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Director Optical Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Doist

$120 - $140/hr

The position reports to the Director of Spectrometer e The Ideal Candidate The ideal candidate is a practical, hands‑on optical engineer with deep curiosity about light, optical components, and ...

Posted today

Doist

Optical Engineer

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$120 - $140/hr

The position reports to the Director of Spectrometer e The Ideal Candidate The ideal candidate is a practical, hands‑on optical engineer with deep curiosity about light, optical components, and ...

Posted today

Picarro, Inc

Optical Engineer

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$151K - $196K/yr

The position reports to the Director of Spectrometer e The Ideal Candidate The ideal candidate is a practical, hands-on optical engineer with deep curiosity about light, optical components, and ...

New

Picarro, Inc

Optical Engineer

Santa Clara, CA

$151K - $196K/yr

The position reports to the Director of Spectrometer e The Ideal Candidate The ideal candidate is a practical, hands-on optical engineer with deep curiosity about light, optical components, and ...

New

Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc.

Optical Engineer

Dahlgren, VA · On-site

$131K - $170K/yr

Navy's directed energy portfolio? As an optical engineer, you understand the power behind complex systems. That knowledge is key when it comes to the support and testing of electro-optic (EO ...

Booz Allen Hamilton

Optical Engineer

Dahlgren, VA · On-site

$131K - $170K/yr

S. Navy's directed energy portfolio? As an optical engineer, you understand the power behind complex systems.That knowledge is key when it comes to the support and testing of electro-optic(EO ...

Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc.

Optical Engineer

Dahlgren, VA · On-site

$131K - $170K/yr

Navy's directed energy portfolio? As an optical engineer, you understand the power behind complex systems. That knowledge is key when it comes to the support and testing of electro-optic (EO ...

Booz Allen Hamilton

Optical Engineer

Dahlgren, VA · On-site

$78 - $176/hr

Navy's directed energy portfolio? As an optical engineer, you understand the power behind complex systems. That knowledge is key when it comes to the support and testing of electro-optic (EO ...

Booz Allen Hamilton

Optical Engineer

Dahlgren, VA · On-site

$131K - $170K/yr

Navy's directed energy portfolio? As an optical engineer, you understand the power behind complex systems. That knowledge is key when it comes to the support and testing of electro-optic ( EO ...

Amat

Director, Optical Engineering

Santa Clara, CA

$210K - $289K/yr

Key Responsibilities The Optical Engineering Director - Imagine and Process Control Group (IPC) will own technically leadership and/or execution of engineering projects and spearhead research and ...

CACI International, Inc.

Optical Engineer

Danbury, CT · On-site

$86K - $181K/yr

Engineering Time Type: Full time Minimum Clearance Required to Start: None Employee Type: Regular ... Direct experience with designing optical systems using Code V, Zemax, or other software * Direct ...

CvilleBioHub

Optical Engineer

Charlottesville, VA · On-site

$120 - $170/hr

Perform ad-hoc engineering tasks as directed by the Chief Executive Officer and/or Engineering leadership Experience and Qualifications * Deep understanding of optical theory including photometry ...

Booz Allen Hamilton

Optical Engineer

Virginia, IL · On-site

$78 - $176/hr

Navy's directed energy portfolio? As an optical engineer, you understand the power behind complex systems. That knowledge is key when it comes to the support and testing of electro-optic (EO ...

New

Booz Allen Hamilton

$78 - $176/hr

Navy's directed energy portfolio? As an optical engineer, you understand the power behind complex systems. That knowledge is key when it comes to the support and testing of electro-optic (EO ...

New

DigiLens Inc.

Be Seen First

Optical Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$135K - $165K/yr

... as directed. * Write, maintain, and follow process documentation as needed. * Generate clear ... Bachelor's degree in optics, physics, or a related engineering discipline. * 3 to 5 years of ...

Booz Allen Hamilton

Optical Engineer

Dahlgren, VA · On-site

$78 - $176/hr

Navy's directed energy portfolio? As an optical engineer, you understand the power behind complex systems.That knowledge is key when it comes to the support and testing of electro-optic ( EO ...

