A Solar Engineering firm in New Milford, Connecticut is seeking an Electric Engineer to join its team.

Job Description:

• In this position, you will coordinate directly with clients and internal staff to create design documents and construction plans for utility-scale PV systems.

• This position requires thorough knowledge of electrical design and engineering techniques, as well as CAD and graphics skills.

• This person is responsible to plan and conduct independent work requiring judgment in the evaluation, equipment selection, application and adaptation of engineering techniques, procedures and criteria.

• Develop new approaches to problems, and prepare or modify drawings, specifications, calculations, and monitor work for compliance to applicable codes, accepted engineering practices.

• Ensure consistency in design reviews, verification & qualification efforts. Participate in peer reviews.

• Make technology recommendations based on project site location and geographic conditions.

• Perform electrical site surveys using basic surveying tools, electrical safety equipment.

• Prepare site analysis reports regarding the feasibility of proposed projects and potential issues that may arise during construction.

• Utilize AutoCAD, and Microsoft Office tools in the development of project deliverables.

• Ability to write technical specifications, develop device and system level specification for external approvals.

• Provide technical support for interconnection and permitting efforts with municipalities and utilities.

• Support growth of a solar engineering team by providing guidance and technical direction to drafting team including the assignment and coordination of work to drafters.

Skills/Education/Experience:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Electric Engineering with a minimum of five years of experience with advance knowledge in electrical engineering

• Understanding of utilities engineering and design

• Professional Engineering licensure required

• Proficient in ACAD.

• Excellent computer skills in Microsoft Suite and strong verbal & written communication skills.

To reply with a resume and references, email Danielle Primini.

North Branford High School will host an Environmental Science Fair on Friday, May 24 from 8:00 am to 10:30 am. Professionals in science fields, including teachers and educators, are welcome to attend. For more information, contact Deb Mendillo at North Branford High School at DMendillo@northbranfordschools.org or (203) 484-1465 extension 13124.

The new Gateway Community College Small Engine Repair & Technology program provides the skills needed to perform small engine repairs and offers the option to test for the Equipment and Engineering Training Council (EETC) Certification. This intensive, 36-hour program includes three workshops designed to provide classroom and hands-on training in order to maintain, troubleshoot, identify problems and make repairs on a variety of small engine types. According to the U.S. Department of Labor's latest Occupational Outlook Handbook, the small engine mechanic field will see a 21% increase in job growth between now and 2020. For those with formal training, the outlook is particularly bright. Recent stories in the media also point to the explosive growth in sales of generators, snow blowers, riding lawn mowers, home-garden tractors and all kinds of motorized outdoor equipment.

The Gateway program will run on Thursdays and Fridays from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. from May 16 through June 14 on Gateway's Long Wharf Campus at 60 Sargent Drive in New Haven. The 10th day is the testing day, when students can opt to be tested for the EETC Certification in three types of small engine repair.

The course outline includes:

Small Engine Technology 1 – the Basics. This workshop provides information on safety, tools, fuel, chemicals, starting and charging the equipment.

Small Engine Technology 2 - Principles of operation. The second workshop provides classroom and hands-on training in inspection, disassembly, reconditioning, preventive maintenance and troubleshooting.

Small Engine Technology 3 – Equipment. The last workshop features classroom and hands-on training on a variety of machines including lawn equipment, tractors, snow throwers, personal watercraft and generators as well as transmission drive systems.

The total cost of the program is $2,500, which includes a tool kit, texts and selected manuals. Gateway offers a payment plan for the program. For complete information or to register, contact Ann Harrison at 203-285-2309 or aharrison@gatewayct.edu.

Judges are needed for the 19th annual New Haven Science Fair to be held at University Commons at Woolsey Hall at Yale University from May 14 - 16, 2013.

The New Haven Science Fair Program was started in 1995 with seven test schools. In 2011, more than 8,000 New Haven students participated, utilizing more than 160 volunteers for mentoring and judging. The program is dedicated to improving the quality of science and math education education in the New Haven Public Schools for students in grades Pre-K through 12.

The New Haven Science Fair Program is a partnership involving businesses, institutions of higher education, associations, foundations, and private citizens, working with public school teachers, students, administrators, and parents. The goal of the program is to work with children and teachers to help them carry out investigative hands-on science fair projects in order to promote skills in critical thinking, the scientific process, and communication.

To register for judging, please go to the judges page at www.nhsciencefair.org . Evaluation sheets that are used are also there.

The New Haven Science Fair Program is administered by the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce.

On March 21, 2013, acting Deputy Director of the U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau Nancy Santiago-Negrón addressed more than 100 people at the White House, discussing her professional experience helping women prepare for jobs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and environmental fields. "The importance of mentors for young women in STEM cannot be overstated," she said. "Mentors and strong networks make careers in STEM both a possibility for young girls and a reality for women entering the workforce."

Santiago-Negrón spoke at the 2nd Annual White House Women and the Environment Summit, which observed Women's History Month and recognized women who have addressed great environmental challenges. Participants discussed strategies to ensure that women continue to take an active role in protecting the environment.

Click here to view a photo gallery of the White House Women and the Environment Summit.

