About This Career

Builds, installs, tests, or maintains optical or fiber optic equipment, such as lasers, lenses, or mirrors, using spectrometers, interferometers, or related equipment.

This career is part of the Energy cluster.

A person in this career:

• Computes or records photonic test data.
• Maintains clean working environments, according to clean room standards.
• Adjusts or maintains equipment, such as lasers, laser systems, microscopes, oscilloscopes, pulse generators, power meters, beam analyzers, or energy measurement devices.
• Documents procedures, such as calibration of optical or fiber optic equipment.
• Sets up or operates assembly or processing equipment, such as lasers, cameras, die bonders, wire bonders, dispensers, reflow ovens, soldering irons, die shears, wire pull testers, temperature or humidity chambers, or optical spectrum analyzers.
• Assists scientists or engineers in the conduct of photonic experiments.
• Tests or performs failure analysis for optomechanical or optoelectrical products, according to test plans.
• Assists engineers in the development of new products, fixtures, tools, or processes.
• Recommends optical or optic equipment design or material changes to reduce costs or processing times.
• Sets up or operates prototype or test apparatus, such as control consoles, collimators, recording equipment, or cables.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would sit most of the time. There's some walking and standing. You may have to lift and carry things like books, papers or tools weighing 10 lbs. or less.
• Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
• Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Identifying color and seeing differences in color, including shades and brightness
• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

• Regular working hours and limited travel