Senior Optical Engineer Jobs

Explore Senior Optical Engineer opportunities with organizations developing advanced optical and photonic technologies. Ladders features vetted professional roles paying $100,000 or more, including positions focused on optical design, imaging systems, lasers, and precision instrumentation.

What Senior Optical Engineers Do

Senior Optical Engineers design, analyze, test, and refine optical systems and components. Their work may span lenses, cameras, sensors, lasers, fiber-optic systems, imaging instruments, and optoelectronic devices. They often use optical modeling and simulation tools, guide prototype development, interpret test results, and collaborate with electrical, mechanical, software, and manufacturing teams to bring products from concept to production.

Common Skills and Qualifications

Employers commonly seek a degree in optical engineering, physics, electrical engineering, or a related technical field, along with substantial experience developing optical systems. Relevant skills may include optical design and analysis, imaging and illumination, tolerance analysis, metrology, laboratory testing, laser safety, and familiarity with tools such as Zemax OpticStudio or CODE V. Senior roles may also call for technical leadership, clear communication, and experience mentoring engineers or coordinating cross-functional projects.

Industries and Career Opportunities

Senior Optical Engineers work across aerospace and defense, medical devices, semiconductors, telecommunications, consumer electronics, scientific instrumentation, and photonics. Depending on the employer, roles may emphasize research and development, product engineering, systems integration, manufacturing support, or technical program leadership. Browse opportunities to find positions aligned with your specialties, experience, and career goals.

Find Senior Optical Engineer Jobs on Ladders

Search vetted Senior Optical Engineer jobs paying $100,000 or more on Ladders. Review role requirements, compare opportunities, and discover professional positions where your optical engineering expertise can make an impact.

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$170K - $220K *

Shape the future of customer solutions by leading implementations and driving adoption of innovative technologies. Collaborate with teams to deliver tailored architectural designs that meet strategic...

RemoteRemote

3 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$121K - $142K *

Elevate automation in software engineering by building AI-driven tools and systems. Collaborate with a focused team to enhance reliability and speed in package and image management, shaping the future...

RemoteRemote

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Partner with us to optimize high-speed interconnect performance through SI/PI simulation, collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance design quality and resolve signal issues across various a...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Business Services

$126K - $160K *

Drive impactful software solutions by collaborating with sales teams, leading demos, and managing technical inquiries. Leverage your expertise to enhance customer experiences and support enterprise tr...

San Diego, CARemote

Today

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Transportation

$150K - $180K *

Lead the charge in engineering excellence, overseeing a team of 60 while driving AI initiatives and enhancing operational strategies. Collaborate with product leadership to elevate engineering practic...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$142K - $185K *

Pioneer strategic HR initiatives to enhance corporate functions and build leadership capabilities. Collaborate across departments to anticipate talent needs, shape organizational design, and drive wor...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$125K - $150K *

Empower your career by leading and scaling a multidisciplinary engineering team in full-stack and data engineering. Drive impact through collaboration and technical excellence, ensuring quality and in...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$150K - $180K *

Take ownership of the technical strategy for a pioneering AI-native platform, making critical engineering decisions that influence the organization's future while mentoring a team to elevate overall t...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$189K - $298K *

Drive enterprise transformation by turning market insights into product strategies, collaborating across teams to ensure competitive differentiation, compliance, and customer success for sustained com...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $145K *

Transform cloud infrastructure for higher education products by designing, building, and operating AWS and Azure environments. Collaborate with teams to enhance reliability, automate processes, and me...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$175K - $263K *

Help us drive our Global Vulnerability Management forward by leading complex workstreams, enhancing threat exposure techniques, and collaborating across teams to ensure robust security solutions and r...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$150K - $250K *

Shape the future of autonomous vehicles by tackling complex AI challenges. Collaborate with engineers to enhance deep learning models and apply your expertise in unsupervised learning to scale innovat...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$150K - $250K *

Join a talented team to tackle complex AI challenges by enhancing our proprietary algorithmic toolkit and collaborating on deep learning experiments that push the boundaries of research and developmen...

CanadaRemote

Reposted 4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$252K - $300K *

Unlock potential by leading the technical strategy for Data Labs, guiding engineering teams to innovate AI training solutions, and shaping the future of model evaluation and deployment in a rapidly ev...

United StatesRemote

4 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$320K - $488K *

Partner with us to lead developer relations in quantum computing, driving adoption of innovative SDKs. Collaborate across federal programs as a strategic bridge to elevate scientific research and tech...

RemoteRemote

Reposted today

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$109K - $164K *

Drive advanced digital forensics and incident response initiatives while mentoring a skilled engineering team. Leverage deep technical knowledge to enhance operational capabilities and ensure exceptio...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$160K - $500K+*

Accelerate progress at the forefront of silicon verification. Own and enhance methodologies, manage test execution, and drive crucial reviews to ensure successful design transitions from concept to pr...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$120K - $145K *

Drive your career with a pivotal role managing technical partnerships, scoping integrations, and ensuring successful collaboration between engineering teams and partners. Shape strategic conversations...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$100K - $195K *

Take ownership of designing automated systems and robotic equipment for remote operations in radiological environments. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure effective integration and perf...

Oak Ridge, TNRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$84K - $141K *

Champion the development of business and application architecture strategies, ensuring alignment with customer needs. Oversee project execution, collaborate with technical teams, and drive sustainable...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$120K - $150K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of AI engineering by leading a dynamic group of engineers and Technical Leads. Drive workforce strategy, enhance team capabilities, and ensure sustainable deliver...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$180K - $230K *

Drive market dominance by owning the GTM strategy for innovative AppSec products, collaborating closely with technical teams and sales to ensure successful launches and impactful messaging that resona...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Innovate your career by leading the development of groundbreaking chemical refining processes while optimizing controls for automated plant operations and enhancing team capabilities in a dynamic, gro...

Moab, UTRemote

Reposted 4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$220K - $265K *

Lead the charge in building a high-performing mobile engineering team, driving technical execution and culture. Oversee multi-persona mobile experiences, architecture, and release operations, shaping...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$110K - $130K *

Lead the charge in shaping the future of energy through advanced power system modeling and compliance assessments. Collaborate with a dynamic team to conduct studies, ensure project quality, and drive...

Austin, TXRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • What does a Senior Optical Engineer do?question toggle

    A Senior Optical Engineer designs, models, tests, and improves optical systems and components, such as lenses, imaging devices, lasers, sensors, and photonic systems. The role may also involve technical leadership and collaboration across engineering and product teams.

  • What qualifications are commonly required for Senior Optical Engineer jobs?question toggle

    Requirements vary by employer, but many positions seek a degree in optical engineering, physics, electrical engineering, or a related discipline, plus significant experience with optical design, analysis, testing, and measurement.

  • Which industries hire Senior Optical Engineers?question toggle

    Common employers are found in aerospace and defense, medical technology, semiconductors, telecommunications, consumer electronics, photonics, and scientific instrumentation.

  • What skills are useful for Senior Optical Engineers?question toggle

    Useful skills include optical modeling, lens and imaging design, tolerance analysis, metrology, laboratory testing, laser safety, and experience with optical design software. Senior positions may also require project leadership and cross-functional communication.

  • What salary range can I expect for a Senior Optical Engineer job on Ladders?question toggle

    Ladders focuses on vetted professional jobs paying $100,000 or more. Actual compensation depends on factors such as location, experience, industry, and role responsibilities; review individual listings for details.