Optical engineer

Description

Optical engineers design and develop different industrial applications with optics. They have knowledge of light, light transmission principles, and optics in order to design engineering specs of equipment such as microscopes, lenses, telescopes, and other optical devices.

Other titles

The following job titles also refer to optical engineer:

optical engineering expert
optical technology engineering expert
optical engineering adviser
optical technology engineering adviser
optical engineering consultant
optics engineer
optical technology engineer
optical engineering specialist
optical technology engineering consultant
optic engineer
optical technology engineering specialist

Minimum qualifications

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as optical engineer. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

  • the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
  • the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
  • the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Optical engineer is a Skill level 4 occupation.

Optical engineer career path

Similar occupations

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to optical engineer.

optoelectronic engineer
optomechanical engineer
photonics engineer
sensor engineer
microsystem engineer

Long term prospects

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of optical engineer. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of optical engineer with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

Essential knowledge and skills

Essential knowledge

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of optical engineer.

Optical equipment standards: The national and international quality and safety standards and regulations with regards to the use and manufacture of optical equipment, including optical materials, optical components, optical systems, ophthalmic equipment, optomechanical equipment, optical measuring equipment, photographic equipment, and optoelectronic equipment.
Optical glass characteristics: The characteristics of optical glass such as refractive index, dispersion, and chemical properties.
Engineering principles: The engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects.
Optics: The science that studies the elements and reaction of light.
Types of optical instruments: Possess information on the types of optical instruments and lenses, such as microscopes and telescopes, as well as on their mechanics, components, and characteristics.
Design drawings: Understand design drawings detailing the design of products, tools, and engineering systems.
Mathematics: Mathematics is the study of topics such as quantity, structure, space, and change. It involves the identification of patterns and formulating new conjectures based on them. Mathematicians strive to prove the truth or falsity of these conjectures. There are many fields of mathematics, some of which are widely used for practical applications.
Refractive power: Refractive power or optical power is the degree to which an optical system, such as a lens, converges or diverges light. Diverging lenses possess negative refractive power, while converging lenses possess positive refractive power.
Physics: The natural science involving the study of matter, motion, energy, force and related notions.
Optical engineering: Subdiscipline of engineering that deals with the development of optical instruments and applications, such as telescopes, microscopes, lenses, lasers, fibre optic communication, and imaging systems.
Optical components: The components and materials necessary for building optical instruments, such as lenses and frames.
Optical manufacturing process: The process and different stages of manufacturing an optical product, from design and prototyping to the preparation of optical components and lenses, the assembly of optical equipment, and the intermediate and final testing of the optical products and its components.

Essential skills and competences

These skills are necessary for the role of optical engineer.

Conduct literature research: Conduct a comprehensive and systematic research of information and publications on a specific topic. Present a comparative evaluative literature summary.
Test optical components: Test optical systems, products, and components with appropriate optical testing methods, such as axial ray testing and oblique ray testing.
Record test data: Record data which has been identified specifically during preceding tests in order to verify that outputs of the test produce specific results or to review the reaction of the subject under exceptional or unusual input.
Conduct quality control analysis: Conduct inspections and tests of services, processes, or products to evaluate quality.
Adjust engineering designs: Adjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.
Perform scientific research: Gain, correct or improve knowledge about phenomena by using scientific methods and techniques, based on empirical or measurable observations.
Analyse test data: Interpret and analyse data collected during testing in order to formulate conclusions, new insights or solutions.
Model optical systems: Model and simulate optical systems, products, and components using technical design software. Assess the viability of the product and examine the physical parameters to ensure a successful production process.
Develop optical test procedures: Develop testing protocols to enable a variety of analyses of optical systems, products, and components.
Report analysis results: Produce research documents or give presentations to report the results of a conducted research and analysis project, indicating the analysis procedures and methods which led to the results, as well as potential interpretations of the results.
Operate scientific measuring equipment: Operate devices, machinery, and equipment designed for scientific measurement. Scientific equipment consists of specialised measuring instruments refined to facilitate the acquisition of data.
Prepare production prototypes: Prepare early models or prototypes in order to test concepts and replicability possibilities. Create prototypes to assess for pre-production tests.
Design optical prototypes: Design and develop prototypes of optical products and components using technical drawing software.
Approve engineering design: Give consent to the finished engineering design to go over to the actual manufacturing and assembly of the product.