On March 6, 2013, Environmental Entrepreneurs released its 2012 Clean Energy Jobs Year-in-Review and Fourth Quarter Report, which found that companies and communities across the country announced more than 300 clean energy and clean transportation projects in 2012 that are expected to create 110,000 jobs.

Connecticut ranked fifth among all states in 2012 job announcements with 4,958 jobs expected to be created by four clean energy projects announced during 2012. In 2012, clean energy projects created jobs in every corner of the country. California, North Carolina and Florida led the nation, with Illinois, Connecticut, Arizona, New York, Michigan, Texas and Oregon rounding out the Top 10.

"It's now crystal-clear that clean energy and clean transportation are helping our economy recover," said Judith Albert, executive director of Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2), a nationwide network of business leaders who advocate for policies that benefit both the economy and the environment. "The projects and job announcements like we saw in 2012 can continue - as long as we don't let smart energy policies get hijacked by special interests."

For the complete Environmental Entrepreneurs report as well as a searchable, state-by-state database of clean energy job announcements, see www.e2.org/cleanjobs.

Naugatuck Valley Community College (NVCC) has invited six accomplished female scientists to speak with students at the fifth annual Scott Lawrence Pond Memorial Women in Science Seminar on Wednesday, April 3, from 11 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. The seminar will be held in Room E440 of Ekstrom Hall located at 750 Chase Parkway in Waterbury.

Women in Science provides a forum in which local women scientists share their work and describe their personal and intellectual journey toward joining their respective fields. NVCC students and approximately 75 local middle school girls will attend to learn more about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) career paths. The public is also invited to register for the free event by calling 203-575-8065.

"We are very pleased to host this event for the fifth time," said NVCC President Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D. "We are particularly glad to do so this year in concert with the very exciting Connecticut State Bio Initiative, which is bringing the Jackson Labs to the UConn Health Center campus. This is an excellent time for women to consider a STEM career in our state and programs like the Women in Science seminar are introducing our students and local middle school students to the fascinating career opportunities available for women in STEM fields."

A brief luncheon will be provided following the event to encourage one-on-one conversations with the speakers, who include:

• Dr. Ruth Washington, founder and president of Forward Education Consulting, LLC, and former professor of molecular and cell biology at the University of Connecticut (UConn), Storrs;

• Keshia Ashe, chemical engineering Ph.D. candidate at UConn Health Center and co-founder of ManyMentors, a nonprofit organization focused on connecting middle and high school students interested in STEM fields with college-aged mentors;

• Dr. Carol Rizzolo, professor and researcher with a focus on the psychology and mythology of death;

• Dr. Yih-Woei Fridell, assistant professor of molecular biology in the Department of Allied Health Sciences at UConn with a research focus on the aging process;

• Mary Angelicola, former NVCC and Waterbury State Tech student with a career focus in industrial and commercial environmental management and manufacturing engineering; and

• Rabia Baz, chemical engineer at Evonik Industries, chair for the American Institute of Chemical Engineers in New Haven, and NVCC graduate.

Call 203-575-8065 for more information on the Women in Science Seminar.

The University of Connecticut's "Next Generation Connecticut" initiative has created several videos about science, technology, engingeering, and math (STEM) careers and programs at UConn. Next Generation Connecticut is Governor Dannel Malloy's proposal to greatly expand educational opportunities, research, and innovation in the STEM disciplines at UConn over the next decade. Click here to watch videos about UConn initiatives in areas including digital media, smart robotic drones, biodiesel fuel, robotics, and stem cells.

The following article was adapted from an article in the February 21, 2013 U.S. Department of Labor Newsletter.

In his State of the Union address, President Obama outlined a plan to strengthen the middle class by making the United States a magnet for jobs and manufacturing. The U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration is charged with ensuring American workers are prepared for jobs of the future. Jane Oates, assistant secretary of labor for employment and training, answered three questions on what American manufacturing means for the country:

Question 1: What does 21st century manufacturing in America look like?

Jane Oates: Manufacturing is changing from what it was a generation ago. It's becoming more high-tech in both the tools and the processes used to manufacture new products. There are more computers and an expanded use of robotics. Manufacturing workers today need to know how to operate this equipment, which will require them to develop a whole new set of skills and knowledge.

Question 2: How will we train workers with the right skills for these manufacturing jobs?

Jane Oates: Employers are looking for workers with the skills to operate the high-tech equipment used in advanced manufacturing. To help upgrade the skills of existing workers and prepare new workers in this industry, the Labor Department is investing $2 billion to expand the capacity of community colleges to train students in new and in-demand skills, like automation, robotics, and information technology. We are also encouraging community colleges to partner with local businesses and the workforce system so students can earn industry-recognized credentials. We also try to bolster manufacturing careers through our H-1B technical skills training grants.

Question 3: What else can we do to bring jobs here?

Jane Oates: As President Obama said in the State of the Union, one critical step is to remove the incentives businesses have to set up shop overseas. We can end tax breaks for companies that ship jobs abroad and reward companies that hire here at home. We can help communities use local labor market data to ensure they are preparing workers for high-demand jobs, so that trained workers are ready when companies bring operations back home. At the department, we are working with our interagency partners, such as the Commerce Department and the Small Business Administration, to assist in economic development and encourage smart investments that benefit businesses and the public.