How to hire a senior optical engineer

How to hire a senior optical engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior optical engineer hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your senior optical engineer job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a senior optical engineer for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a senior optical engineer to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a senior optical engineer that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of senior optical engineer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Senior Optical Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Optical Engineer	Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacturing of electrical equipment, such as electric motors, radar and navigation systems, communications systems, and power generation equipment. Electronics engineers design and develop electronic equipment, such as broadcast and communications systems—from portable music players to global positioning systems (GPSs).	$34-64
   Controls Designer	Controls designers both design and draft systems of hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical controls for equipment and machines. The designers make diagrams of the logic system for timing and sequence control... Show more	$33-58
   Engineering Trainee	An engineering trainee is responsible for shadowing engineers in their duties and performing administrative tasks as needed. Engineering trainees assist the engineers in inspecting construction sites and conducting field research... Show more	$20-39

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • MATLAB
   • Zemax
   • Optical Components
   • Prototype
   • Optical Engineering
   • Design Reviews
   • Data Analysis
   • IR
   • Code V
   • Asap
   • System Design
   • Test Procedures
   • Telescopes
   • Tolerance Analysis

   Check all skills

   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.
   • Interface with suppliers on manufacture of lenses using visible glass, IR materials and plastic.
   • Study optical system tolerance using ZEMAX and develop processes and control algorithms for robots to perform 5D active alignment.

   More senior optical engineer duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, senior optical engineers' average salary in kentucky is 51% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior optical engineers 47% less than senior-level senior optical engineers.
   • Certifications. A senior optical engineer 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 a senior optical engineer's salary.

   Average senior optical engineer salary

   $98,518yearly

   $47.36 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior optical engineer salary

   $71,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

   Average senior optical engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$125,157	$60
   2	California	$122,257	$59
   3	Texas	$116,717	$56
   4	New Jersey	$102,448	$49
   5	Colorado	$102,399	$49
   6	Massachusetts	$95,768	$46
   7	New Mexico	$93,567	$45
   8	Florida	$92,193	$44
   9	Michigan	$90,621	$44
   10	Arizona	$87,784	$42
   11	Alabama	$86,092	$41
   12	Georgia	$85,383	$41
   13	Hawaii	$80,908	$39
   14	New York	$79,030	$38

   Average senior optical engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$160,178	$77.01	37
   2	Apple	$147,653	$70.99	135
   3	Microsoft	$141,438	$68.00	109
   4	Amazon	$129,881	$62.44	147
   5	GoPro	$129,587	$62.30	1
   6	Magic Leap	$126,695	$60.91	4
   7	Tencent	$126,224	$60.68
   8	Cisco	$125,107	$60.15	20
   9	Finisar	$118,607	$57.02
   10	PacBio	$109,314	$52.55	2
   11	KLA	$108,513	$52.17	15
   12	OmniVision Technologies	$108,168	$52.00	14
   13	Infinera	$107,877	$51.86
   14	Seagate Technology	$106,324	$51.12	6
   15	ASML Holding	$105,998	$50.96	1
   16	OmniGuide	$105,951	$50.94
   17	Oclaro	$105,793	$50.86
   18	DRS	$105,380	$50.66
   19	Acacia Communications	$105,175	$50.56
   20	AEVA	$104,921	$50.44	11

4. Writing a senior optical engineer job description

   A senior optical engineer 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 a senior optical engineer job description:

   Senior optical engineer job description example

   Leading the future in luxury electric and mobility
   At Lucid, we set out to introduce the most captivating, luxury electric vehicles that elevate the human experience and transcend the perceived limitations of space, performance, and intelligence. Vehicles that are intuitive, liberating, and designed for the future of mobility.
   
   We plan to lead in this new era of luxury electric by returning to the fundamentals of great design - where every decision we make is in service of the individual and environment. Because when you are no longer bound by convention, you are free to define your own experience.
   
   Come work alongside some of the most accomplished minds in the industry. Beyond providing competitive salaries, we're providing a community for innovators who want to make an immediate and significant impact. If you are driven to create a better, more sustainable future, then this is the right place for you.
   
   In this role, the camera optical engineer will drive the development of best-in-class cameras for deployment in Lucid vehicles. The camera optical engineer would be a highly competent optical engineer, as well as have a good working knowledge of image quality, CMOS image sensor, mechanical design, and module manufacturing process. This is a high-impact role as these camera systems serve all aspects of autonomy, driver assistance, and driver convenience.
   ResponsibilitiesPartner with other product-related teams to distill the product requirements Develop detailed specifications of lenses, module housing, IR covers, and camera shroud Characterize the image quality of cameras for behind-windshield integration Work with the supply chain to get the components manufactured per specification Design lab test protocols and image quality metrics for lens, module, and camera shroud evaluation Monitor the performance of the cameras in the field and refine the design Perform failure analysis
   Qualifications:6+ years of experience in the area of lens design, metrology, and integration.Experience in optical design tools such as ZEMAX, Imatest and ANSYS SPEOSExpertise in lens and illumination system design, testing, and validation Expertise in camera lens quality, such as MTF, resolution, acutance, geometric distortion, etc. Demonstrated understanding of imaging systems and opto-mechanical system assembly and packaging, tolerance analysis, stray light analysis Ability to perform comprehensive optical system performance characterization and failure analysis Hands-on optical laboratory experiences in testing and lab setup Proficient in Matlab and/or Python programming Experience in structure, thermal & GD&T design related to optical systems Experience in working with vendors and contract manufacturers Ability to work in cross function team environment
   Education:Bachelor's in Physics, Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field Advanced degree preferred
   At Lucid, we don't just welcome diversity - we celebrate it! Lucid Motors is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, marital status, and any other characteristic protected under applicable State or Federal laws and regulations.
   
   Notice regarding COVID-19 protocols
   At Lucid, we prioritize the health and wellbeing of our employees, families, and friends above all else. In response to the novel Coronavirus all new Lucid employees, whose job will be based in the United States may or may not be required to provide original documentation confirming status as having received the prescribed inoculation (doses). Vaccination requirements are dependent upon location and position, please refer to the job description for more details.
   
   Individuals in positions requiring vaccinations may seek a medical and/or religious exemption from this requirement and may be granted such an accommodation after submitting a formal request to and the subsequent review and approval thereof by our dedicated Covid-19 Response team.
   
   To all recruitment agencies: Lucid Motors does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our careers alias or other Lucid Motors employees. Lucid Motors is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.

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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right senior optical engineer for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit senior optical engineers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 senior optical engineer

   Once you've decided on a perfect senior optical engineer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new senior optical engineer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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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