Optional knowledge and skills

Optional knowledge

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of optical engineer. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Circuit diagrams: Read and comprehend circuit diagrams showing the connections between the devices, such as power and signal connections.
Electrooptic devices: Optical devices, systems, and components that possess electrical or electronic features, such as lasers or electrooptic modulators.
Telecommunications engineering: Discipline that combines computer science with electrical engineering to improve telecommunications systems.
Electronic equipment standards: The national and international quality and safety standards and regulations with regards to the use and manufacture of electronic equipment and its components, such as semiconductors and printed circuit boards.
Microwave principles: The technologies used in transmission of information or energy via electromagnetic waves between 1000 and 100,000 MHz.
Photonics: The science and technology of generating, controlling and detecting particles of light. It explores phenomena and applications in which light is used to transfer or process information, or to physically alter materials.
Acoustics: The study of sound, its reflection, amplification and absorption in a space.
Radars: Systems that can use radio waves or microwaves to capture the speed, direction, range, and altitude of objects. It can be used for the detection of aeroplanes, ships, and weather formations.
Precision mechanics: Precision or fine mechanics is a subdiscipline in engineering that focuses on the design and development of smaller precision machines.
Optomechanical components: Components that possess mechanical and optical features, such as optical mirrors, optical mounts, and optical fibre.
Microelectronics: Microelectronics is a subdiscipline of electronics and relates the study, design, and manufacture of small electronic components, such as microchips.
Cavity optomechanics: Subset of physics that focuses on the interaction between mechanical objects and light. The focus predominantly lies on the amelioration of radiation pressure interaction between matter from the optical resonators or cavities and the light or photons.
Medical imaging technology: Set of technologies used to creating visual representations of the body interior for the purposes of clinical analysis.
Digital camera sensors: Types of sensors used in digital cameras, such as charged coupled devices (CCD) and complementary metal oxide semiconductor sensors (CMOS).
Moem: Micro-opto-electro-mechanics (MOEM) combines microelectronics, microoptics and micromechanics in the development of MEM devices with optical features, such as optical switches, optical cross-connects, and microbolometers.
Quantum optics: The field of physics combining quantum field theory and physical optics.
Electrooptics: The study and appliance of electrical fields to generate and control optical radiation.
Sensors: Sensors are transducers that can detect or sense characteristics in their environment. They detect changes in the apparatus or environment and provide a corresponding optical or electrical signal. Sensors are commonly divided in six classes: mechanical, electronic, thermal, magnetic, electrochemical, and optical sensors.
Cae software: The software to perform computer-aided engineering (CAE) analysis tasks such as Finite Element Analysis and Computional Fluid Dynamics.
Optomechanical engineering: Subset of mechanical engineering specialised in optical systems and products, such as binoculars, microscopes, telescopes, and spectrometers, as well as optomechanical components, such as optical mounts and optical mirrors.
Computer engineering: Engineering discipline that combines computer science with electrical engineering to develop computer hardware and software. Computer engineering occupies itself with electronics, software design, and the integration of hardware and software.
Microprocessors: Computer processors on a microscale that integrate the computer central processing unit (CPU) on a single chip.
Quality standards: The national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.
Electronics: The functioning of electronic circuit boards, processors, chips, and computer hardware and software, including programming and applications. Apply this knowledge to ensure electronic equipment runs smoothly.
Mechanical engineering: Discipline that applies principles of physics, engineering and materials science to design, analyse, manufacture and maintain mechanical systems.
Microoptics: Optical devices with a size of 1 millimeter or smaller, such as microlenses and micromirrors.
Microelectromechanical systems: Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are miniaturised electromechanical systems made using processes of microfabrication. MEMS consist of microsensors, microactuators, microstructures, and microelectronics. MEMS can be used in a range of appliances, such as ink jet printer heads, digital light processors, gyroscopes in smart phones, accelerometers for airbags, and miniature microphones.
Control engineering: Subdiscipline of engineering that focuses on controlling the behaviour of systems through the use of sensors and actuators.
Optoelectronic devices: Electronic devices, systems, and components that possess optical features. These devices or components may include electrically driven light sources, such as LEDs and laser diodes, components that can convert light into electricity, such as solar or photovoltaic cells, or devices that can electronically manipulate and control light.
Electromagnetic spectrum: The different electromagnetic wavelenghts or frequencies that are situated on the electromagnetic spectrum. Wavelenghts are divided in several categories according to their wavelength and energy level, starting from radio wavelenghts with a long wavelength and a low energy level, to microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, and finally Gamma-rays with a short wavelength and a high energy level.
Semiconductors: Semiconductors are essential components of electronic circuits and contain properties of both insulators, such as glass, and conductors, such as copper. Most semiconductors are crystals made of silicon or germanium. By introducing other elements in the crystal through doping, the crystals turn into semiconductors. Depending on the amount of electrons created by the doping process, the crystals turn into N-type semiconductors, or P-type semiconductors.
Optoelectronics: Branch of electronics and optics dedicated to the study and use of electronic devices that detect and control light.
Microsensors: Devices with a size smaller than 1 mm that can convert a non-electric signal, such as temperature, into an electrical signal. Because of their size, microsensors offer better accuracy, range, and sensitivity compared to larger sensors.
Optical instruments: The characteristics and usage of optical instruments such as lens-meter, to determine refractive power of lenses such as glasses.
Fibre optics: The technology which utilises optical fibre, such as plastic or glass threads, to transmit data. Optical fibres are able to transmit light between the two ends of the fibre and may transfer images and messages modulated onto light waves. Fibre optic cables have increased in popularity because of their possibility to transfer data over long distances at higher bandwidths and with lesser amounts of interference than metal cables.
Lasers: Devices that are able to produce light through the optical amplification of the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation, such as gas lasers, solid-state lasers, fiber lasers, photonic lasers and semiconductor lasers. The spatial and temporal coherence of lasers allows for the concentration of light in one place, such as laser pointers, as well as the concentration of light in time, so that light can be produced in a much shorter time than other light and can also emit as single colour of light.

