Career Overview
Design, evaluate, modify, or construct fuel cell components or systems for transportation, stationary, or portable applications.
Also Known As
- Engineer
- Fuel Cell Engineer
- Research Engineer
- Stack Engineer
Alternate Job Titles
- Design Cell Engineer
- Engineer
- Fuel Cell Designer
- Fuel Cell Engineer
- Fuel Cell Systems Engineer
- Fuel Cell Test Engineer
- Research Engineer
- Space Battery Technician
- Stack Engineer
- Subsystems Engineer
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities 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.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Engineering and Technology
- Chemistry
- Design
- Mathematics
- Physics
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Speaking
- Science
- Active Listening
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Systems Analysis
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Written Expression
- Written Comprehension
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Mathematical Reasoning
- Category Flexibility
- Near Vision
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Innovation
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Achievement
- Working Conditions
- Independence
- Recognition
- Support
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months
Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- C
- C++
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Word
- Oracle Database
Tools & Equipment
- Desktop computers
- Differential scanning calorimeters
- Digital sonifiers
- Dilatometers
- Flame ionization detectors FID
- Flow reactors
- Fluorescence detectors
- Fourier transfer infrared FTIR spectrometers
- Frequency response analyzers
- Fuel cell test stands
- Gas chromatography equipment
- Gravity convection ovens
- High pressure liquid chromatographs HPLC
- High temperature tube furnaces
- Induction furnaces
Work Environment
- 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
Salary & Job Market
Wages reported for the broader Mechanical Engineers occupational group (BLS 2024), which includes Fuel Cell Engineers.
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $68,740 |
| Median | $102,320 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $161,240 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 286,760
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Chemical Engineers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $121,860
Automotive Engineers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $102,320
Microsystems Engineers
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $117,750
Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $167,740
Electrical Engineers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $111,910
Is This Career Right for You?
Discover your perfect career match with our free comprehensive assessment! Get personalized recommendations based on your interests, skills, and values.
Take the Free Career Assessment →
Want Personalized Guidance?
For customized career recommendations, college selection strategies, and expert application support, explore the MehtA+ Admissions Consulting Program. We help students identify the right opportunities and navigate the path to achieving their academic and career goals.
Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.