Labor Market in Power Electronics: The Underrated Bottleneck of the Energy Transition
17 Sep 2025
Power electronics determine the stability of future energy systems – yet they themselves are threatened by a dramatic shortage of skilled professionals. Researchers see opportunities in career changers affected by transformation in other industries. But how do recruitment consultants assess the situation?
In Germany, nearly 120,000 skilled professionals were missing in climate-relevant professions in 2024, according to the latest KOFA study (Competence Center for Securing Skilled Labor) commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The situation is particularly severe in electrical engineering: Of more than 10,000 open engineering positions, statistically more than four out of five remain unfilled. “We see here a structural bottleneck that will not resolve on its own in the coming years,” states the Competence Center for Securing Skilled Labor. Every third employee in this field is already over 55 years old, while the proportion of women is below ten percent.
While politics and the public debate wind turbines, solar rooftops, and heat pumps, one discipline remains in the shadows – although it holds everything together: power electronics. Without converters, gate drivers, or SiC- and GaN-based semiconductors, no wind farm runs stably, no battery storage regulates reliably, and no fast-charging station works dependably. “From generation to consumption, electricity passes through numerous power-electronic conversion stages,” explains Fraunhofer ISE. With the expansion of renewable energies, these stages multiply – and with them the demand for engineers to design and model them.
Projections from the QuBe project by BIBB and IAB, published in August 2025, add further perspective. They estimate that the energy transition alone will require about 157,000 additional workers by 2030, and still around 100,000 by 2040. Adaptation measures to climate change – such as dike construction or irrigation systems – will each create another 40,000 jobs. Particularly affected: construction, energy supply – and electrical engineering. The average job search time for electrical engineers already stood at 114 days in 2024 and is expected to rise further.
The shortage diagnosis is therefore clear. But how can the bottleneck be eased? Researchers see one key in career changes. The KOFA study highlights untapped potential among workers transitioning from other professions while emphasizing that demand for skilled labor in the renewable energy sector has risen sharply and could become the critical bottleneck of the energy transition.
Already today, according to KOFA, more than half of all new hires in climate-relevant professions come from adjacent disciplines. Frequently, engineers from R&D, mechatronics, or IT specialists make the switch. “These career changes are already a reality – without them, the shortage of skilled workers would be twice as severe,” KOFA stresses. For companies, this means looking less rigidly at résumés and investing more in skills and requalification. Support programs such as the “Qualification Opportunities Act” provide a framework for this.
Recruitment consultants in electronics are close to their clients. Nadja Eder from Schuh-Eder Consulting describes the situation: “Anyone working in power electronics is betting on the right horse, because we are still in a growth market.” Engineers with a broad skill set still have good prospects. But there is another side, as Eder continues: “This dangerous mix of economic weakness, draining digitalization projects, Chinese price competition, demographic pressure, and new demands for work-life balance is weighing heavily on many companies.” Senior positions are in especially high demand, though young talent remains indispensable. Career changers from mechanical engineering or physics are considered, “but more as Plan B.”
“Anyone working in power electronics is betting on the right horse, because we are still in a growth market.”
Kristen Countess von Reischach, recruitment consultant at 8R Partners, sees the situation similarly tense but not pessimistic: “Demand is there – driven by electrification, renewable energy, and momentum in the semiconductor industry. But we do not see a general boom, rather a targeted demand for professionals starting at mid-level seniority.” Many companies hesitate to hire: ongoing recession, weak automotive demand, and delayed projects and investments are brakes. Additional pressure comes from tariffs, geopolitical uncertainty, and the unstable national government in 2024/25. “This noticeably dampens the willingness to hire. Only since mid-2025 have we seen slight signs of optimism.”
The most sought-after are highly specialized profiles: circuit design, semiconductor physics, EMC, thermal management, control and regulation technology, secure topology specification, DfM/DtC, high-frequency design, as well as industry knowledge in renewables, e-mobility, charging infrastructure, and battery systems. Project management and communication skills complete the profile. Added to this are competencies in SiC and GaN technologies and, increasingly, in the use of AI-supported tools for layout and simulation. “Career changers remain the exception in practice. The search is usually for the ‘perfect match,’ because externally sourced expertise is intended to fill very specific gaps.”
Reischach still sees regional focus in southern Germany, but critical expert roles are now advertised nationwide – suitable professionals are too scarce. Demographic change is intensifying the challenge: “Companies are aware of the issue, but especially SMEs often lack systematic knowledge management.” Some corporations already rely on cross-generational tandems, focus groups, targeted knowledge management, and intensified training. Additional recruitment levers include: entry with English first and later development of German skills, nationwide recruitment with relocation allowances/support, hybrid work models, and partnerships with universities.
Technological trends also affect recruiting: AI-based development tools and simulations are becoming more important, though currently more as “nice-to-have” than as exclusion criteria. Automation today mainly transforms software roles; in electrical design and construction, potential exists, but development lags behind. Drivers of personnel demand are mainly e-mobility, followed by renewables, battery storage, and Industry 4.0. At the same time, international competition and new production sites increase pressure on Germany, even though so far only limited migration abroad is observed.
Compensation also shapes the labor market picture. What drives applicants? “Challenging tasks and development perspectives rank first, while salary and work models play a supplementary role. Micromanagement or a toxic work environment, however, are clear deal-breakers,” says Reischach. Motivation to change jobs is therefore not purely monetary. “Ten to fifteen percent salary increases are typical at the same location, but there are also moves with smaller increases – for example, in favor of more economically stable employers or clearer career paths. Job security and a stable environment have recently become much more important.”
Looking ahead, Reischach expects demand to continue rising: “The need for power electronics is growing – companies could already be making the necessary adjustments today. Those who position themselves well now will have fewer struggles tomorrow.”
While Reischach emphasizes structural factors, Schuh-Eder cites current market data. At the last PCIM in May 2025, the consultancy presented the latest salary figures: The average fixed salary in sales of modules and systems is around €100,000, with a bonus of about €20,000. But one single figure says little. “One has to differentiate: sales or development, manufacturer or distributor, north or south, covered by a collective agreement or not, junior or senior,” Eder stresses. Entry-level sales engineers start at around €92,000 fixed plus bonus, while experienced professionals with more than 15 years’ practice reach €110,000 base salary and €30,000 bonus. In development, salaries are lower – the median fixed salary is €85,700, with a much smaller bonus. Region also plays a role: in Bavaria, the median fixed salary is just under €105,000, compared with €85,000 in North Rhine-Westphalia. An academic degree eases the way to higher levels, and specialist roles such as “Principal Engineers” can match management salaries.
“Demand is there – driven by electrification, renewable energy, and momentum in the semiconductor industry. We see targeted demand for professionals starting at mid-level seniority.”
Yet Eder, like Reischach, makes clear that money is not everything: “Even a below-average salary is not necessarily a reason to change jobs. More important to many are the purpose of the work, development prospects, work-life balance – or whether the dog can come to the office.” Salaries in power electronics are attractive, but only truly meaningful in context. (sc)
