What skills does a optical engineer need?

A optical engineer needs 32 essential skills including optical equipment standards, optical glass characteristics, engineering principles, optics, types of optical instruments. Core competencies include .

Will AI replace optical engineer jobs?

The AI disruption score for optical engineer is 24/100 (low risk). Some tasks may be automated but the role will evolve rather than disappear entirely.

Science & ResearchScience and engineering professionalsISCO 2149

optical engineer

Optical engineers design and develop different industrial applications with optics. They have knowledge of light, light transmission principles, and optics in order to design engineering specs of equipment such as microscopes, lenses, telescopes, and other optical devices.

European Skills Framework

Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.

Essential (32)

optical equipment standardsoptical equipment standardsThe national and international quality and safety standards and regulations with regards to the use and manufacture of optical equipment, including optical materials, optical components, optical syste...optical glass characteristicsoptical glass characteristicsThe characteristics of optical glass such as refractive index, dispersion, and chemical properties.engineering principlesengineering principlesThe engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects.opticsopticsThe science that studies the elements and reaction of light.types of optical instrumentstypes of optical instrumentsCommon types of optical instruments and lenses, such as microscopes and telescopes, their mechanics, components, and characteristics.design drawingsdesign drawingsThe drawings detailing the design of products, tools, and engineering systems.mathematicsmathematicsMathematics is the study of topics such as quantity, structure, space, and change. It involves the identification of patterns and formulating new conjectures based on them. Mathematicians strive to pr...refractive powerrefractive powerRefractive power or optical power is the degree to which an optical system, such as a lens, converges or diverges light. Diverging lenses possess negative refractive power, while converging lenses pos...physicsphysicsThe natural science involving the study of matter, motion, energy, force and related notions.optical engineeringoptical engineeringSubdiscipline of engineering that deals with the development of optical instruments and applications, such as telescopes, microscopes, lenses, lasers, fibre optic communication, and imaging systems.optical manufacturing processoptical manufacturing processThe process and different stages of manufacturing an optical product, from design and prototyping to the preparation of optical components and lenses, the assembly of optical equipment, and the interm...manage research datamanage research dataProduce and analyse scientific data originating from qualitative and quantitative research methods. Store and maintain the data in research databases. Support the re-use of scientific data and be fami...conduct literature researchconduct literature researchConduct a comprehensive and systematic research of information and publications on a specific literature topic. Present a comparative evaluative literature summary.interact professionally in research and professional environmentsinteract professionally in research and professional environmentsShow consideration to others as well as collegiality. Listen, give and receive feedback and respond perceptively to others, also involving staff supervision and leadership in a professional setting.operate open source softwareoperate open source softwareOperate Open Source software, knowing the main Open Source models, licensing schemes, and the coding practices commonly adopted in the production of Open Source software.test optical componentstest optical componentsTest optical systems, products, and components with appropriate optical testing methods, such as axial ray testing and oblique ray testing.record test datarecord test dataRecord data which has been identified specifically during preceding tests in order to verify that outputs of the test produce specific results or to review the reaction of the subject under exceptiona...demonstrate disciplinary expertisedemonstrate disciplinary expertiseDemonstrate deep knowledge and complex understanding of a specific research area, including responsible research, research ethics and scientific integrity principles, privacy and GDPR requirements, re...conduct quality control analysisconduct quality control analysisConduct inspections and tests of services, processes, or products to evaluate quality.adjust engineering designsadjust engineering designsAdjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.analyse test dataanalyse test dataInterpret and analyse data collected during testing in order to formulate conclusions, new insights or solutions.think abstractlythink abstractlyDemonstrate the ability to use concepts in order to make and understand generalisations, and relate or connect them to other items, events, or experiences.manage personal professional developmentmanage personal professional developmentTake responsibility for lifelong learning and continuous professional development. Engage in learning to support and update professional competence. Identify priority areas for professional developmen...model optical systemsmodel optical systemsModel and simulate optical systems, products, and components using technical design software. Assess the viability of the product and examine the physical parameters to ensure a successful production ...develop optical test proceduresdevelop optical test proceduresDevelop testing protocols to enable a variety of analyses of optical systems, products, and components.report analysis resultsreport analysis resultsProduce research documents or give presentations to report the results of a conducted research and analysis project, indicating the analysis procedures and methods which led to the results, as well as...operate scientific measuring equipmentoperate scientific measuring equipmentOperate devices, machinery, and equipment designed for scientific measurement. Scientific equipment consists of specialised measuring instruments refined to facilitate the acquisition of data.perform project managementperform project managementManage and plan various resources, such as human resources, budget, deadline, results, and quality necessary for a specific project, and monitor the project's progress in order to achieve a specific g...prepare production prototypesprepare production prototypesPrepare early models or prototypes in order to test concepts and replicability possibilities. Create prototypes to assess for pre-production tests.design optical prototypesdesign optical prototypesDesign and develop prototypes of optical products and components using technical drawing software.approve engineering designapprove engineering designGive consent to the finished engineering design to go over to the actual manufacturing and assembly of the product.synthesise informationsynthesise informationCritically read, interpret, and summarise new and complex information from diverse sources.

Optional (81)

electrooptic deviceselectrooptic devicesOptical devices, systems, and components that possess electrical or electronic features, such as lasers or electrooptic modulators.telecommunications engineeringtelecommunications engineeringDiscipline that combines computer science with electrical engineering to improve telecommunications systems.microwave principlesmicrowave principlesThe technologies used in transmission of information or energy via electromagnetic waves between 1000 and 100,000 MHz.photonicsphotonicsThe science and technology of generating, controlling and detecting particles of light. It explores phenomena and applications in which light is used to transfer or process information, or to physical...acousticsacousticsThe study of sound, its reflection, amplification and absorption in a space.radarsradarsSystems that can use radio waves or microwaves to capture the speed, direction, range, and altitude of objects. It can be used for the detection of aeroplanes, ships, and weather formations.precision mechanicsprecision mechanicsPrecision or fine mechanics is a subdiscipline in engineering that focuses on the design and development of smaller precision machines.optomechanical componentsoptomechanical componentsComponents that possess mechanical and optical features, such as optical mirrors, optical mounts, and optical fibre.microelectronicsmicroelectronicsMicroelectronics is a subdiscipline of electronics and relates the study, design, and manufacture of small electronic components, such as microchips.cavity optomechanicscavity optomechanicsSubset of physics that focuses on the interaction between mechanical objects and light. The focus predominantly lies on the amelioration of radiation pressure interaction between matter from the optic...medical imaging technologymedical imaging technologySet of technologies used to creating visual representations of the body interior for the purposes of clinical analysis.digital camera sensorsdigital camera sensorsTypes of sensors used in digital cameras, such as charged coupled devices (CCD) and complementary metal oxide semiconductor sensors (CMOS).MOEMMOEMMicro-opto-electro-mechanics (MOEM) combines microelectronics, microoptics and micromechanics in the development of MEM devices with optical features, such as optical switches, optical cross-connects,...quantum opticsquantum opticsThe field of physics combining quantum field theory and physical optics.electroopticselectroopticsThe study and appliance of electrical fields to generate and control optical radiation.sensorssensorsSensors are transducers that can detect or sense characteristics in their environment. They detect changes in the apparatus or environment and provide a corresponding optical or electrical signal. Sen...CAE softwareCAE softwareThe software to perform computer-aided engineering (CAE) analysis tasks such as Finite Element Analysis and Computional Fluid Dynamics.optomechanical engineeringoptomechanical engineeringSubset of mechanical engineering specialised in optical systems and products, such as binoculars, microscopes, telescopes, and spectrometers, as well as optomechanical components, such as optical moun...computer engineeringcomputer engineeringEngineering discipline that combines computer science with electrical engineering to develop computer hardware and software. Computer engineering occupies itself with electronics, software design, and...microprocessorsmicroprocessorsComputer processors on a microscale that integrate the computer central processing unit (CPU) on a single chip.quality standardsquality standardsThe national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.electronicselectronicsThe functioning of electronic circuit boards, processors, chips, and computer hardware and software, including programming and applications.mechanical engineeringmechanical engineeringDiscipline that applies principles of physics, engineering and materials science to design, analyse, manufacture and maintain mechanical systems.microopticsmicroopticsOptical devices with a size of 1 millimeter or smaller, such as microlenses and micromirrors.microelectromechanical systemsmicroelectromechanical systemsMicroelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are miniaturised electromechanical systems made using processes of microfabrication. MEMS consist of microsensors, microactuators, microstructures, and microelect...control engineeringcontrol engineeringSubdiscipline of engineering that focuses on controlling the behaviour of systems through the use of sensors and actuators.optoelectronic devicesoptoelectronic devicesElectronic devices, systems, and components that possess optical features. These devices or components may include electrically driven light sources, such as LEDs and laser diodes, components that can...electromagnetic spectrumelectromagnetic spectrumThe different electromagnetic wavelenghts or frequencies that are situated on the electromagnetic spectrum. Wavelenghts are divided in several categories according to their wavelength and energy level...semiconductorssemiconductorsSemiconductors are essential components of electronic circuits and contain properties of both insulators, such as glass, and conductors, such as copper. Most semiconductors are crystals made of silico...optoelectronicsoptoelectronicsBranch of electronics and optics dedicated to the study and use of electronic devices that detect and control light.microsensorsmicrosensorsDevices with a size smaller than 1 mm that can convert a non-electric