Rosendin

Everything around us – from our bedrooms to our traffic lights – are powered by gas, energy, and utilities, and, without them, we’d be lost without power in the dark, cold, and heat.

This sector does innovative work, exploring and implementing changes in sustainability, national security, clean water access, and so much more.

Working in STEM, specifically in energy/gas/utilities, you’re at the forefront of making the world a better place, one carbon footprint at a time. Clean energy technologies are all the rage, moving the world toward sustainability, and, if you’re seeking an intense, fast-paced field that truly makes a difference on the planet, then consider opting for energy/gas/utilities. Indeed, as we move toward more sustainability via clean energy, increasingly more new and exciting jobs are opening up, too, creating higher demand for all types of diverse STEM professionals. Here are several STEM employees in energy with logical career advice for job seekers like you.

Lincoln Runs the Renewable Energy Group at Rosendin

David Lincoln is a senior vice president at Rosendin. “I run the renewable energy group here at Rosendin,” notes Lincoln, whose California-based team that he oversees is comprised of about 260 people in office-related management, and anywhere from 1,500 to 2,000 people building renewable energy systems in the field.

“My primary focus is just making sure that, from a financial aspect, the projects are on track or budgeted correctly, and they’re meeting the current

David Lincoln is a senior vice president at Rosendin where he runs the renewable energy group.

revenue streams. I wear a lot of different ‘hats,’ and just the way we’re set up internally here within the company, I’m on the renewable side of the company,” he explains.

Rosendin is primarily an electrical subcontractor, but the Rosendin renewable energy group is the only Tier 1 engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) in the industry that designs and self-performs the full spectrum of solar, BESS, and low-, medium-, and high-voltage electrical, substation, and transmission work.

“We do renewable work, big utility scale solar and wind projects, substations, battery storage, transmission and distribution lines,” details Lincoln.

“We have a couple of projects in Texas; one utility solar project is 13 square miles and we have about 700 people on that project. I do like to go to various projects when I can, and when I find the time, and go talk to a lot of the folks that are down there.”

“The renewable energy industry will be growing consistently over the next 15 to 20 years, and, as such, presents a myriad of exciting yet stable career path opportunities for young people looking to make a difference.”

The Aktina Renewable Power Project is located southwest of the Houston Metro area in Wharton County, TX. Rosendin has been working closely with Tokyo Gas America, Ltd. on this project, which is the largest solar power project in Texas. “When we’re complete, it’ll have 1.4 million solar modules, which is enough to power 100,000 homes,” he points out.

Lincoln’s background and degree is in construction, and one of his favorite aspects of the job is talking to local high school and college students about STEM through local Teach the Teacher program, which helps students “get their hands wet,” and highlights energy career options by visiting on-site Rosendin projects.

Another wonderful aspect of his job is that it’s a family affair. Two of Lincoln’s adult daughters also work for the company, but in different departments. “They both studied something else, and I was telling them all along to come work here!” he proudly shares.

Lincoln hopes his legacy is “leaving this planet a better place through renewables for my children. A little corny, really, to get out of the fossil fuel business, right? But there’s so much more we can do to promote renewable aspects, and that kind of drives me.”

Lincoln points out that, today, there are new energy legislation bills, including the federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) bill that was signed into law and enacted in August 2022 a few months ago, which allocates $369 billion for energy and climate initiatives. “This was a big boost to renewable energy, and the fact that we have some new politicians who also feel the same about renewables. We have states that are now mandating to be 100% renewable by 2030 and beyond.”

Overall, continues Lincoln, “the renewable energy industry will be growing consistently over the next 15 to 20 years, and, as such, presents a myriad of exciting yet stable career path opportunities for young people looking to make a difference. It’s an industry that thinks ‘outside the box,’ and is always changing.”‘

Find careers with San Jose, CA-headquartered Rosendin Electric at rosendin.com/careers. Follow on Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Glassdoor and LinkedIn.