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Solar Photovoltaic Installers

Assemble, install, or maintain solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on roofs or other structures in compliance with site assessment and schematics. May include measuring, cutting, assembling, and bolting structural framing and solar modules. May perform minor electrical work such as current checks.

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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Diagram layouts and locations for photovoltaic (PV) arrays and equipment, including existing building or site features.
    • Identify installation locations with proper orientation, area, solar access, or structural integrity for photovoltaic (PV) arrays.
    • Assemble solar modules, panels, or support structures, as specified.
    • Determine appropriate sizes, ratings, and locations for all system overcurrent devices, disconnect devices, grounding equipment, and surge suppression equipment.
    • Identify and resolve any deficiencies in photovoltaic (PV) system installation or materials.
    • Determine materials, equipment, and installation sequences necessary to maximize installation efficiency.
    • Install active solar systems, including solar collectors, concentrators, pumps, or fans.
    • Determine connection interfaces for additional subpanels or for connecting photovoltaic (PV) systems with utility services or other power generation sources.
    • Perform routine photovoltaic (PV) system maintenance on modules, arrays, batteries, power conditioning equipment, safety systems, structural systems, weather sealing, or balance of systems equipment.
    • Test operating voltages to ensure operation within acceptable limits for power conditioning equipment, such as inverters and controllers.
    • Install photovoltaic (PV) systems in accordance with codes and standards, using drawings, schematics, and instructions.
    • Examine designs to determine current requirements for all parts of the photovoltaic (PV) system electrical circuit.
    • Install required labels on solar system components and hardware.
    • Determine photovoltaic (PV) system designs or configurations based on factors such as customer needs, expectations, and site conditions.
    • Visually inspect and test photovoltaic (PV) modules or systems.
    • Select mechanical designs, installation equipment, or installation plans that conform to environmental, architectural, structural, site, and code requirements.
    • Determine appropriate sizes, ratings, and locations for all system overcurrent devices, disconnect devices, grounding equipment, and surge suppression equipment.
    • Check electrical installation for proper wiring, polarity, grounding, or integrity of terminations.
    • Visually inspect and test photovoltaic (PV) modules or systems.
    • Identify electrical, environmental, and safety hazards associated with photovoltaic (PV) installations.
    • Install module array interconnect wiring, implementing measures to disable arrays during installation.
    • Demonstrate system functionality and performance, including start-up, shut-down, normal operation, and emergency or bypass operations.
    • Program, adjust, or configure inverters and controls for desired set points and operating modes.
    • Activate photovoltaic (PV) systems to verify system functionality and conformity to performance expectations.
    • Compile or maintain records of system operation, performance, and maintenance.
    • Determine materials, equipment, and installation sequences necessary to maximize installation efficiency.
    • Apply weather sealing to array, building, or support mechanisms.
    • Measure and analyze system performance and operating parameters to assess operating condition of systems or equipment.
    • Identify methods for laying out, orienting, and mounting modules or arrays to ensure efficient installation, electrical configuration, or system maintenance.

    Skills

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    4
    Workplace Documents
    4
    Graphic Literacy
    4

    Abilities

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    Knowledge

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    • Customer and Personal Service

      Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    Career Video

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    Additional videos and more information available on CareerOneStop

    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 42740/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 20.55/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 520
    • Yearly Projected Openings 50

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Integrity
    • Cooperation
    • Self Control
    • Analytical Thinking

    Tools

    • Adjustable wrenches
    • Blow torch
    • Caulking guns
    • Claw hammer
    • Desktop computers
    • Digital camcorders or video cameras
    • Forklifts
    • Front end loaders
    • Geological compasses
    • Global positioning system GPS receiver
    • Hex keys
    • Ladders
    • Levels
    • Locking pliers
    • Mallets
    • Masks or accessories
    • Minivans or vans
    • Multimeters
    • Notebook computers
    • Ohmmeters
    • Personal computers
    • Pipe or tube cutter
    • Pipe wrenches
    • Pitch measuring instruments
    • Pocket calculator
    • Portable data input terminals
    • Post hole digger
    • Power drills
    • Power saws
    • Protective gloves
    • Putty knives
    • Ratchets
    • Round file
    • Safety glasses
    • Safety harnesses or belts
    • Screwdrivers
    • Shovels
    • Sledge hammer
    • Solar radiation surface observing apparatus
    • Squares
    • Stripping tools
    • Tape measures
    • Tinners snips
    • Trenching machines
    • Utility knives
    • Wheelbarrows
    • Wire cutters
    • Wire lug crimping tool

    Technology

    • Calendar and scheduling software
    • Computer aided design CAD software
    • Customer relationship management CRM software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Enterprise application integration software
    • Office suite software
    • Project management software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Word processing software
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