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Career Details

17-2199.07 - Photonics Engineers


Design technologies specializing in light information or light energy, such as laser or fiber optics technology.


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
1
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
136,900
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
142,300
Estimate
Change in Employment
+5,500
Estimate
Change in Employment %
+4%
Estimate
Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Analyze, fabricate, or test fiber-optic links.
  • Design electro-optical sensing or imaging systems.
  • Determine commercial, industrial, scientific, or other uses for electro-optical applications or devices.
  • Conduct research on new photonics technologies.
  • Design, integrate, or test photonics systems or components.
  • Analyze system performance or operational requirements.
  • Conduct testing to determine functionality or optimization or to establish limits of photonics systems or components.
  • Design gas lasers, solid state lasers, infrared, or other light emitting or light sensitive devices.
  • Determine applications of photonics appropriate to meet product objectives or features.
  • Develop or test photonic prototypes or models.
  • Develop optical or imaging systems, such as optical imaging products, optical components, image processes, signal process technologies, or optical systems.
  • Assist in the transition of photonic prototypes to production.
  • Create or maintain photonic design histories.
  • Oversee or provide expertise on manufacturing, assembly, or fabrication processes.
  • Read current literature, talk with colleagues, continue education, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in the field.
  • Train operators, engineers, or other personnel.
  • Design photonics products, such as light sources, displays, or photovoltaics, to achieve increased energy efficiency.
  • Write reports or proposals related to photonics research or development projects.
  • Document photonics system or component design processes, including objectives, issues, or outcomes.
Supplemental
  • Select, purchase, set up, operate, or troubleshoot state-of-the-art laser cutting equipment.
  • Design laser machining equipment for purposes such as high-speed ablation.
  • Develop laser-processed designs, such as laser-cut medical devices.
  • Design or develop new crystals for photonics applications.
  • Design or redesign optical fibers to minimize energy loss.
  • Design solar energy photonics or other materials or devices to generate energy.
  • Develop photonics sensing or manufacturing technologies to improve the efficiency of manufacturing or related processes.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 Engineering and Technology
  • 97%
    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.
 Physics
  • 91%
    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.
 Mathematics
  • 91%
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
 Computers and Electronics
  • 85%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 Design
  • 79%
    Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
 English Language
  • 67%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Mechanical
  • 62%
    Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
 Telecommunications
  • 55%
    Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
 Chemistry
  • 54%
    Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
 Production and Processing
  • 54%
    Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Light and wave generating and measuring equipment
  • Argon-ion lasers
  • Autocorrelators
  • Bench refractometers
  • Extreme ultraviolet lasers
  • Femtosecond lasers
  • Infrared viewers
  • Interferometers
  • Laser beam profilers
  • Laser tweezers
  • Near infrared cameras
  • Nitrogen lasers
  • Optical spectrum analyzers
  • Optical time domain reflectometers OTDR
  • Photodiode array detectors
  • Photon counting systems
  • Polarimeters
  • Single photon lasers
  • Streak cameras
  • Tunable diode lasers
  • Tunable dye lasers
  • Wavelength meters
 Viewing and observing instruments and accessories
  • Atomic force microscopes AFM
  • Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering CARS microscopes
  • Confocal fluorescence microscopes
  • Deconvolution fluorescence microscopes
  • Microprobe stations
  • Near field scanning optical microscopes NSOM
  • Probe test stations
  • Raman microscopes
  • Scanning electron microscopes SEM
  • Total internal reflection fluorescence TIRF microscopes
 Laboratory enclosures and accessories
  • Biosafety cabinets
  • Chemical hoods
 Grinding and sanding and polishing equipment and supplies
  • Chemical mechanical polishing CMP systems
 Electronic manufacturing and processing machinery
  • Contact lithography systems
  • Electron beam lithography systems
  • Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition PECVD systems
  • Reactive ion etchers RIE
  • Spin coaters
  • Vacuum deposition systems
 Electrical measuring and testing equipment and accessories
  • Current monitors
  • Digital storage oscilloscopes DSO
  • Oscilloscopes
  • Pulse generators
 Cameras
  • Digital cameras
  • Line scan cameras
 Spectroscopic equipment
  • Fluorescence lifetime spectrometers
  • Spectrofluorimeters
  • Spectrometers
  • Spectrophotometers
  • Spectroscopes
 Duplicating machines
  • Laser facsimile machines
 Computer printers
  • Laser printers
 Electronic and communication measuring and testing instruments
  • Optical power meters
  • Power meters
  • Semiconductor parameter analyzers
 Computers
  • Personal computers
 Lamps and lightbulbs
  • Xenon arc lamps
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Industry specific software
  • Adept Scientific GRAMS
  • Apollo Photonics APSSHOT
  • Autodesk AutoCADHOT
  • BPM_CAD
  • Computer-aided drafting or design softwareHOT
  • Dassault Systemes CATIAHOT
  • Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKSHOT
  • Finite element analysis FEA software
  • Mathsoft Mathcad
  • Optiwave OptiBPMHOT
  • Optiwave OptiFDTDHOT
  • Optiwave OptiSPICEHOT
  • Pattern recognition software
  • Photon Design CrystalWaveHOT
  • Photon Design FIMMPROP
  • Photon Design FIMMWAVEHOT
  • Photon Design OmniSimHOT
  • Photon Design PICWave
  • SASHOT
  • Spectroscopy software
  • The MathWorks MATLABHOT
  • Wolfram Research Mathematica
  • ZemaxHOT
 Development software
  • C
  • C#HOT
  • C++HOT
  • Debugging software
  • Formula translation/translator FORTRAN
  • GoHOT
  • Microsoft .NET FrameworkHOT
  • Microsoft Visual BasicHOT
  • National Instruments LabVIEWHOT
  • Oracle JavaHOT
  • Practical extraction and reporting language PerlHOT
  • PythonHOT
 Networking software
  • Ciena software
 Information exchange software
  • ESRI ArcGIS softwareHOT
  • ESRI software
  • Mapping software
  • Microsoft OutlookHOT
  • QGIS
 Content authoring and editing software
  • FacebookHOT
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
  • Microsoft PowerPointHOT
  • Microsoft VisioHOT
  • Microsoft WordHOT
 Operating environment software
  • LinuxHOT
  • Shell scriptHOT
  • UNIXHOT
 Data management and query software
  • Structure query language SQL
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
 Advanced
 Core
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Online Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
Central Virginia Community College
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College
Mountain Empire Community College
New River Community College
Piedmont Virginia Community College
Rappahannock Community College
Southwest Virginia Community College
Wytheville Community College