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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$240K - $379K *

Shape the future of retail technology by architecting and developing a cutting-edge Retail and CPG platform using AI solutions, collaborating with top engineering teams to drive innovation and efficie...

Santa Clara, CARemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$160K - $258K *

Lead the charge in enhancing vulnerability management processes across diverse enterprise products, collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure effective resolution and communication of securi...

RemoteRemote

Reposted yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$100K - $120K *

Champion enterprise communications and change initiatives, enhancing employee engagement and understanding. Collaborate across departments to ensure clear, consistent messaging and drive organizationa...

RemoteRemote

Today

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$180K - $220K *

Empower a globally distributed team to build and enhance an in-house ERP application, ensuring alignment across engineering, operations, and delivery while fostering a culture of collaboration, accoun...

United StatesRemote

Today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$100K - $130K *

Drive product marketing for innovative defense tech solutions. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to shape strategies, develop compelling narratives, and execute impactful campaigns that enhance...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$120K - $150K *

Lead the charge in delivering complex integrations for clients, embedding with their teams to build reusable assets against our API. Transform vague requests into actionable plans while enhancing depl...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$78K - $98K *

Shape the future of AEC workflows by leading product ownership and Agile delivery for an Engineering Tools team. Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to prioritize needs, validate outcomes...

United StatesRemote

4 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$153K - $166K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of AI governance in software development. As a Senior Engineer, you'll design policies and tools that ensure safe, effective use of AI coding agents, empowering d...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$89K - $148K *

Drive technical solutions by collaborating with sales teams and customers to enhance industrial communications products. Develop sales strategies, manage customer relationships, and ensure compliance...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Business Services

$97K - $192K *

Deliver expert engineering solutions for high voltage substation projects, ensuring compliance with industry standards. Collaborate with teams to design and execute projects up to 500 kV, while mentor...

United StatesRemote

3 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$110K - $130K *

Lead the development of software systems for autonomous aviation, managing architecture, integration, and performance across airborne, ground, and cloud environments to enhance operation and reliabili...

Mountain View, CARemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$102K - $170K *

Elevate your career by leading innovative data engineering solutions. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define scalable architectures and drive AI initiatives, ensuring alignment with enterpr...

New Brunswick, NJRemote

Today

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$102K - $170K *

Unlock innovative data solutions by leading integration strategies and architectural decisions. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver scalable, secure data and AI solutions while driving...

New Brunswick, NJRemote

1 week ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$80K - $120K *

Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design and develop user-centric web applications, integrating AI-driven insights for high-stakes decision-making workflows while ensuring performance and sec...

Virginia, USRemote

2 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $160K *

Join our dynamic team to design and develop cutting-edge AI platforms, enhancing decision-making workflows through innovative web applications and robust backend services. Collaborate across the full...

Virginia, USRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $145K *

Join a dynamic team to design and develop a next-gen AI platform, focusing on intelligent agent frameworks and modern web applications. Collaborate across the full stack to enhance decision-making wor...

Virginia, USRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$85K - $106K *

Join us to enhance healthcare solutions through advanced software development focusing on clinical coding. Collaborate with diverse teams to create impactful applications that improve patient outcomes...

CanadaRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$232K - $368K *

Partner with us to shape innovative production test solutions for complex networking systems. Collaborate across teams to align strategies, enhance capabilities, and drive efficiency in testing proces...

California, USRemote

6 days ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$120K - $145K *

Drive technical pre-sales and implementation for innovative API and AI products, serving as a key liaison between customers and engineering teams to enhance AI-driven discovery experiences in the medi...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$100K - $120K *

Unlock potential by driving sales of innovative ophthalmology software across Canada. Collaborate with distributors, attend trade shows, and leverage your expertise to enhance client relationships and...

CanadaRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$120K - $145K *

Drive the evolution of product and engineering systems by managing platforms like Jira and Aha!. Collaborate cross-functionally to enhance workflows, integrations, and reporting, ensuring tools align...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$150K - $180K *

Champion the evolution of brand marketing by leading a dynamic team, crafting compelling campaigns, and enhancing executive communications to elevate brand presence and engagement across all platforms...

CanadaRemote

Today

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$224K - $431K *

Drive operational excellence by leading teams focused on incident management, maintenance, and customer readiness. Own the product roadmap while collaborating with infrastructure and service teams to...

RemoteRemote

1 month ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$145K - $160K *

Drive strategic initiatives by leading complex, cross-functional projects that align stakeholders and transform business priorities into actionable plans, ensuring successful execution across Revenue...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$190K - $220K *

Partner with us to tackle complex engineering challenges, leveraging deep expertise in TypeScript, Postgres, and AWS. Collaborate closely with our VP of Engineering to innovate and deliver impactful p...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

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.