Optional skills and competences

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of optical engineer. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Provide technical documentation: Prepare documentation for existing and upcoming products or services, describing their functionality and composition in such a way that it is understandable for a wide audience without technical background and compliant with defined requirements and standards. Keep documentation up to date.
Communicate with customers: Respond to and communicate with customers in the most efficient and appropriate manner to enable them to access the desired products or services, or any other help they may require.
Develop electronic test procedures: Develop testing protocols to enable a variety of analyses of electronic systems, products, and components.
Sell optical products: Sell glasses and sunglasses, contact lenses, spectacles, binoculars, cleaning kits and other eye-related products, according to customer’s needs in terms of optical requirements such as bi-focals, varifocals and reactolite.
Mount optical components on frames: Mount optical components, such as lenses, and precision mechanical components, such as frames, into assemblies and adjust. Lenses are mechanically set into place using threaded retaining rings and the use of adhesive cement on the outer cylindrical edge to hold individual lenses in place.
Resolve equipment malfunctions: Identify, report and repair equipment damage and malfunctions; communicate with field representatives and manufacturers to obtain repair and replacement components.
Perform data analysis: Collect data and statistics to test and evaluate in order to generate assertions and pattern predictions, with the aim of discovering useful information in a decision-making process.
Operate precision measuring equipment: Measure the size of a processed part when checking and marking it to check if it is up to standard by use of two and three dimensional precision measuring equipment such as a caliper, a micrometer, and a measuring gauge.
Perform test run: Perform tests putting a system, machine, tool or other equipment through a series of actions under actual operating conditions in order to assess its reliability and suitability to realise its tasks, and adjust settings accordingly.
Define manufacturing quality criteria: Define and describe the criteria by which data quality is measured for manufacturing purposes, such as international standards and manufacturing regulations.
Create technical plans: Create detailed technical plans of machinery, equipment, tools and other products.
Maintain optical equipment: Diagnose and detect malfunctions in optical systems, such as lasers, microscopes, and oscilloscopes. Remove, replace, or repair these systems or system components when necessary. Execute preventative equipment maintenance tasks, such as storing the equipment in clean, dust-free, and non-humid spaces.
Coordinate engineering teams: Plan, coordinate and supervise engineering activities together with engineers and engineering technicians. Ensure clear and effective channels of communication across all departments. Make sure the team is aware of the standards and objectives of the research and development.
Use precision tools: Use electronic, mechanical, electric, or optical precision tools for precision work.
Draft bill of materials: Set up a list of materials, components, and assemblies as well as the quantities needed to manufacture a certain product.
Read engineering drawings: Read the technical drawings of a product made by the engineer in order to suggest improvements, make models of the product or operate it.
Use cad software: Use computer-aided design (CAD) systems to assist in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimisation of a design.
Design optical systems: Design and develop optical and imaging systems, products, and components, such as lasers, microscopes, optical fibre, cameras, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines.
Apply technical communication skills: Explain technical details to non-technical customers, stakeholders, or any other interested parties in a clear and concise manner.
Perform project management: Manage and plan various resources, such as human resources, budget, deadline, results, and quality necessary for a specific project, and monitor the project’s progress in order to achieve a specific goal within a set time and budget.
Operate precision machinery: Operate machinery used for the making of small systems or components with a high level of precision.
Build business relationships: Establish a positive, long-term relationship between organisations and interested third parties such as suppliers, distributors, shareholders and other stakeholders in order to inform them of the organisation and its objectives.
Maintain safe engineering watches: Observe principles in keeping an engineering watch. Take over, accept and hand over a watch. Perform routine duties undertaken during a watch. Maintain the machinery space logs and the significance of the readings taken. Observe safety and emergency procedures. Observe safety precautions during a watch and take immediate actions in the event of fire or accident, with particular reference to oil systems.
Train employees: Lead and guide employees through a process in which they are taught the necessary skills for the perspective job. Organise activities aimed at introducing the work and systems or improving the performance of individuals and groups in organisational settings.
Operate optical assembly equipment: Set up and operate optical processing or assembly equipment, such as optical spectrum analysers, power saws, lasers, die bonders, soldering irons, and wire bonders.
Prepare assembly drawings: Create the drawings that identify the different components and materials, and that provide instructions as to how they should be assembled.
Perform resource planning: Estimate the expected input in terms of time, human and financial resources necessary to achieve the project objectives.
Develop product design: Convert market requirements into product design and development.

ISCO group and title

2149 – Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified

 

 


 

 

References
  1. Optical engineer – ESCO
Last updated on August 8, 2022