Occupational Listings

Green New and Emerging Occupations

The impact of green economy activities and technologies is sufficient to create the need for unique work and worker requirements, which results in the generation of a new occupation relative to the O*NET taxonomy. This new occupation could be entirely novel or "born" from an existing occupation.

91 occupations
O*NET-SOC 2010 CodeO*NET-SOC 2010 Title
n/aAir Quality Control Specialists
Perform a wide range of air quality compliance duties including equipment and facility permitting, compliance auditing, emissions control research, recordkeeping and reporting, participation in planning processes.
17-3027.01Automotive Engineering Technicians*
Assist engineers in determining the practicality of proposed product design changes and plan and carry out tests on experimental test devices or equipment for performance, durability, or efficiency.
17-2141.02Automotive Engineers*
Develop new or improved designs for vehicle structural members, engines, transmissions, or other vehicle systems, using computer-assisted design technology. Direct building, modification, or testing of vehicle or components.
17-2199.01Biochemical Engineers*
Develop usable, tangible products, using knowledge of biology, chemistry, or engineering. Solve problems related to materials, systems, or processes that interact with humans, plants, animals, microorganisms, or biological materials.
51-8099.01Biofuels Processing Technicians
Calculate, measure, load, mix, and process refined feedstock with additives in fermentation or reaction process vessels and monitor production process. Perform, and keep records of, plant maintenance, repairs, and safety inspections.
11-3051.03Biofuels Production Managers
Manage biofuels production and plant operations. Collect and process information on plant production and performance, diagnose problems, and design corrective procedures.
11-9041.01Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers
Define, plan, or execute biofuels/biodiesel research programs that evaluate alternative feedstock and process technologies with near-term commercial potential.
n/aBiomass Plant Engineers
Design plants that generate electricity from the combustion of biomass.
51-8099.03Biomass Plant Technicians
Control and monitor biomass plant activities and perform maintenance as needed.
11-3051.04Biomass Power Plant Managers
Manage operations at biomass power generation facilities. Direct work activities at plant, including supervision of operations and maintenance staff.
11-9199.11Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers
Plan and direct cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties for reuse. Does not include properties sufficiently contaminated to qualify as Superfund sites.
n/aCarbon Capture and Sequestration Systems Installers
Install and maintain carbon energy capture or carbon sequestration facilities.
n/aCarbon Credit Traders
Represent companies in the sale and purchase of carbon emissions permits.
n/aCarbon Trading Analysts
Analyze pricing and risks of carbon trading products; develop solutions to help clients hedge carbon exposure and risk.
11-1011.03Chief Sustainability Officers
Communicate and coordinate with management, shareholders, customers, and employees to address sustainability issues. Enact or oversee a corporate sustainability strategy.
19-2041.01Climate Change Analysts
Research and analyze policy developments related to climate change. Make climate-related recommendations for actions such as legislation, awareness campaigns, or fundraising approaches.
11-9199.02Compliance Managers*
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization to ensure compliance with ethical or regulatory standards.
17-3029.02Electrical Engineering Technologists*
Assist electrical engineers in such activities as process control, electrical power distribution, or instrumentation design. May prepare layouts of electrical transmission or distribution systems, supervise the flow of work, estimate project costs, or participate in research studies.
17-3029.03Electromechanical Engineering Technologists*
Assist electromechanical engineers in such activities as computer-based process control, instrumentation, or machine design. May prepare layouts of machinery or equipment, plan the flow of work, conduct statistical studies, or analyze production costs.
17-3029.04Electronics Engineering Technologists*
Assist electronics engineers in such activities as electronics systems and instrumentation design or digital signal processing.
13-1199.01Energy Auditors*
Conduct energy audits of buildings, building systems, or process systems. May also conduct investment grade audits of buildings or systems.
41-3099.01Energy Brokers*
Buy or sell energy products on the behalf of residential or commercial customers or utilities. Negotiate and oversee contracts for energy sales.
17-2199.03Energy Engineers*
Design, develop, or evaluate energy-related projects or programs to reduce energy costs or improve energy efficiency during the designing, building, or remodeling stages of construction. May specialize in electrical systems; heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems; green buildings; lighting; air quality; or energy procurement.
n/aEnvironmental Certification Specialists
Guide clients such as manufacturers, organic farms, and timber companies through the process of being certified as green.
