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Director Optical Engineer Jobs in Portland, OR (NOW HIRING)

nLIGHT

Senior Optical Engineer

Camas, WA · On-site

$103K - $135K/yr

Summary The Directed Energy Laser Development group has an opening for a Senior Optical Engineer to support the development of high-power fiber amplifiers. This position will develop next-generation ...

nLIGHT

Senior Optical Engineer

Camas, WA

Summary The Directed Energy Laser Development group has an opening for a Senior Optical Engineer to support the development of high-power fiber amplifiers. This position will develop next-generation ...

nLIGHT

Senior Optical Engineer

Camas, WA · On-site

$103K - $135K/yr

Summary The Directed Energy Laser Development group has an opening for a Senior Optical Engineer to support the development of high-power fiber amplifiers. This position will develop next-generation ...

nLIGHT

Senior Optical Engineer

Camas, WA

$103K - $135K/yr

Summary The Directed Energy Laser Development group has an opening for a Senior Optical Engineer to support the development of high-power fiber amplifiers. This position will develop next-generation ...

nLIGHT

Product Systems Engineer

Camas, WA

Direct optical, laser, mechanical, and/or electrical design experience preferred * Program/Project ... Product Engineer II: $90,000 - $115,000 annually Other Compensation and Benefits: * Target Cash ...

nLIGHT

Product Systems Engineer

Camas, WA

$90K - $115K/yr

Direct optical, laser, mechanical, and/or electrical design experience preferred * Program/Project ... Product Engineer II: $90,000 - $115,000annually Other Compensation and Benefits: * Target Cash ...

nLIGHT

Product Systems Engineer

Camas, WA · On-site

$90K - $115K/yr

Direct optical, laser, mechanical, and/or electrical design experience preferred * Program/Project ... Product Engineer II: $90,000 - $115,000 annually Other Compensation and Benefits: * Target Cash ...

nLIGHT

Product Systems Engineer

Camas, WA · On-site

$90K - $115K/yr

Direct optical, laser, mechanical, and/or electrical design experience preferred * Program/Project ... Product Engineer II: $90,000 - $115,000 annually Other Compensation and Benefits: * Target Cash ...

Teledyne

Sr EO/IR Systems Engineer

Wilsonville, OR

$108K - $148K/yr

Experience: 7+ years of direct experience in EO/SWIR/IR optical design, optical imaging system ... Systems Engineering: Systems engineering experience developing large, complex EO/IR/LRF ...

Teledyne FLIR LLC

Sr EO/IR Systems Engineer

Wilsonville, OR · On-site

$108K - $148K/yr

Experience: 7+ years of direct experience in EO/SWIR/IR optical design, optical imaging system ... Systems Engineering: Systems engineering experience developing large, complex EO/IR/LRF ...

Coherent

Engineering Manager

Wilsonville, OR · On-site

... Director and other Engineering Managers in a multi-project development environment. In this role ... Manage and develop a team of engineers across optical/laser, mechanical, electrical, and test ...

Coherent Corp.

Engineering Manager

Wilsonville, OR · On-site

... Director and other Engineering Managers in a multi-project development environment. In this role ... Manage and develop a team of engineers across optical/laser, mechanical, electrical, and test ...

EOS

Fiber Optical Supervisor

Hillsboro, OR

The Site Supervisor - Optical Fiber Service Delivery is responsible for the overall leadership ... Working closely with Project Management, Engineering, Logistics and the Service Director, the Site ...

Vailexa

Telecommunications Engineer

Portland, OR · On-site

The environment includes legacy optical transport platforms, with direct SONET experience strongly preferred. This is an engineer-level engagement requiring independent analysis, documentation ...

Vailexa

Telecommunications Engineer

Portland, OR

The environment includes legacy optical transport platforms, with direct SONET experience strongly preferred. This is an engineer-level engagement requiring independent analysis, documentation ...

ZEISS

Field Diagnostics Engineer

Hillsboro, OR · On-site

$95K - $118K/yr

Provide advanced diagnostics support for all generations of ZEISS lithography optics at customer ... Act as the local point of contact for all diagnostics-related topics for our direct customer ASML ...

