Photonics Engineers

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

Most important skills

Critical Thinking
Reading Comprehension
Writing
Active Listening
Speaking
Mathematics
Active Learning
Science

Key knowledge

Engineering and Technology
Mathematics
Physics
Computers and Electronics
Design
English Language
Mechanical
Telecommunications

What the work involves

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.

Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Realistic, Investigative, Conventional.

Qualifications and licensing

Most common education: Bachelor's Degree (52.4% of respondents)
Related experience: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (30.4%)
On-the-job training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (43.5%)
Preparation level: O*NET job zone 4: Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Licensing: Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.

Check before planning

Licensing for Photonics Engineers is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
Projection education uses SOC 17-2199 (detailed_parent); it may describe a broader group.

Limits

Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0

Work environment

How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).

Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.

Rankings compare typical U.S. occupation-level work conditions; individual jobs and employers vary. Data: O*NET 31.0 Work Context and BLS wages (May 2025).
Condition	Level	Compared with other occupations	Most common answer (O*NET survey)
Contact with others	Moderate	Lower on contact with others than 53% of occupations compared	48% of surveyed respondents chose “Constant contact with others”
Dealing with the public	Low	Lower on dealing with the public than 74% of occupations compared	35% of surveyed respondents chose “Fairly important”
Teamwork	Very high	Higher on teamwork than 82% of occupations compared	61% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important”
Freedom to make decisions	Low	Lower on freedom to make decisions than 63% of occupations compared	35% of surveyed respondents chose “Some freedom”
Time pressure	Very low	Lower on time pressure than 88% of occupations compared	39% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a week or more but not every day”
Conflict situations	Low	Lower on conflict situations than 65% of occupations compared	39% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month”
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people	Very low	Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 83% of occupations compared	68% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month”
Consequence of error	High	Higher on consequence of error than 63% of occupations compared	39% of surveyed respondents chose “Serious”

Work-pressure profile

Time pressure: very low
Conflict situations: low
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: very low
Consequence of error: high

Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.

Full answer distributions