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What is a senior optical engineer and how to become one
Avg. Salary $98,518
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 3%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.18%
Asian 24.98%
Black or African American 4.14%
Hispanic or Latino 8.99%
Unknown 4.56%
White 57.15%
Genderfemale 11.74%
male 88.26%
Age - 44American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 44Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work life balance is good
6.4 - fair
Senior optical engineer career paths
Key steps to become a senior optical engineer
Explore senior optical engineer education requirements
Start to develop specific senior optical engineer skills
Skills Percentages MATLAB 9.89% Zemax 8.89% Optical Components 4.92% Prototype 4.89% Optical Engineering 4.81% Complete relevant senior optical engineer training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior optical engineers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a senior optical engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior optical engineer resumes.Research senior optical engineer duties and responsibilities
- Apply technical knowledge in electromagnetic theory and microwave technology to plan and manage projects concern with ground-base radar systems.
- Design, tolerance and error budgeting in builds of Ritchey-Chretien telescopes.
- Measure the image quality of lenses with modulation-transfer-function (MTF) equipment.
- Design beam shaping optical telescope for high energy laser base propulsion system using ZEMAX.
Get senior optical engineer experience
Generally, it takes 4-6 years to become a senior optical engineer. The most common roles before becoming a senior optical engineer include optical engineer, research assistant team lead and graduate research assistant.Apply for senior optical engineer jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a senior optical engineer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
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Average senior optical engineer salary
The average senior optical engineer salary in the United States is $98,518 per year or $47 per hour. Senior optical engineer salaries range between $71,000 and $134,000 per year.
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Updated January 8, 2025