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Showing results 1-20

All JobsOptical Engineer JobsDirector Optical Engineer JobsDirector Optical Engineer Jobs in Portland, OR

Director Optical Engineer information

See Portland, OR salary details

$88K

$152.3K

$178.7K

How much do director optical engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 19, 2026, the average yearly pay for director optical engineer in Portland, OR is $152,300.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $136,800.00 and $177,100.00 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.

What are the most commonly searched types of Optical Engineer jobs in Portland, OR?

The most popular types of Optical Engineer jobs in Portland, OR are:

What are popular job titles related to Director Optical Engineer jobs in Portland, OR?

For Director Optical Engineer jobs in Portland, OR, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Director Optical Engineer jobs in Portland, OR look for?

The top searched job categories for Director Optical Engineer jobs in Portland, OR are:

Director Optical Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Director Optical Engineer job openings in Portland, OR as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% As Needed, 81% Full Time, 13% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 91% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $152,300 per year, or $73.2 per hour.

Senior Optical Engineer

nLIGHT

Camas, WA • On-site

$103K - $135K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted yesterday

Job description

Description
Who We Are
At nLIGHT, we are constantly on the cutting-edge of laser technology in a massively growing market. We are a leading provider of high-power semiconductors and fiber lasers for industrial, microfabrication, and aerospace & defense applications, to name a few. Our lasers are changing not only the way things are made, but also changing the things that can be made.
Headquartered in Camas, Washington, nLIGHT is a publicly listed company (NASDAQ: LASR).
Summary
The Directed Energy Laser Development group has an opening for a Senior Optical Engineer to support the development of high-power fiber amplifiers. This position will develop next-generation fiber laser products in a fast-growing, vertically integrated company. Take products from concept phase through prototypes to product release as a core member of an interdisciplinary team.
Functions:
  • Contribute to a cross-functional team pursuing the development of novel fiber laser designs.
  • Manage critical development and program tasks and take ownership of key technical areas.
  • Apply theoretical and experimental understanding of lasers, fiber optics and opto-mechanical design to the development of high-power fiber amplifiers for military/defense applications
  • Design and develop fiber laser systems and critical components, including seed lasers, amplifiers, and opto-mechanical sub-systems.
  • Test and characterization of complex, laser-based, opto-mechanical systems.

Qualifications:
  • MS degree required in an engineering discipline, Physics, or Material Science. PhD degree preferred.
  • Hands on experience with the development of fiber and/or solid-state lasers and amplifiers, optics, and/or opto-mechanical systems.
  • Solid analytical and problem-solving skills, including problem identification, data analysis, action planning, and execution.
  • Strong theoretical and experimental understanding of lasers and their associated optics.
  • Fiber laser system design and modeling, including practical considerations such as manufacturability, is desired.
  • Experience designing complex opto-mechanical systems for military or defense applications is a plus.
  • Ability to summarize and present results and conclusions clearly and effectively.
  • Ability to work as both a leader and contributor.

nLIGHT is proud to offer comprehensive COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
Starting pay and level depend on qualifications:
  • Optical Engineer II: $90,000 - $115,000
  • Senior Optical Engineer: $103,000 - $135,000

Other Compensation and Benefits
  • Target Cash Bonus of 5-6% of earned wages, depending on level
  • Eligible for Restricted Stock Unit grants
  • 4 weeks of Paid Time Off per year
  • 10 paid Holidays
  • Eligible for health benefits on the 1st day of the month after your start date
  • Medical, Dental and Vision Benefits, including prescription and orthodontia with employee-paid premiums as low as $40.00 per pay period
  • Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts
  • Employee Stock Purchase Plan
  • 401(k) with company match and immediate vesting
  • Company paid Short-Term and Long-Term Disability, and Life & AD&D Insurance
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Aflac Supplemental Insurance
  • Paid Bereavement Leave and Jury Duty
  • Tuition Assistance Program
  • Pet Insurance

nLIGHT is subject to US Export Control regulations. To qualify for this position, you must be a US Person (that is, a US citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual granted asylum or refugee status).
Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or age. For more information about our commitment to equal employment opportunity, please see this government poster: Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal. If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process, please contact Human Resources at (360) 566-4460 or [email protected].
E-Verify Participation:
nLIGHT participates in the E-Verify program. This employer will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with information from each new employee's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization.
For more information, please review the following notices:
  • E-Verify Participation Poster
  • Right to Work Poster

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