Renewable energy is in demand now more than ever. With the fuel crisis exposing more cracks in our traditional and ageing energy systems, it’s an exciting time to choose a renewable energy career!
Almost every person, house and business in Australia relies on energy systems for a good quality of life. That means combining engineering and energy is the ultimate chance to have a high-impact career. With Australia reaching for Net Zero emissions, the biggest growth area in energy right now truly is the renewable sector.
Between AI, data centres and emerging technologies, our demand for energy is still growing. With this growth comes challenges to consistently gather, store and transport energy in a stable and reliable way. Luckily, engineers are professional problem-solvers.
Engineering can harness the power of the sun, wind, water, heat and even waste to power our world. For example, bioenergy is where energy is harnessed from biomass (organic material) – how’s that for recycling?!
Renewable energy careers span the whole energy system from grid connection, to battery storage, electric vehicles, hydropower and lots more! Time to power our way to a more hopeful future.
What’s in a name?
Non-renewables are sources of energy that are limited, so we are running out of them. Renewables, on the other hand, are sources of energy that replenish quicker than we can use them. These are energy sources we’re certain we can use for generations to come.
Powering progress
Isaac found his niche in high school when a wind energy engineer visited his Year 8 classroom and inspired him to consider being an engineer. Later, motivated by the School Strike for Climate movement, Isaac decided his engineering path would have a renewable energy focus.
“I wanted to take direct action. Engineering is the most direct application of science,” he says.
From solar-powered cars to Australia’s technical heritage, Isaac spent his uni time “knee deep in interesting cross-disciplinary projects to support my Renewable Energy Systems specialisation,” gaining a diverse skill set in the process.
Now, Isaac works at Windlab, raising the bar on renewable energy and making fossil fuel obsolete.
“I’m passionate about accelerating Australia’s transition to true zero-carbon emissions,” he says. “No one should be left behind and everyone should benefit.”
Career path
- Bachelor of Engineering (Research & Development), Renewable Energy Systems, Australian National University
- Undergraduate engineer, Windlab
- Project engineer, Windlab
Powerful jobs
Renewable energy engineer
Support projects across decarbonisation, power generation and energy storage.
Grid connection engineer
Integrate renewable energy with the grid to distribute clean power around Australia.
Mechanical engineer
Forces, materials and structures come together to bring your renewable energy designs to life.
Electrical engineer
Design, build and test the electrical systems that are behind our renewable energy sources.
Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) engineer
Design and monitor critical computer systems to keep renewable infrastructure running at peak efficiency.
Start your career here
Engineering + energy + study
- Bachelor of Engineering (Photovoltaics and Solar Energy) (Honours), UNSW Sydney
- Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical Engineering) (Honours), The University of Sydney
- Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Computer Science, The University of
Queensland - Master of Engineering (Sustainable Energy), RMIT
Engineering + energy + jobs
- Renewable energy engineer $55K–$95K
- Grid connection engineer $90K–$110K
- Mechanical engineer $65K–$125K
- Electrical engineer $65K–$130K
- SCADA engineer $70K–$125K
*Salaries according to payscale.com, seek.com.au and glassdoor.com.au
Written by Ella McCarthy
This article first appeared in Careers with STEM: Engineering 2026.