19-3011.01Environmental Economists
Conduct economic analysis related to environmental protection and use of the natural environment, such as water, air, land, and renewable energy resources. Evaluate and quantify benefits, costs, incentives, and impacts of alternative options using economic principles and statistical techniques.
19-2041.02Environmental Restoration Planners
Collaborate with field and biology staff to oversee the implementation of restoration projects and to develop new products. Process and synthesize complex scientific data into practical strategies for restoration, monitoring or management.
13-2099.01Financial Quantitative Analysts*
Develop quantitative financial products used to inform individuals or financial institutions engaged in saving, lending, investing, borrowing, or managing risk. Investigate methods for financial analysis to create mathematical models used to develop improved analytical tools or advanced financial investment instruments.
43-5011.01Freight Forwarders*
Research rates, routings, or modes of transport for shipment of products. Maintain awareness of regulations affecting the international movement of cargo. Make arrangements for additional services, such as storage or inland transportation.
17-2141.01Fuel Cell Engineers*
Design, evaluate, modify, or construct fuel cell components or systems for transportation, stationary, or portable applications.
17-3029.10Fuel Cell Technicians*
Install, operate, or maintain integrated fuel cell systems in transportation, stationary, or portable applications.
15-1199.05Geographic Information Systems Technicians*
Assist scientists, technologists, or related professionals in building, maintaining, modifying, or using geographic information systems (GIS) databases. May also perform some custom application development or provide user support.
15-1199.04Geospatial Information Scientists and Technologists*
Research or develop geospatial technologies. May produce databases, perform applications programming, or coordinate projects. May specialize in areas such as agriculture, mining, health care, retail trade, urban planning, or military intelligence.
11-3051.02Geothermal Production Managers
Manage operations at geothermal power generation facilities. Maintain and monitor geothermal plant equipment for efficient and safe plant operations.
49-9099.01Geothermal Technicians
Perform technical activities at power plants or individual installations necessary for the generation of power from geothermal energy sources. Monitor and control operating activities at geothermal power generation facilities and perform maintenance and repairs as necessary. Install, test, and maintain residential and commercial geothermal heat pumps.
11-2011.01Green Marketers
Create and implement methods to market green products and services.
n/aGreenhouse Gas Emissions Permitting Consultants
Conduct data gathering, data analysis, calculation, inventories and reduction planning, and be familiar with emerging regulations on greenhouse gas management.
n/aGreenhouse Gas Emissions Report Verifiers
Conduct data audits of reported greenhouse gas emissions inventories.
51-8099.04Hydroelectric Plant Technicians
Monitor and control activities associated with hydropower generation. Operate plant equipment, such as turbines, pumps, valves, gates, fans, electric control boards, and battery banks. Monitor equipment operation and performance and make necessary adjustments to ensure optimal performance. Perform equipment maintenance and repair as necessary.
11-3051.06Hydroelectric Production Managers
Manage operations at hydroelectric power generation facilities. Maintain and monitor hydroelectric plant equipment for efficient and safe plant operations.
19-2041.03Industrial Ecologists
Apply principles and processes of natural ecosystems to develop models for efficient industrial systems. Use knowledge from the physical and social sciences to maximize effective use of natural resources in the production and use of goods and services. Examine societal issues and their relationship with both technical systems and the environment.
17-3029.05Industrial Engineering Technologists*
Assist industrial engineers in such activities as quality control, inventory control, or material flow methods. May conduct statistical studies or analyze production costs.
13-2099.03Investment Underwriters*
Manage communications or negotiations between corporate issuers of securities and clients regarding private equity investments. Underwrite the issuance of securities to provide capital for client growth. Negotiate and structure the terms of mergers or acquisitions.
13-1081.02Logistics Analysts*
Analyze product delivery or supply chain processes to identify or recommend changes. May manage route activity including invoicing, electronic bills, and shipment tracing.
13-1081.01Logistics Engineers*
Design or analyze operational solutions for projects such as transportation optimization, network modeling, process and methods analysis, cost containment, capacity enhancement, routing and shipment optimization, or information management.
