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Photonics Technicians

Typical education: Associate degreeModerate pressure

What they do

Build, install, test, or maintain optical or fiber optic equipment, such as lasers, lenses, or mirrors, using spectrometers, interferometers, or related equipment.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $78,350 Median per year · $37.67/hr Most earn $47,030–$118,330

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Compute or record photonic test data.
  • Maintain clean working environments, according to clean room standards.
  • Design, build, or modify fixtures used to assemble parts.
  • Assist engineers in the development of new products, fixtures, tools, or processes.
  • Monitor inventory levels and order supplies as necessary.
  • Build prototype optomechanical devices for use in equipment such as aerial cameras, gun sights, or telescopes.

Job outlook

United States
3% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 5,400 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Federal government, excluding postal service27.3%
  • Engineering services8.6%
  • Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences5.9%
  • Testing laboratories and services5.2%
  • Aerospace product and parts manufacturing4.6%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Associate degreeExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Photonics technicians usually need an associate degree and about 1 to 2 years of related hands-on work before they land this job, so it is not usually a straight-out-of-school role. Most people reach it in roughly 3 to 4 years after starting college-level technical training.

  1. Associate degree in engineering technology, electro-optics, or a related field

    2 years

    You learn the basics of light, lasers, electronics, and lab measurement, which are the foundation for working with optical equipment.

  2. Laboratory Technician

    1-2 years

    You gain hands-on experience setting up, testing, and recording results on lab equipment, which builds the skills employers want before they trust you with optical systems.

  3. Photonics Technician

    Ongoing

    You build, install, test, and maintain lasers, lenses, mirrors, fiber optic equipment, and measuring tools such as spectrometers and interferometers.

Where it can lead

  1. Senior Photonics Technician

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take on harder troubleshooting, train newer technicians, and handle more complex system builds with less supervision.

  2. Photonics Engineer

    2-4 years in a technician role, plus a bachelor's degree of experience first

    You design optical systems and lead projects rather than mainly building and testing them, which usually requires a bachelor's degree in engineering or physics.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take physics and mathPhysics teaches how light behaves, and algebra and trigonometry are used constantly when measuring and aligning optical equipment.
  • Take any electronics, robotics, or engineering classHands-on wiring, circuit building, and troubleshooting are close to the everyday work of a photonics technician.
  • Join a science or robotics clubClub projects give you practice working in teams, following test procedures, and fixing things that don't work the first time.
  • Look for a summer or after-school job at a science center, makerspace, or local tech shopAny job where you handle tools and equipment carefully builds the habits that lab and field technicians need.
  • Enter science fairs or engineering competitionsDesigning and testing your own project shows you how experiments are planned and measured, which is central to this work.

In college

  • Enroll in an associate degree program in electro-optics, engineering technology, or a related fieldThis is the most common education route for this job, and it teaches the optics, electronics, and lab skills you will use daily.
  • Take courses in optics, lasers, and electronicsSpecific courses in these areas show employers you understand the equipment you would be working with.
  • Get a part-time job or internship in a research lab or manufacturing facilityReal hands-on experience counts toward the 1 to 2 years of prior work that employers commonly expect.
  • Join a student engineering or optics clubClubs offer teamwork experience, project work, and connections with people already working in the field.
  • Ask about safety training and equipment certifications your school offersLaser safety and similar credentials can make you a stronger candidate because employers must follow strict safety rules.

Tips for getting started

  • Look for part-time or campus jobs in a physics, engineering, or research lab, even if they are not directly about optics. Lab habits like careful record-keeping and safety practice count a lot.
  • Ask an instructor or a local professional whether you can shadow a technician or tour an optics or fiber company. Seeing the actual equipment helps you decide if the work fits you.
  • Keep a simple portfolio of lab projects, photos, and test results. It shows employers what you have done in a way a résumé alone cannot.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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