Get a jump start on what you want do in college or test your interest before you get there by taking a class in engineering! Explore the different focus areas and opportunities. 

Take a class in engineering.

Becoming a certified professional engineer signals to clients that you are trustworthy and to employers that you are capable of higher responsibility. Take your engineering career to the next level and get certified!

Get certified as a professional engineer (PE). 

Prepare to take on that leadership role by gaining valuable management tools and techniques that help improve processes within an organization.

Get Lean Six Sigma certified.

Learn more about light refraction by conducting this laser experiment with items you likely have at home. Is this something you're interesting in pursuing further?

Conduct your own laser experiment.

Try 3D design with a tool you can use in your browser, then 3D print or laser cut what you make! If you like the process, look into classes or tutorials for computer-aided drawing (CAD) programs.

Get started with 3D design.

Technical drawing knowledge will help you in any career that involves projects that exist in three-dimensional space. Check out these tips to improve your skills. 

Stretch your technical drawing skills.

Explore articles about the most recent innovations in photonics and optics. Are you interested in contributing to this research?

Stay up-to-date on photonics technology.

Get a glimpse into what a typical day might look like for a laser systems technician. Is this a career you're interested in?

Learn about a day in the life of a laser systems technician.

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Photonics Technicians

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

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Engineering Technicians, Except Drafters

Engineering Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other

Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Drafters, Engineering Technicians, and Mapping Technicians

Maintain clean working environments, according to clean room standards.

Adjust or maintain equipment, such as lasers, laser systems, microscopes, oscilloscopes, pulse generators, power meters, beam analyzers, or energy measurement devices.

Document procedures, such as calibration of optical or fiber optic equipment.

Set up or operate assembly or processing equipment, such as lasers, cameras, die bonders, wire bonders, dispensers, reflow ovens, soldering irons, die shears, wire pull testers, temperature or humidity chambers, or optical spectrum analyzers.

Assist scientists or engineers in the conduct of photonic experiments.

Test or perform failure analysis for optomechanical or optoelectrical products, according to test plans.

Assist engineers in the development of new products, fixtures, tools, or processes.

Recommend optical or optic equipment design or material changes to reduce costs or processing times.

Set up or operate prototype or test apparatus, such as control consoles, collimators, recording equipment, or cables.

Autodesk AutoCAD

Dassault Systemes SolidWorks

ZEMAX Optical Design Program

Microsoft PowerPoint

Data acquisition software

Statistical analysis software

The MathWorks MATLAB

Database software

Microsoft Access

Microsoft Excel

Image processing software

National Instruments LabVIEW

SAP software

Microsoft Office software

Microsoft Word

Chemical vapor deposition CVD systems

Electron cyclotron resonance ECR reactive ion etchers RIE

Plasma strippers

Sputter deposition systems

Optical spectrum analyzers

Shearing interferometers

Twyman-Green interferometers

Wavelength meters

Diode lasers

Excimer lasers

Liquid dye lasers

Solid state lasers

Cutoff saws

Die shears

Wire saws

Digital logic analyzers

Digital logic probes

Logic pulsers

Humidity chambers

Temperature chambers

Laser cutting machines

Laser drills

Contact profilometers

Non contact profilometers

Optical power meters

Photoelectric power meters

Micropositioners

Positioning stages

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?

Every day

Once a week or more but not every day

How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?

How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

Extremely important

Very important

Important

How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets

Once a year or more but not every month

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?

Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls

Continually or almost continually

More than half the time

About half the time

Less than half the time

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Constant contact with others

Contact with others most of the time

Contact with others about half the time

How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?

Photonics Technicians

Overview

Career

What Photonics Technicians Do

Other Job Titles Photonics Technicians May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Photonics Technicians

Overview

Career

What Photonics Technicians Do

Other Job Titles Photonics Technicians May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Photonics Technicians

Majors Related to Career

Related Leaders