11-3071.03Logistics Managers*
Plan, direct, or coordinate purchasing, warehousing, distribution, forecasting, customer service, or planning services. Manage logistics personnel and logistics systems and direct daily operations.
17-3029.06Manufacturing Engineering Technologists*
Develop tools, implement designs, or integrate machinery, equipment, or computer technologies to ensure effective manufacturing processes.
17-2199.04Manufacturing Engineers*
Design, integrate, or improve manufacturing systems or related processes. May work with commercial or industrial designers to refine product designs to increase producibility and decrease costs.
17-3029.09Manufacturing Production Technicians*
Set up, test, and adjust manufacturing machinery or equipment, using any combination of electrical, electronic, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, or computer technologies.
17-3029.07Mechanical Engineering Technologists*
Assist mechanical engineers in such activities as generation, transmission, or use of mechanical or fluid energy. Prepare layouts of machinery or equipment or plan the flow of work. May conduct statistical studies or analyze production costs.
17-2199.05Mechatronics Engineers*
Research, design, develop, or test automation, intelligent systems, smart devices, or industrial systems control.
n/aMethane Capturing System Engineers/Installers/Project Managers
Design gas recovery systems and oversee installation and development process, including recovery modeling, permitting, specifications preparation and project oversight. Develop client relationships and arrange for sales of energy.
11-3051.05Methane/Landfill Gas Collection System Operators
Direct daily operations, maintenance, or repair of landfill gas projects, including maintenance of daily logs, determination of service priorities, and compliance with reporting requirements.
51-8099.02Methane/Landfill Gas Generation System Technicians
Monitor, operate, and maintain landfill gas collection system components and environmental monitoring and control systems.
17-2199.06Microsystems Engineers*
Research, design, develop, or test microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices.
17-2199.09Nanosystems Engineers*
Design, develop, or supervise the production of materials, devices, or systems of unique molecular or macromolecular composition, applying principles of nanoscale physics and electrical, chemical, or biological engineering.
17-3029.12Nanotechnology Engineering Technicians*
Operate commercial-scale production equipment to produce, test, or modify materials, devices, or systems of molecular or macromolecular composition. Work under the supervision of engineering staff.
17-3029.11Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists*
Implement production processes for nanoscale designs to produce or modify materials, devices, or systems of unique molecular or macromolecular composition. Operate advanced microscopy equipment to manipulate nanoscale objects. Work under the supervision of nanoengineering staff.
17-2199.07Photonics Engineers*
Design technologies specializing in light information or light energy, such as laser or fiber optics technology.
17-3029.08Photonics Technicians*
Build, install, test, or maintain optical or fiber optic equipment, such as lasers, lenses, or mirrors, using spectrometers, interferometers, or related equipment.
19-4099.02Precision Agriculture Technicians*
Apply geospatial technologies, including geographic information systems (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS), to agricultural production or management activities, such as pest scouting, site-specific pesticide application, yield mapping, or variable-rate irrigation. May use computers to develop or analyze maps or remote sensing images to compare physical topography with data on soils, fertilizer, pests, or weather.
51-9199.01Recycling and Reclamation Workers
Prepare and sort materials or products for recycling. Identify and remove hazardous substances. Dismantle components of products such as appliances.
53-1021.01Recycling Coordinators
Supervise curbside and drop-off recycling programs for municipal governments or private firms.
11-9199.01Regulatory Affairs Managers*
Plan, direct, or coordinate production activities of an organization to ensure compliance with regulations and standard operating procedures.
13-1041.07Regulatory Affairs Specialists*
Coordinate and document internal regulatory processes, such as internal audits, inspections, license renewals, or registrations. May compile and prepare materials for submission to regulatory agencies.
19-2099.01Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists*
Apply remote sensing principles and methods to analyze data and solve problems in areas such as natural resource management, urban planning, or homeland security. May develop new sensor systems, analytical techniques, or new applications for existing systems.
19-4099.03Remote Sensing Technicians*
Apply remote sensing technologies to assist scientists in areas such as natural resources, urban planning, or homeland security. May prepare flight plans or sensor configurations for flight trips.
13-2099.02Risk Management Specialists*
Analyze and manage risk management issues by identifying, measuring, and making decisions on operational or enterprise risks for an organization.
17-2199.08Robotics Engineers*
Research, design, develop, or test robotic applications.
17-3024.01Robotics Technicians*
Build, install, test, or maintain robotic equipment or related automated production systems.
41-3031.03Securities and Commodities Traders*
Buy and sell securities and commodities to transfer debt, capital, or risk. Establish and negotiate unit prices and terms of sale.
47-1011.03Solar Energy Installation Managers
Direct work crews installing residential or commercial solar photovoltaic or thermal systems.
17-2199.11Solar Energy Systems Engineers
Perform site-specific engineering analysis or evaluation of energy efficiency and solar projects involving residential, commercial, or industrial customers. Design solar domestic hot water and space heating systems for new and existing structures, applying knowledge of structural energy requirements, local climates, solar technology, and thermodynamics.
47-2231.00Solar 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.
n/aSolar Power Plant Technicians
Monitor and repair the instrumentation, controls, and electrical systems in a utility-scale solar power generating facility.
41-4011.07Solar Sales Representatives and Assessors
Contact new or existing customers to determine their solar equipment needs, suggest systems or equipment, or estimate costs.
47-4099.02Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians
Install or repair solar energy systems designed to collect, store, and circulate solar-heated water for residential, commercial or industrial use.
n/aSolar Thermoelectric Plant/Concentrating Thermal Power (CSP) Plant Operators
Direct the operations of a commercial solar-generated power production plant.
11-9199.04Supply Chain Managers*
Direct or coordinate production, purchasing, warehousing, distribution, or financial forecasting services or activities to limit costs and improve accuracy, customer service, or safety. Examine existing procedures or opportunities for streamlining activities to meet product distribution needs. Direct the movement, storage, or processing of inventory.
13-1199.05Sustainability Specialists
Address organizational sustainability issues, such as waste stream management, green building practices, and green procurement plans.
n/aSustainable Design Specialists
Design from the outset for recycling, reuse or remanufacturing.
n/aTesting Adjusting and Balancing TAB Technicians
Test, adjust, and balance HVAC systems so they perform as designed.
17-2051.01Transportation Engineers*
Develop plans for surface transportation projects, according to established engineering standards and state or federal construction policy. Prepare designs, specifications, or estimates for transportation facilities. Plan modifications of existing streets, highways, or freeways to improve traffic flow.
19-3099.01Transportation Planners*
Prepare studies for proposed transportation projects. Gather, compile, and analyze data. Study the use and operation of transportation systems. Develop transportation models or simulations.
17-2199.02Validation Engineers*
Design or plan protocols for equipment or processes to produce products meeting internal and external purity, safety, and quality requirements.
11-9121.02Water Resource Specialists
Design or implement programs and strategies related to water resource issues such as supply, quality, and regulatory compliance issues.
17-2081.01Water/Wastewater Engineers
Design or oversee projects involving provision of potable water, disposal of wastewater and sewage, or prevention of flood-related damage. Prepare environmental documentation for water resources, regulatory program compliance, data management and analysis, and field work. Perform hydraulic modeling and pipeline design.
47-4099.03Weatherization Installers and Technicians
Perform a variety of activities to weatherize homes and make them more energy efficient. Duties include repairing windows, insulating ducts, and performing heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) work. May perform energy audits and advise clients on energy conservation measures.
17-2199.10Wind Energy Engineers
Design underground or overhead wind farm collector systems and prepare and develop site specifications.
11-9199.09Wind Energy Operations Managers
Manage wind field operations, including personnel, maintenance activities, financial activities, and planning.
11-9199.10Wind Energy Project Managers
Lead or manage the development and evaluation of potential wind energy business opportunities, including environmental studies, permitting, and proposals. May also manage construction of projects.
49-9081.00Wind Turbine Service Technicians
Inspect, diagnose, adjust, or repair wind turbines. Perform maintenance on wind turbine equipment including resolving electrical, mechanical, and hydraulic malfunctions.

* denotes N&E occupations previously identified in in-demand industry clusters.