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Director Optical Engineer information

See salary details

$83K

$143.6K

$168.5K

How much do director optical engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 21, 2026, the average yearly pay for director optical engineer in the United States is $143,611.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $129,000.00 and $167,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Director Optical Engineer vs Optical Engineer?

AspectDirector Optical EngineerOptical Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's/Master's/PhD in optics, physics, or engineering; extensive experienceBachelor's or Master's in optics, physics, or engineering
Work EnvironmentLeadership roles in R&D, product development, managing teamsDesign, testing, and development of optical systems
Industry UsageStrategic oversight, project management, cross-department coordinationHands-on technical work, prototype development, testing

The main difference is that a Director Optical Engineer focuses on strategic leadership, team management, and project oversight, while an Optical Engineer is primarily involved in technical design and development tasks. The director role requires more experience and leadership skills, whereas the optical engineer role emphasizes technical expertise and hands-on work.

More about Director Optical Engineer jobs

What cities are hiring for Director Optical Engineer jobs?

Cities with the most Director Optical Engineer job openings:

What are the most commonly searched types of Optical Engineer jobs?

The most popular types of Optical Engineer jobs are:

What states have the most Director Optical Engineer jobs?

States with the most job openings for Director Optical Engineer jobs include:

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The top searched job categories for Director Optical Engineer jobs are:

Director Optical Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Director Optical Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 12% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 91% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $143,611 per year, or $69 per hour.

Optical - Director Optical Engineering

Eliyan

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$150 - $200/hr

Other

Posted 16 days ago

Job description

Eliyan is building NuLink, a proprietary die-to-die chiplet interconnect fabric purpose-built for AI infrastructure at hyperscale. As we extend NuLink into optical domains, we are seeking a Director Optical Engineering (DOE) to lead optical engineering execution at Eliyan, owning the hands‑on integration of external optical components with Eliyan's silicon die. This is not a component design role — it is an optical integration and implementation role within a semiconductor packaging context. The DOE must be fluent in semiconductor fabrication and assembly processes in order to engage credibly with silicon and process engineering teams and to make sound integration decisions at the intersection of optics and semiconductor manufacturing.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Lead evaluation, characterization, and qualification of external optical components (VCSELs, PDs, lenses, fiber interfaces) for integration with Eliyan's silicon die.
  • Own optical implementation within the package — defining integration schemes, alignment tolerances, and coupling strategies in coordination with packaging and silicon teams.
  • Engage directly with process engineers and silicon designers on fabrication feasibility, stack‑up decisions, and yield‑impacting integration choices.
  • Define and execute system demonstrations, including lab bring‑up of optically co‑packaged silicon and customer‑facing demo builds.
  • Develop and maintain optical test infrastructure: on‑wafer and packaged‑device optical probing, E-to-O/O-to-E characterization, link budget validation, BER testing.
  • Coordinate closely with OPD on information flow, ensuring engineering execution aligns with product‑level requirements.
  • Report engineering milestones and integration status to the COA.
QUALIFICATIONS
  • 10+ years in optical engineering with direct experience in optical integration within semiconductor packaging environments.
  • Solid working knowledge of semiconductor fabrication and assembly processes — including FEOL/BEOL fundamentals, wafer‑level packaging, and die‑attach methods — sufficient to identify process‑driven constraints on optical integration.
  • Comfortable engaging directly with process engineers and silicon designers on fabrication feasibility, stack‑up decisions, and yield‑impacting integration choices.
  • Experience with process‑aware optical design: understanding how fab tolerances, surface topography, and material properties affect optical coupling and alignment.
  • Hands‑on experience with short‑reach optical components (VCSEL arrays, PD arrays, lens assemblies, fiber coupling) and their assembly constraints.
  • Strong lab skills: optical probing, frequency‑domain characterization, jitter/BER analysis, link budget validation.
  • Familiarity with co‑packaging assembly processes — alignment tolerances, solder reflow effects on optical coupling, underfill impact on optical paths.
  • Experience working with silicon analog/digital teams on joint bring‑up and debug.
  • MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Photonics, or related field preferred.
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