Median Annual Wage: $35,400
Education: High school diploma or equivalent (43%); Some college, no degree (25%); Bachelor's degree (11%)
Projected Growth: Average (8% to 14%)
Related Job Titles: Maintenance Technician; Service Technician; Installer; Solar Installer; Solar Technician; Solar Energy Technician; Solar Hot Water Installer (SHW Installer); Solar Maintenance Technician; Solar System Installer; Solar Thermal Installer
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Source: O*NET OnLine information for Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians.
More Construction and Extraction Careers
- Apply weather seal, such as pipe flashings and sealants, to roof penetrations and structural devices.
- Install solar collector mounting devices on tile, asphalt, shingle, or built-up gravel roofs, using appropriate materials and penetration methods.
- Install copper or plastic plumbing using pipes, fittings, pipe cutters, acetylene torches, solder, wire brushes, sand cloths, flux, plastic pipe cleaners, or plastic glue.
- Identify plumbing, electrical, environmental, or safety hazards associated with solar thermal installations.
- Demonstrate start-up, shut-down, maintenance, diagnostic, and safety procedures to thermal system owners.
- Install circulating pumps using pipe, fittings, soldering equipment, electrical supplies, and hand tools.
- Install flat-plat, evacuated glass, or concentrating solar collectors on mounting devices, using brackets or struts.
- Install solar thermal system controllers and sensors.
- Design active direct or indirect, passive direct or indirect, or pool solar systems.
- Perform routine maintenance or repairs to restore solar thermal systems to baseline operating conditions.
- Determine locations for installing solar subsystem components, including piping, water heaters, valves, and ancillary equipment.
- Fill water tanks and check tanks, pipes, and fittings for leaks.
- Install heat exchangers and heat exchanger fluids according to installation manuals and schematics.
- Apply operation or identification tags or labels to system components, as required.
- Connect water heaters and storage tanks to power and water sources.
- Cut, miter, and glue piping insulation to insulate plumbing pipes and fittings.
- Install plumbing, such as dip tubes, port fittings, drain tank valves, pressure temperature relief valves, or tanks, according to manufacturer specifications and building codes.
- Install monitoring system components, such as flow meters, temperature gauges, and pressure gauges, according to system design and manufacturer specifications.
- Assess collector sites to ensure structural integrity of potential mounting surfaces or the best orientation and tilt for solar collectors.
Source: O*NET OnLine information for Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- 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.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Source: O*NET OnLine information for Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians.