Wind Energy Engineers
Machines can already do 36% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 66%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Wind Energy Engineers in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 36% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 7% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2030, and 66% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 154,070 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $122,930 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 59% for contact with people.
- Also called: Engineer, Project Engineer, Turbine Measurements Engineer, Utility Engineer.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Create or maintain wind farm layouts, schematics, or other visual documentation for wind farms | 12% | 35% to 65% | |
| Create models to optimize the layout of wind farm access roads, crane pads, crane paths, collection systems, substations, switchyards, or transmission lines | 10% | 35% to 65% | |
| Analyze operation of wind farms or wind farm components to determine reliability, performance, and compliance with specifications | 10% | 25% to 55% | |
| Recommend process or infrastructure changes to improve wind turbine performance, reduce operational costs, or comply with regulations | 7% | 35% to 65% | |
| Oversee the work activities of wind farm consultants or subcontractors | 7% | 10% to 30% | |
| Direct balance of plant (BOP) construction, generator installation, testing, commissioning, or supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) to ensure compliance with specifications | 7% | 10% to 30% | |
| Design underground or overhead wind farm collector systems | 7% | 50% to 85% | |
| Develop specifications for wind technology components, such as gearboxes, blades, generators, frequency converters, or pad transformers | 6% | 50% to 85% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills wind energy engineers use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Environmental Restoration Planners63% of tasks by 2035 · US median $82,220
- Wind Energy Development Managers55% of tasks by 2035 · US median $141,900
- Geothermal Production Managers55% of tasks by 2035 · US median $126,060
- Biofuels Production Managers48% of tasks by 2035 · US median $126,060
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Wind Energy Engineers?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2030. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of wind energy engineers?
Machines can do 36% of the tasks of wind energy engineers today and 66% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 17-2199.10 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Wind Energy Engineers: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/wind-energy-engineers/