX, I moved to NY to attend Bard College, concentrating my studies on film and electronic art. After graduating, I decided to stay in the Hudson Valley, and I took an administrative job with my current company. After seeing my promise and interest, they promoted me to Assistant Engineer to get more involved with the technical side of the company. I also enjoy making art, brewing biodiesel, and dancing.

How early in life did you express an interest in working in a green industry?
I became interested in the environment and renewable energy in college, but I have enjoyed being outside and felt connected with the natural world my whole life.

How did you arrive at the decision to work in a green industry?
I needed a job out of college to tide me over until I figured out my next move. With a liberal arts degree, I figured all I was really qualified for was office work, so I began looking for administrative type positions. I had to cold call a lot of places and thought I would start with companies who did something that I could stand behind, as opposed to some place just selling widgets.

What sort of education or specialized training did you have?
I went into the job with only my BA from a liberal arts college and received a lot of on- the-job training as well as training courses from the manufacturer of the products we install. It was a pre-requisite to be smart though—there’s a lot of learning on the fly.

How did you get your first job?
I found the company I currently work for by googling them and noticed they had an installer position available. I submitted my resume and they asked if I would be interested in something more administrative instead. I interviewed and they hired me that day. I was promoted to my current position (Assistant Engineer) after being with the company about a year.

How did you come to be in the position you currently hold?
I was promoted after a year of working with the company and after expressing interest in learning more about the engineering side of the company.

What does your current job entail?
What's a sample day like for you? Half my job is doing technical paperwork like putting together packages for state rebates and utility interconnection agreements. The other half is doing engineering work like visiting customer sites to do site surveys, drawing electrical diagrams, doing calculations for electrical designs, and checking in with customers about the performance of their PV systems.

What do you find rewarding about working in your field?
I enjoy working in a field where I am making a positive difference in the world. It’s nice to spend some time in the office and some time in the field. I’m well paid, and I’m learning skills that are in demand all over the country.

What do you find challenging about working in your field?
It requires a high degree of attention to detail. You need a lot of focus. Learning as you go means asking lots of questions and being an assertive participant in your education. It can be hard working outside in the extreme heat of the summer.

Any advice for people wanting to enter your field?
There are lots of community college courses (in NY at least) that help get people trained. The field can be competitive, but it hasn’t been around very long, so experienced people in the field are rare. Any relevant training or experience you can bring to the table makes you a more attractive candidate. It’s a good idea to gain experience in related fields if you can’t get direct solar installation experience: electrical engineering, electrical wiring/ installation, general building/carpentry skills, other renewable energy production, installation, or use, etc.

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