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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$126K - $188K *

Shape the future of security operations by leading SOC Engineering to enhance telemetry, detection, and automation capabilities. Drive technical excellence, scalability, and strategic initiatives whil...

Missouri, USRemote

Reposted 4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$130K - $180K *

Empower customer engagement by leading the design and deployment of innovative contact center solutions. Collaborate with stakeholders to create scalable, AI-driven workflows that enhance operational...

North Carolina, USRemote

2 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Telecommunications & Hardware

$120K - $160K *

Elevate your career by designing and implementing software-based automated test systems. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance RF testing solutions, utilizing cutting-edge technologies an...

Alabama, USRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Telecommunications & Hardware

$100K - $120K *

Elevate your career by developing and supporting NCR Atleos financial software solutions for ATMs. Collaborate with teams to deliver complex solutions, ensuring quality and performance while providing...

Ontario, CARemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$224K - $431K *

Transform the landscape of CUDA Math Libraries by leading a dynamic engineering team focused on platform expansion and performance, ensuring high-quality support across specialized computing environme...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$183K - $289K *

Lead design for an innovative AI-native Strategic Portfolio Management suite. Collaborate with product and engineering leaders to establish design vision and manage a growing team of designers while a...

Mountain View, CARemote

Reposted 6 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$90K - $110K *

Optimize analytics workflows in Clinical Operations to enhance productivity and performance insights. Collaborate on data integration, reporting, and automation, ensuring actionable insights drive str...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$137K - $160K *

Engineer secure and resilient multi-cloud environments while collaborating with product teams. Adapt designs to support rapid change in a late-stage startup, ensuring safety and performance in AI-driv...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$182K - $251K *

Champion the creation of advanced statistical engines and experimentation systems, driving data-informed decision making at scale. Collaborate across teams to enhance product impact and performance, w...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$88K - $180K *

Accelerate progress at the forefront of AI-native software development. Drive engineering excellence by orchestrating autonomous agents and maintaining high-quality standards in a FedRAMP-authorized e...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$135K - $160K *

Shape the future of autonomous driving by leading trajectory generation and controls. Collaborate across teams to deliver safe, optimized solutions while enhancing vehicle performance through innovati...

RemoteRemote

2 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Transportation

$178K - $200K *

Join us to shape the future of observability in infrastructure. Lead technical direction, mentor engineers, and enhance our metrics and logging platforms while driving automation and AI integration ac...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$79K - $109K *

Unlock your potential by providing technical support and guidance for products aimed at combating online child exploitation. Collaborate across teams to enhance workflows and tooling, leveraging emerg...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

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

$110K - $130K *

Unlock potential by leading a diverse portfolio of projects, ensuring client satisfaction and operational excellence. Drive efficiency, manage resources, and serve as the primary liaison between clien...

North Carolina, USRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$125K - $150K *

Drive your career with a leadership role overseeing brand advertising strategy, budget, and execution across multiple channels. Lead a team and collaborate with agencies to enhance brand visibility an...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$137K - $182K *

Architect and drive AI-powered applications for drug development, focusing on protocol generation and clinical trials. Lead technical direction, mentor engineers, and ensure compliance while fostering...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$200K - $220K *

Empower the future of financial operations by mastering money movement, ensuring seamless transactions and transparency. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive product success and enhance cl...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$150K - $180K *

Drive success by leading a technical sales engineering team to enhance client partnerships, develop solutions, and deliver tailored strategies in the evolving media and technology landscape. Collabora...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$92K - $148K *

Unlock potential by leading clinical trials in oncology, ensuring compliance and quality data management. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive project success from start-up to closeout, wh...

Titusville, NJRemote

3 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$196K - $245K *

Transform solutions engineering for public sectors by leading a high-performing team, driving technical wins, and integrating customer insights. Own growth through strategic hiring and operational exc...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$185K - $225K *

Launch innovative full-stack solutions, owning features from backend to UI. Collaborate with a remote team to enhance agent workflows and ensure secure, reliable experiences in a regulated financial e...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Staffing

$120K - $145K *

Unlock potential by taking ownership of complex software challenges. Drive real-time traffic optimization through innovative AI solutions, collaborating across teams to deliver scalable and reliable s...

CanadaRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$110K - $130K *

Join us to elevate brand experiences through innovative design. Collaborate with cross-functional teams, drive projects from concept to delivery, and leverage AI tools to enhance creativity in a dynam...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Unlock the potential of AI-driven systems by designing, orchestrating, and deploying innovative workflows across diverse business operations. Collaborate with teams to automate and enhance processes...

Ontario, CARemote

Reposted yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Telecommunications & Hardware

$135K - $160K *

Oversee quality engineering initiatives by enhancing validation practices, establishing scalable strategies, and improving release evidence in collaboration with cross-functional teams to ensure robus...

San Francisco, CARemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

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.