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Opt Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Exa

Design Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$150K - $280K/yr

About the role We're looking for a Design Engineer with exceptional visual taste and strong ... Visas: We're happy to sponsor international candidates (e.g., STEM OPT, OPT, H1B, O1, E3). While we ...

Astranis

CAD Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$105K - $130K/yr

Check and review engineering drawings * Develop, ideate, and document considerate practices that ... SMS Terms of Service 1. When you opt in to receive SMS messages from Astranis Space Technologies ...

Astranis

Electronics Test Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$105K - $165K/yr

Electronics Test Engineer As an Electronics Test Engineer at Astranis, you will be responsible for ... SMS Terms of Service 1. When you opt in to receive SMS messages from Astranis Space Technologies ...

EROS Technologies, Inc.

SCCM Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Any ( Don't send OPT) We are not looking Packaging experience candidates SCCM Engineering Experience ( Task Sequence Maintenance and Image Creation , Driver Support) Also check his experience OSD Key ...

Astranis

Flight Software Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$130K - $175K/yr

Flight Software Engineer As our Flight Software Engineer, you will support the the development ... SMS Terms of Service 1. When you opt in to receive SMS messages from Astranis Space Technologies ...

Aperia Technologies

Solutions Engineer, Remote

Arcata, CA · On-site

$120K - $140K/yr

We are unable to sponsor H-1B, F-1 OPT, and STEM OPT extension at this time. Your Role We are seeking a motivated and technically proficient Solutions Engineer to serve as a trusted advisor to ...

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Showing results 21-40

All JobsOpt Engineer JobsOpt Engineer Jobs in California

Opt Engineer information

See California salary details

$36.5K

$86.1K

$134.7K

How much do opt engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 7, 2026, the average yearly pay for opt engineer in California is $86,077.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $75,500.00 and $96,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an opt engineer do?

An Opt Engineer, or Optical Engineer, designs, develops, and optimizes optical systems and components used in various applications, such as telecommunications, medical devices, and imaging systems. They apply principles of optics, physics, and engineering to create high-performance optical solutions. Their responsibilities may include lens design, laser system development, fiber optics, and optical testing. Additionally, they collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to ensure integration with electronic and mechanical components.

What types of projects and teams do opt engineers typically work on?

Opt Engineers often collaborate on multidisciplinary teams to design, prototype, and test optical components or systems such as lenses, lasers, or imaging devices. Your daily responsibilities may involve hands-on laboratory work, simulations using specialized software, and presenting technical findings to colleagues and stakeholders. You’ll likely work with mechanical, electrical, and software engineers, and may interact with manufacturing or quality assurance teams throughout a project's lifecycle. This environment encourages ongoing learning and cross-functional problem-solving, offering opportunities to contribute to cutting-edge advancements in fields like telecommunications, healthcare, and aerospace. As you gain experience, you can move into lead engineering roles, project management, or specialized technical positions.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an opt engineer, and why are they important?

To excel as an Opt Engineer, you need strong analytical skills, a thorough understanding of optics and photonics, and a relevant degree in physics, optical engineering, or a related field. Proficiency with optical design software (such as Zemax or Code V), laboratory equipment, and familiarity with industry standards or certifications like SPIE or OSA membership can be advantageous. Excellent problem-solving abilities, teamwork, and strong communication skills set candidates apart in this collaborative and detail-oriented field. These skills are crucial for developing precise optical systems, troubleshooting complex issues, and ensuring successful project outcomes in diverse technical environments.

What is an optical engineer?

An optical engineer designs, develops, and tests systems and devices that use light, such as lenses, lasers, and imaging systems. They often work with optical materials, precision instruments, and may use tools like CAD software and optical testing equipment to ensure performance and accuracy.

What are the most commonly searched types of Opt Engineer jobs in California?

The most popular types of Opt Engineer jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Opt Engineer jobs in California?

For Opt Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Opt Engineer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Opt Engineer jobs in California are:

Opt Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Opt Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 91% Full Time, 6% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $86,077 per year, or $41.4 per hour.

Design Engineer

Exa

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$150K - $280K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision

Re-posted 11 days ago

Job description

Exa is an applied AI lab building a search engine unlike the world has ever seen. We build massive-scale infrastructure to crawl the web, train state-of-the-art embedding models to understand it, and develop high-performance vector databases to retrieve information from it.
Today, Exa powers search for Cursor, Cognition, HubSpot, and more than 400,000 developers. We've raised $350 million from Lightspeed, Benchmark, and a16z.
Our goal is to build perfect search over all of the world's information, far beyond what traditional search engines can offer. The interfaces for working with this technology are still being invented, and you'll help define them.
About the role
We're looking for a Design Engineer with exceptional visual taste and strong front-end craft to design and build developer-facing experiences across Exa's product, playground, documentation, website, and brand.
You'll work directly with product and engineering, moving from early ideas and prototypes to polished, production-ready experiences. There is no traditional design-to-engineering handoff. You'll use both design and code to explore possibilities, refine interactions, and ship.
Designers at Exa have broad creative license, and the freedom to create and lead new initiatives based on their best judgement. This role will be a great fit for you if you enjoy moving quickly across different kinds of work without compromising on craft.
What you'll do
  • Work with product and engineering from early exploration through launch
  • Design and build polished experiences across Exa's product, playground, documentation, and website
  • Move fluidly between design and code to explore ideas, prototype interactions, and refine implementation
  • Design new ways for people and agents to discover, integrate, debug, and build with Exa
  • Identify high-impact product opportunities and turn them into clear, polished experiences
Example projects
  • Rethink Exa's API playground, from its structure and interactions through production implementation
  • Design onboarding and documentation that work naturally alongside coding agents
  • Create better ways for developers to inspect search results, understand API behavior, and debug integrations
About you
  • You have 4+ years designing and building software
  • You have a portfolio of polished, interactive products or prototypes
  • You have strong visual and interaction design skills for complex technical products
  • You're fluent in Figma, React, TypeScript or JavaScript, HTML/CSS, and think in reusable components
  • You use coding agents to explore, prototype, and ship ideas
  • You independently identify opportunities, communicate clearly, and work well through ambiguity
Logistics
  • Location: This is an in-person opportunity in San Francisco.
  • Visas: We're happy to sponsor international candidates (e.g., STEM OPT, OPT, H1B, O1, E3). While we cannot guarantee your visa, we have historically been successful in sponsoring candidates from all over the world. If you receive an offer, our team will work hard to get you a visa.
  • Benefits: We offer premium healthcare benefits (medical, dental, vision), fertility benefits, 16 weeks of fully paid parental leave for all new parents, and a monthly wellness stipend to all of our employees.

Exa is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related conditions, criminal histories consistent with applicable law, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

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