Renewable energy jobs · Software Development

Software Development Jobs in Renewable Energy

Software developers in renewable energy build the systems that monitor power plants, balance electrical grids, optimise energy trading, and manage millions of distributed assets - from rooftop solar inverters to utility-scale battery arrays. The global energy management software market reached $16.4 billion in 2025 and is projected to exceed $50 billion by 2035, growing at 11.9% annually, which translates directly into sustained demand for developers who understand both code and kilowatt-hours.

What distinguishes these roles from generic software engineering is the domain. A backend developer at a cleantech company does not just build APIs - they build APIs that ingest telemetry from SCADA systems, process real-time grid frequency data, or calculate settlement payments for virtual power plants. The technology stacks are familiar (Python, TypeScript, Go, cloud-native infrastructure), but the problems are shaped by physics, regulation, and the intermittency of wind and solar generation.

What the work looks like

The most common job titles on Rejobs - Senior Software Engineer, Full Stack Developer, Staff Software Engineer, and Senior Embedded Software Engineer - reflect the breadth of the field. Roles split roughly into three categories. Platform teams build cloud infrastructure, data pipelines, and internal tooling. Product teams develop customer-facing applications for energy monitoring, EV charging management, or solar design software. Embedded and firmware engineers work closer to the hardware, writing control logic for inverters, battery management systems, or smart meters.

Machine learning and AI are increasingly embedded in these roles rather than siloed in dedicated teams. The IEA's World Energy Employment 2025 report found that AI-skilled workers in energy firms are roughly 40% less concentrated than in technology, finance, or media - a gap that creates opportunity for developers who combine software skills with energy domain knowledge.

Who is hiring

The employer mix ranges from energy-focused startups to established industrial companies. EnergyHub, a demand-side management platform, and Uplight, which builds utility customer engagement software, represent the SaaS-product end. Landis+Gyr (5,000-10,000 employees) develops smart metering and grid edge intelligence across embedded and cloud layers. Aurora Solar focuses on solar design and sales software. European players like sonnen (home battery systems), Power Factors (renewable asset performance management), and Kiwigrid (IoT energy management) hire developers across Germany. Octopus Energy - one of the largest clean energy employers in Europe - builds its proprietary Kraken platform in-house.

Where the roles are concentrated

Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich dominate, collectively accounting for more software development postings than any other region. London and Glasgow are the main UK hubs. Boulder, Colorado clusters around EnergyHub and adjacent cleantech companies. Amsterdam and Oslo round out the European picture.

Skills that command a premium

The SCADA-in-renewables market alone is growing at 12.7% CAGR to reach $3.56 billion by 2030, and the software segment already holds 40% of that market. Developers who can work across cloud computing infrastructure and operational technology - bridging IT and OT - are scarce and paid accordingly. Experience with IoT protocols (MQTT, Modbus, IEC 61850), time-series databases, and real-time data streaming positions candidates well. Python remains the dominant language for energy analytics and ML workloads, while TypeScript and Go are common for platform and API development. Embedded C/C++ is sought after for firmware roles at companies like Fronius and Landis+Gyr. The combination of solid engineering fundamentals and enough energy-sector context to ask the right questions during system design is what separates a strong candidate from a generic one.