Architecture & Engineering
Fuel Cell Engineers
Also called: Engineer, Fuel Cell Engineer, Research Engineer, Stack Engineer
US median pay
$104,110
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+11.2%
faster than average
Openings a year (US)
17,800
298,500 employed
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
Preparation 4/5 · Considerable preparation
What this job is
Design, evaluate, modify, or construct fuel cell components or systems for transportation, stationary, or portable applications.
What they do day to day
- 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.
- Define specifications for fuel cell materials.
- Recommend or implement changes to fuel cell system designs.
- Validate design of fuel cells, fuel cell components, or fuel cell systems.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Systems Evaluation3.6/5
- Systems Analysis3.6/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.6/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.2/5
- Quality Control Analysis3.1/5
- Operations Monitoring3.1/5
- Troubleshooting3.0/5
- Time Management3.0/5
Knowledge
- Engineering and Technology4.6/5
- Chemistry4.0/5
- Mathematics3.9/5
- Design3.9/5
- Physics3.6/5
- Computers and Electronics3.5/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 4 of 5 — Considerable preparation. Usually a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Bachelor's degree.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Bachelor's degree57%
- Master's degree43%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.