Photonics Technicians
Build, install, test, or maintain optical or fiber optic equipment, such as lasers, lenses, or mirrors, using spectrometers, interferometers, or related equipment.
Also called: Fiber Optics Instructor · Fiber Optics Technician (Fiber Optics Tech) · Laser Technician (Laser Tech) · Optics Technician (Optics Tech) · Optomechanical Technician (Optomechanical Tech) · Photonics Laboratory Technician (Photonics Lab Tech)
Median pay (national)
$77,390
$47,010–$114,630 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
64,410
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+1.5%
~5,700 openings/yr
Typical entry
Associate's degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for photonics technicians shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $114,630 versus $47,010 at the bottom 10% — 2.4x. The median of $77,390 leaves roughly 48% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +1.5% from 2024 to 2034 — slower than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 5,700 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 51 states with released data, District of Columbia pays the most for this role (median $109,120, +41% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $40,090 — a 172% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Critical Thinking as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Excel as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Writing
- Speaking
- Mathematics
- Learning Strategies
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Compute or record photonic test data.
- Maintain clean working environments, according to clean room standards.
- Adjust or maintain equipment, such as lasers, laser systems, microscopes, oscilloscopes, pulse generators, power meters, beam analyzers, or energy measurement devices.
- Document procedures, such as calibration of optical or fiber optic equipment.
- Set up or operate 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.
- Assist scientists or engineers in the conduct of photonic experiments.
- Test or perform failure analysis for optomechanical or optoelectrical products, according to test plans.
- Assist engineers in the development of new products, fixtures, tools, or processes.
- Recommend optical or optic equipment design or material changes to reduce costs or processing times.
- Set up or operate prototype or test apparatus, such as control consoles, collimators, recording equipment, or cables.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Excel
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Dassault Systemes SolidWorks
- SAP software
- The MathWorks MATLAB
- Data acquisition software
- Database software
- Image processing software
- National Instruments LabVIEW
- Statistical analysis software
- Web browser software
- ZEMAX Optical Design Program
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
Knowledge areas
- Engineering and Technology
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
- Mechanical
- Production and Processing
- English Language
- Physics
- Customer and Personal Service