Photonics Technicians: Job Description
Build, install, test, or maintain optical or fiber optic equipment, such as lasers, lenses, or mirrors, using spectrometers, interferometers, or related equipment.
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What Do Photonics Technicians Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of photonics technicians span:
- 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.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful photonics technicians draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Certified Laser Technician (Certified Laser Tech)
- Electro-Optics Technician (Electro-Optics Tech)
- Fiber Optics Assembler
- Fiber Optics Cabling Specialist
- Fiber Optics Design Technician (Fiber Optics Design Tech)
- Fiber Optics Instructor
- Fiber Optics Specialist
- Fiber Optics Splicer
How Many Photonics Technicians Are There?
The U.S. employs around 301,131 photonics technicians working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +1.6% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Photonics Technicians
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $106,964 |
| Hourly median | $51.43 |
| 10th percentile | $71,630 |
| 25th percentile | $89,297 |
| 75th percentile | $124,631 |
| 90th percentile | $142,298 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Photonics Technicians Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $109,120 |
| New Mexico | $107,310 |
| Maryland | $104,830 |
| Maine | $101,500 |
| Rhode Island | $98,340 |
| Washington | $96,120 |
| Virginia | $95,640 |
| Hawaii | $90,380 |
| Nevada | $88,860 |
| California | $83,350 |
| Connecticut | $82,700 |
| New Jersey | $81,550 |
| Alabama | $81,060 |
| Indiana | $80,830 |
| Wyoming | $79,790 |
| Mississippi | $79,790 |
| Oklahoma | $79,020 |
| Illinois | $78,730 |
| Minnesota | $78,490 |
| North Dakota | $77,940 |
| Alaska | $77,800 |
| Oregon | $75,130 |
| West Virginia | $74,960 |
| Colorado | $74,360 |
| North Carolina | $74,210 |
| South Carolina | $73,890 |
| Florida | $72,790 |
| Texas | $72,550 |
| Missouri | $71,050 |
| New Hampshire | $70,730 |
| Ohio | $68,170 |
| Michigan | $66,820 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,980 |
| Delaware | $65,930 |
| Massachusetts | $65,890 |
| Wisconsin | $65,790 |
| Louisiana | $65,740 |
| Utah | $64,680 |
| Tennessee | $64,590 |
| Kentucky | $64,360 |
| New York | $64,080 |
| Arkansas | $63,980 |
| Iowa | $63,960 |
| Idaho | $63,920 |
| Arizona | $63,570 |
| Georgia | $60,960 |
| Montana | $60,600 |
| Nebraska | $60,310 |
| Kansas | $60,130 |
| Vermont | $58,350 |
| Puerto Rico | $40,090 |
Where Photonics Technicians Earn the Most
Compensation for photonics technicians shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $85,167 | 21.0% | 1.30 |
| Middle Atlantic | $81,360 | 13.9% | 1.21 |
| New England | $80,755 | 5.7% | 1.63 |
| Southeast | $75,712 | 25.1% | 1.35 |
| Southwest | $73,140 | 15.5% | 1.46 |
| Great Lakes | $71,587 | 8.4% | 0.57 |
| Rocky Mountains | $69,042 | 5.1% | 1.23 |
| Plains States | $67,441 | 5.2% | 0.92 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | MD | $107,580 | 1,070 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $107,580 | 1,460 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | WA | $103,850 | 1,160 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | ME | $102,340 | 800 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | CA | $101,230 | 550 |
| Lexington Park, MD | MD | $100,770 | 530 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | CA | $98,610 | 300 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | CA | $96,980 | 40 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of photonics technicians are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 19,500 | $70,520 |
| Manufacturing | 17,150 | $68,010 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,460 | $66,920 |
| Educational Services | 1,380 | $63,000 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 1,360 | $77,840 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 1,030 | $83,620 |
| Wholesale Trade | 950 | $66,870 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 750 | $86,450 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Dassault Systemes SolidWorks (hot technology)
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: The MathWorks MATLAB (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for photonics technicians tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
Getting Started in This Career
Typical photonics technicians positions require an associate’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Electrical Engineers (Supplemental)
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer (Supplemental)
- Mechanical Engineers (Supplemental)
- Mechatronics Engineers (Supplemental)
- Microsystems Engineers (Supplemental)
- Photonics Engineers (Primary-Short)
- Robotics Engineers (Supplemental)
- Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians (Primary-Long)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Students preparing for photonics technicians typically earn programs in:
Engineering Technologies and Engineering-Related Fields
30 programs across 13 majors
- Environmental Control Technology
- Computer Engineering
- Architectural Engineering
- Electromechanical Engineering
- Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians
- Industrial Production Technology
- Engineering-Related Fields
- Electronics Engineering
- Nuclear Engineering
- General Engineering Technology
- Engineering-Related Technologies
- Mechanical Engineering
- Mining & Petroleum Technology
Military Technologies and Applied Sciences
4 programs across 2 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 17-3029.08 (Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other).
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