signal, such as temperature, into an electrical signal. Because of their size, microsensors offer better accuracy, range, and sens...optical instrumentsoptical instrumentsThe characteristics and usage of optical instruments such as lens-meter, to determine refractive power of lenses such as glasses.fibre opticsfibre opticsThe technology which utilises optical fibre, such as plastic or glass threads, to transmit data. Optical fibres are able to transmit light between the two ends of the fibre and may transfer images and...laserslasersDevices that are able to produce light through the optical amplification of the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation, such as gas lasers, solid-state lasers, fiber lasers, photonic lasers ...draft scientific or academic papers and technical documentationdraft scientific or academic papers and technical documentationDraft and edit scientific, academic or technical texts on different subjects.interpret circuit diagramsinterpret circuit diagramsRead and comprehend circuit diagrams showing the connections between the devices, such as power and signal connections.communicate with customerscommunicate with customersRespond to and communicate with customers in the most efficient and appropriate manner to enable them to access the desired products or services, or any other help they may require.develop electronic test proceduresdevelop electronic test proceduresDevelop testing protocols to enable a variety of analyses of electronic systems, products, and components.sell optical productssell optical productsSell glasses and sunglasses, contact lenses, spectacles, binoculars, cleaning kits and other eye-related products, according to customer's needs in terms of optical requirements such as bi-focals, var...mount optical components on framesmount optical components on framesMount optical components, such as lenses, and precision mechanical components, such as frames, into assemblies and adjust. Lenses are mechanically set into place using threaded retaining rings and the...resolve equipment malfunctionsresolve equipment malfunctionsIdentify, report and repair equipment damage and malfunctions. Communicate with field representatives and manufacturers to obtain repair and replacement components.disseminate results to the scientific communitydisseminate results to the scientific communityPublicly disclose scientific results by any appropriate means, including conferences, workshops, colloquia and scientific publications.perform data analysisperform data analysisCollect data and statistics to test and evaluate in order to generate assertions and pattern predictions, with the aim of discovering useful information in a decision-making process.speak different languagesspeak different languagesMaster foreign languages to be able to communicate in one or more foreign languages.evaluate research activitiesevaluate research activitiesReview proposals, progress, impact and outcomes of peer researchers, including through open peer review.operate precision measuring equipmentoperate precision measuring equipmentMeasure the size of a processed part when checking and marking it to check if it is up to standard by use of two and three dimensional precision measuring equipment such as a caliper, a micrometer, an...perform test runperform test runPerform tests putting a system, machine, tool or other equipment through a series of actions under actual operating conditions in order to assess its reliability and suitability to realise its tasks, ...define manufacturing quality criteriadefine manufacturing quality criteriaDefine and describe the criteria by which data quality is measured for manufacturing purposes, such as international standards and manufacturing regulations.teach in academic or vocational contextsteach in academic or vocational contextsInstruct students in the theory and practice of academic or vocational subjects, transferring the content of own and others' research activities.increase the impact of science on policy and societyincrease the impact of science on policy and societyInfluence evidence-informed policy and decision making by providing scientific input to and maintaining professional relationships with policymakers and other stakeholders.manage findable accessible interoperable and reusable datamanage findable accessible interoperable and reusable dataProduce, describe, store, preserve and (re) use scientific data based on FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles, making data as open as possible, and as closed as necessar...perform scientific researchperform scientific researchGain, correct or improve knowledge about phenomena by using scientific methods and techniques, based on empirical or measurable observations.create technical planscreate technical plansCreate detailed technical plans of machinery, equipment, tools and other products.apply for research fundingapply for research fundingIdentify key relevant funding sources and prepare research grant application in order to obtain funds and grants. Write research proposals.coordinate engineering teamscoordinate engineering teamsPlan, coordinate and supervise engineering activities together with engineers and engineering technicians. Ensure clear and effective channels of communication across all departments. Make sure the te...apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activitiesapply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activitiesApply fundamental ethical principles and legislation to scientific research, including