How to hire an optical laboratory technician

How to hire an optical laboratory technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step optical laboratory technician hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an optical laboratory technician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new optical laboratory technician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The optical laboratory technician hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An optical laboratory technician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, optical laboratory technicians from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of optical laboratory technicians.

   Type of Optical Laboratory Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Optical Laboratory Technician	Dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians construct, fit, or repair appliances and devices, including dentures, eyeglasses, and prosthetics.	$12-20
   Technician	Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with... Show more	$11-27
   Optical Technician	Optical lab technicians, also known as ophthalmic laboratory technicians, create prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses. They work together with optometrists, opticians, and ophthalmologists... Show more	$12-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Equipment Maintenance
   • Prescription Glasses
   • Dexterity
   • Data Entry
   • Patients
   • Inventory Control
   • CNC
   • Eye Care
   • Safety Procedures
   • Polishers
   • RX
   • Prescription Eyewear
   • UV
   • Customer Orders

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage filing, scanning & shredding important medical documents in office due to HIPAA privacy laws.
   • Maintain coating quality using adhesion testing and spectrophotometers, and manage coating hues and reflectance adjustments.
   • Perform in house testing, controls, correlations, proficiency testing, NCS, PVDT, and EKG.
   • Transmit orders via POS to the lab.
   • Perform EKGS by placement of electrodes and gathering the EKG readings.
   • Verify orders, answer phones, and ensure compliance with HIPAA regulations.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your optical laboratory technician job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An optical laboratory technician can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, optical laboratory technicians' average salary in arkansas is 33% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level optical laboratory technicians 40% less than senior-level optical laboratory technicians.
   • Certifications. An optical laboratory technician with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an optical laboratory technician's salary.

   Average optical laboratory technician salary

   $15.83hourly

   $32,926 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level optical laboratory technician salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 25, 2025

4. Writing an optical laboratory technician job description

   An optical laboratory technician job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an optical laboratory technician job description:

   Optical laboratory technician job description example

   We currently have an immediate opening for a Full Time Optical Lab Technician in our Brooklyn Park location. If you have a mechanical aptitude and able to work in a fast-paced environment...we are willing to train. This is an excellent opportunity to join our team!
   Hourly Rate: $17.00 to $21.00 including shift differential
   
   Hiring Bonus: A $500 Bonus will be paid out to you after 6 months of employment for continued employment in an evening, night or weekend shift position. An additional $500 Bonus will be paid to you after 9 months of employment in an evening, night or weekend shift position.
   
   Job Summary
   
   Responsible for performing a variety of production tasks for manufacturing prescription eyewear. Employee is responsible for the quality and quantity of the work performed and is expected to know the quality and safety requirements for every operation that they perform.
   
   Primary Duties
   
   Machine operation and hand assembly processes in performance or manufacture of prescription eyewear. Responsible for set-up, operation and basic maintenance of equipment in lab production.
   
   Experience/Qualifications
   
   + High School diploma, GED or equivalent work experience
   
   + Demonstrated mechanical aptitude
   
   + Must be highly detail-oriented
   
   + Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment
   
   + Must be able to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds
   
   + Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and color vision
   
   + Previous Optical Lab experience a plus, but not required
   
   Benefits
   
   + Competitive Salary
   
   + Medical Insurance
   
   + Dental Insurance
   
   + Life Insurance
   
   + LTD
   
   + PTO
   
   + 401(k) with company match
   
   The Walman Optical Company is a successful and diversified business serving the ophthalmic community since 1915. We are a family of optical companies with a 100-year history of excellent relationships built on enduring trust and added value. Each of our businesses is guided by the same core principles and single vision: to be the most trusted business partner in the industry. Our core values respect our employees' worth and contributions, emphasize teamwork and offer opportunities for personal and professional growth.
   
   If you are interested in becoming part of the Walman Team please apply online today.
   
   The Walman Optical Company is committed to providing Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) to all employees and applicants. EEO/Affirmative Action Employer/Protected Veteran Status. The company grants reasonable accommodations to qualified disabled individuals in accordance with applicable law.

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5. Post your job

   To find optical laboratory technicians for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any optical laboratory technicians they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level optical laboratory technicians with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your optical laboratory technician job on Zippia to find and recruit optical laboratory technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit optical laboratory technicians, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new optical laboratory technician

   Once you have selected a candidate for the optical laboratory technician position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new optical laboratory technician. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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