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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$172K - $229K *

Accelerate progress at the forefront of autonomous vehicle software by diagnosing and deploying solutions. Join a dynamic team to enhance capabilities and resolve complex challenges in a high-stakes e...

Las Vegas, NVRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Transportation

$72K - $135K *

Champion the design and delivery of impactful learning initiatives, ensuring alignment with business needs while enhancing the learner experience across a global Operations organization...

United StatesRemote

Today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Telecommunications & Hardware

$110K - $130K *

Lead the charge in transforming measurement experiences by integrating retailer data into a unified reporting platform. Collaborate with partners to enhance data flow and deliver actionable insights f...

Toronto, ONRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$160K - $257K *

Optimize the mobile client architecture for AI-driven conversations, building robust cross-platform solutions while ensuring seamless performance on both iOS and Android. Collaborate directly with tea...

RemoteRemote

1 month ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Real Estate & Construction

$125K - $150K *

Join a team that's pioneering solutions in High-Performance Computing, enhancing customer workflows, optimizing HPC software, and implementing best practices to achieve outstanding customer satisfacti...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$63K - $108K *

Champion innovation initiatives by collaborating with partners to enhance eye care delivery. Drive projects, evaluate technologies, and contribute to business model innovation while supporting team le...

United StatesRemote

Reposted yesterday

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$136K - $160K *

Champion innovative software solutions by designing and building scalable integrations for automotive partnerships, collaborating across teams to enhance customer experiences and drive technical excel...

United StatesRemote

4 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$130K - $170K *

Lead the evolution of our design system by building accessible, reusable components and collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance user experiences and streamline adoption across products...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$110K - $130K *

Unlock potential by leading the design of innovative applications that empower network teams. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to create user-centric solutions, transforming complex data into i...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $145K *

Explore the potential of AI in full-stack development while designing and delivering enterprise applications. Collaborate across teams and mentor engineers, ensuring your expertise shapes cutting-edge...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$124K - $241K *

Join a visionary team to architect cloud networking solutions, drive innovation in DPU and NIC technologies, and collaborate with global experts to redefine data center architecture from hardware to a...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 2 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$146K - $192K *

Drive project success by providing engineering support and technical evaluations for electric power generation projects. Collaborate with clients on design reviews, economic analysis, and risk assessm...

CanadaRemote

1 week ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$135K - $160K *

Lead innovative software solutions as a Technical Lead in a dynamic environment. Drive strategic technical vision, mentor developers, and deliver complex applications while addressing critical busines...

Birmingham, ALRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$184K - $356K *

Develop metrics and evaluation methodologies to enhance Autonomous Vehicle software. Collaborate across teams to innovate testing strategies and deliver data-driven insights, driving forward cutting-e...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$132K - $176K *

Transform your career by leading the design and implementation of innovative DevOps practices that accelerate software delivery and operational excellence in a high-accountability environment. Drive c...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 2 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Telecommunications & Hardware

$135K - $175K *

Unlock the potential of our NTN device ecosystem by driving strategic partnerships with OEMs, chipset vendors, and manufacturers. Collaborate cross-functionally to align product roadmaps and ensure su...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Telecommunications & Hardware

$135K - $160K *

Transform observability in AI with strategic vision, driving technical progress across systems and agent telemetry, while enhancing developer experiences and guiding product direction at the intersect...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$235K - $275K *

Advance your career by driving perception innovation in autonomous systems. Lead a team focusing on scene detection, environmental robustness, and scalable architectures. Collaborate on cutting-edge t...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Transportation

$250K - $349K *

Unlock potential by leading technical direction for Core DevOps, improving CI/CD systems while driving productivity, quality, and AI innovations in a fast-paced environment impacting millions of users...

RemoteRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$116K - $145K *

Unlock potential by leading strategic growth in the Academic Life Sciences sector. Collaborate to drive market-focused initiatives, enhance customer engagement, and develop compelling content that pro...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$150K - $195K *

Elevate the management of CMO activities, ensuring compliance and timely delivery through collaboration with internal and external partners. Drive performance oversight and operational control while m...

Durham, NCRemote

Yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$120K - $140K *

Drive impactful design solutions for developer tools, collaborating closely with engineers and PMs. Own workflows from discovery to delivery, enhancing user experiences and contributing to a robust de...

RemoteRemote

Today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$130K - $155K *

Join a dynamic team as the primary technical interface for launch vehicle integration. Oversee spacecraft processing and ensure mission success through effective collaboration with providers and inter...

Titusville, FLRemote

2 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Transportation

$110K - $130K *

Build and optimize scalable computer vision systems, integrating classical techniques with modern AI, to deliver impactful solutions efficiently in a collaborative, fast-paced environment...

United StatesRemote

1 month ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$95K - $135K *

Drive technical excellence and team growth by leading software development initiatives, managing resources, and ensuring project alignment with business goals while maintaining security and operationa...

Emeryville, CARemote

Today

  •   8 - 10 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.