issues of research integrity. Perform, review, or report research avoiding misconducts such as fabrication, falsi...promote open innovation in researchpromote open innovation in researchApply techniques, models, methods and strategies which contribute to the promotion of steps towards innovation through collaboration with people and organizations outside the organisation.publish academic researchpublish academic researchConduct academic research, in universities and research institutions, or on a personal account, publish it in books or academic journals with the aim of contributing to a field of expertise and achiev...promote the transfer of knowledgepromote the transfer of knowledgeDeploy broad awareness of processes of knowledge valorisation aimed to maximise the two–way flow of technology, intellectual property, expertise and capability between the research base and industry o...mentor individualsmentor individualsMentor individuals by providing emotional support, sharing experiences and giving advice to the individual to help them in their personal development, as well as adapting the support to the specific n...use precision toolsuse precision toolsUse electronic, mechanical, electric, or optical precision tools, such as drilling machines, grinders, gear cutters and milling machines to boost accuracy while machining products.draft bill of materialsdraft bill of materialsSet up a list of materials, components, and assemblies as well as the quantities needed to manufacture a certain product.read engineering drawingsread engineering drawingsRead the technical drawings of a product made by the engineer in order to suggest improvements, make models of the product or operate it.use CAD softwareuse CAD softwareUse computer-aided design (CAD) systems to assist in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimisation of a design.apply blended learningapply blended learningBe familiar with blended learning tools by combining traditional face-to-face and online learning, using digital tools, online technologies, and e-learning methods.design optical systemsdesign optical systemsDesign and develop optical and imaging systems, products, and components, such as lasers, microscopes, optical fibre, cameras, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines.apply technical communication skillsapply technical communication skillsExplain technical details to non-technical customers, stakeholders, or any other interested parties in a clear and concise manner.write scientific publicationswrite scientific publicationsPresent the hypothesis, findings, and conclusions of your scientific research in your field of expertise in a professional publication.develop professional network with researchers and scientistsdevelop professional network with researchers and scientistsDevelop alliances, contacts or partnerships, and exchange information with others. Foster integrated and open collaborations where different stakeholders co-create shared value research and innovation...integrate gender dimension in researchintegrate gender dimension in researchTake into account in the whole research process the biological characteristics and the evolving social and cultural features of women and men (gender).operate precision machineryoperate precision machineryOperate machinery used for the making of small systems or components with a high level of precision.manage open publicationsmanage open publicationsBe familiar with Open Publication strategies, with the use of information technology to support research, and with the development and management of CRIS (current research information systems) and ins...build business relationshipsbuild business relationshipsEstablish a positive, long-term relationship between organisations and interested third parties such as suppliers, distributors, shareholders and other stakeholders in order to inform them of the orga...maintain safe engineering watchesmaintain safe engineering watchesObserve principles in keeping an engineering watch. Take over, accept and hand over a watch. Perform routine duties undertaken during a watch. Maintain the machinery space logs and the significance of...train employeestrain employeesLead and guide employees through a process in which they are taught the necessary skills for the perspective job. Organise activities aimed at introducing the work and systems or improving the perform...operate optical assembly equipmentoperate optical assembly equipmentSet up and operate optical processing or assembly equipment, such as optical spectrum analysers, power saws, lasers, die bonders, soldering irons, and wire bonders.prepare assembly drawingsprepare assembly drawingsCreate the drawings that identify the different components and materials, and that provide instructions as to how they should be assembled.perform resource planningperform resource planningEstimate the expected input in terms of time, human and financial resources necessary to achieve the project objectives.conduct research across disciplinesconduct research across disciplinesWork and use research findings and data across disciplinary and/or functional boundaries.develop product designdevelop product designConvert market requirements into product design and development.communicate with a non-scientific audiencecommunicate with a non-scientific audienceCommunicate about scientific findings to a non-scientific audience, including the general public. Tailor the communication of scientific concepts, debates, findings to the audience, using a variety of...