Architecture and Engineering · Holland code RIC
Photonics Engineers
Design technologies specializing in light information or light energy, such as laser or fiber optics technology.
Also called: Laser Engineer, Optical Design Engineer, Optical Engineer, Optical Systems Engineer, Algorithm Developer, Optical Specialist, Optoelectronics Engineer, Research and Development Engineer (R and D Engineer).
O*NET 17-2199.07
At a glance
- US median annual pay
- $122,930
- Middle half earn $90,970 to $158,090. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
- Most common education
- Bachelor's Degree
- 52% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
- Preparation needed
- Job Zone 4 of 5
- Considerable preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
What the work involves
The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.
- Analyze system performance or operational requirements.
- Develop optical or imaging systems, such as optical imaging products, optical components, image processes, signal process technologies, or optical systems.
- Develop or test photonic prototypes or models.
- Design, integrate, or test photonics systems or components.
- Assist in the transition of photonic prototypes to production.
- Read current literature, talk with colleagues, continue education, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in the field.
- Write reports or proposals related to photonics research or development projects.
- Conduct testing to determine functionality or optimization or to establish limits of photonics systems or components.
Skills and knowledge it leans on
Skills
- Critical Thinking4.0 / 5
- Reading Comprehension3.9 / 5
- Writing3.9 / 5
- Active Listening3.8 / 5
- Speaking3.6 / 5
- Mathematics3.6 / 5
Knowledge areas
- Engineering and Technology4.8 / 5
- Mathematics4.6 / 5
- Physics4.6 / 5
- Computers and Electronics4.2 / 5
- Design4.0 / 5
- English Language3.3 / 5
Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.
Who tends to enjoy it
How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.
- Realistic82
- Investigative81
- Artistic30
- Social6
- Enterprising12
- Conventional49
The same work abroad
Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.
European occupation titles (ESCO)
- optomechanical engineer · DE Ingenieur Optomechanik/Ingenieurin Optomechanik · FR ingénieur optomécanique/ingénieure optomécanique
- optical engineer · DE Optikingenieur/Optikingenieurin · FR ingénieur opticien/ingénieure opticienne
- photonics engineer · DE Ingenieur Photonik/Ingenieurin Photonik · FR ingénieur en photonique/ingénieure en photonique
- optoelectronic engineer · DE Ingenieur Optoelektronik/Ingenieurin Optoelektronik · FR ingénieur en optoélectronique/ingénieure en optoélectronique
- sensor engineer · DE Ingenieur Sensortechnik/Ingenieurin Sensortechnik · FR ingénieur spécialité capteurs, instrumentation et mesures/ingénieure spécialité capteurs, instrumentation et mesures
- sensor engineering technician · DE Sensortechniker/Sensortechnikerin · FR technicien en ingénierie des capteurs/technicienne en ingénierie des capteurs
Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)
- Quantity surveyors (2453)45,300 employed
- Aerospace engineers (2126)41,700 employed
- Quality assurance technicians (3115)36,100 employed
Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.
Pay across Europe, for the whole group
Median annual earnings of all employees in “Professionals”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.
| Country | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Belgium | €61,714 |
| Germany | €59,529 |
| Ireland | €56,877 |
| Austria | €55,374 |
| Netherlands | €53,595 |
| Sweden | €43,567 |
| France | €41,515 |
| Spain | €35,735 |
| Italy | €33,649 |
| Portugal | €26,072 |
| Poland | €14,380 |
Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.
Exposure to AI
This occupation sits in the higher third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of +0.79. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.
Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.
Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (17-2199).
Related careers
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