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Photonics Technicians

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	Median Wage (USD, 2024)	Projected Job Openings (2023-2033)	Projected Growth (2023-2033)
National Statistics	$77,390	6300	4.4%
State Statistics	-	-	-
City Statistics	-	-	-

Statistics

National

State

City

State

City

$77,390

Median Wage (USD, 2023)

6300

Projected Job Openings (2023-2033)

4.4%

Projected Growth (2023-2033)

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

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)

Related Work Experience: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years

On-Site or In-Plant Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months

On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year

Detailed Work Activities

Maintain inventories of materials, equipment, or products.
Purchase materials, equipment, or other resources.
Maintain clean work areas.
Conduct quantitative failure analyses of operational data.
Assist engineers or scientists with research.
Analyze operational data to evaluate operations, processes or products.
Prepare materials for processing.
Design electronic or computer equipment or instrumentation.
Assemble equipment or components.
Create schematic drawings for electronics.
Design electronic or computer equipment or instrumentation.
Develop technical methods or processes.
Assemble precision electronics or optical equipment.
Install instrumentation or electronic equipment or systems.
Test performance of electrical, electronic, mechanical, or integrated systems or equipment.
Operate industrial equipment.
Assemble precision electronics or optical equipment.
Calibrate scientific or technical equipment.
Maintain electronic equipment.
Fabricate devices or components.
Create physical models or prototypes.
Assemble precision electronics or optical equipment.
Calibrate scientific or technical equipment.
Maintain electronic equipment.
Assemble precision electronics or optical equipment.
Analyze test or validation data.
Document design or operational test results.
Prepare procedural documents.
Recommend technical design or process changes to improve efficiency, quality, or performance.
Create physical models or prototypes.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

Compute or record photonic test data.
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.
Monitor inventory levels and order supplies as necessary.
Assemble fiber optical, optoelectronic, or free-space optics components, subcomponents, assemblies, or subassemblies.
Optimize photonic process parameters by making prototype or production devices.
Splice fibers, using fusion splicing or other techniques.
Build prototype optomechanical devices for use in equipment such as aerial cameras, gun sights, or telescopes.
Terminate, cure, polish, or test fiber cables with mechanical connectors.
Perform diagnostic analyses of processing steps, using analytical or metrological tools, such as microscopy, profilometry, or ellipsometry devices.
Assemble or adjust parts or related electrical units of prototypes to prepare for testing.
Repair or calibrate products, such as surgical lasers.
Design, build, or modify fixtures used to assemble parts.
Assemble components of energy-efficient optical communications systems involving photonic switches, optical backplanes, or optoelectronic interfaces.
Lay out cutting lines for machining, using drafting tools.
Mix, pour, or use processing chemicals or gases according to safety standards or established operating procedures.
Fabricate devices, such as optoelectronic or semiconductor devices.

Work Styles

Achievement/Effort

Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self-Control

Stress Tolerance

Adaptability/Flexibility

Dependability

Attention to Detail

Integrity

Independence

Innovation

Analytical Thinking

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 28.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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