1

Optical Engineer Intern Jobs in Colorado (NOW HIRING)

CIVIL ENGINEER

Denver, CO · On-site +1

$99K - $129K/yr

... optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics. OR B. Combination of education and ... Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT) 1, or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any ...

Showing results 21-40

Optical Engineer Intern information

What does an optical engineer intern do?

An Optical Engineer Intern assists in designing, testing, and optimizing optical systems, such as lenses, lasers, and imaging devices. They work under experienced engineers to conduct experiments, analyze data, and develop prototypes. Their responsibilities may also include running simulations, troubleshooting optical components, and documenting findings. This role provides hands-on experience in optics and photonics, crucial for careers in research, manufacturing, and product development.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an optical engineer intern?

To thrive as an Optical Engineer Intern, you need a solid background in physics, optics, and mathematics, generally demonstrated through coursework or laboratory experience in optical engineering or related fields. Familiarity with optical design software (such as Zemax or Code V), CAD programs, and laboratory instrumentation is often required. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, effective communication, and the ability to work collaboratively make candidates stand out. These skills enable interns to contribute meaningfully to technical projects, accurately perform experiments, and smoothly integrate with multidisciplinary engineering teams.

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

The most popular types of Optical Engineer jobs in Colorado are:

What cities in Colorado are hiring for Optical Engineer Intern jobs?

Cities in Colorado with the most Optical Engineer Intern job openings:

Infographic showing various Optical Engineer Intern job openings in Colorado as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 34% Internship, and 66% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution.

CIVIL ENGINEER

Denver, CO • On-site

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Public Administration • 10K+ employees

$99K/yr

Full-time

Posted 11 days ago


United States Department Of Agriculture rating

7.8

Company rating: 7.8 out of 10

Based on 25 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

This position is located in a Colorado State or Area Office, USDA, Rural Development (RD). The incumbent performs a variety of assignments requiring professional experience and technical competence in civil engineering activities, procedures, principles, techniques and evaluations utilized in the performance of supervised rural credit and development programs.
This position is filled through the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Direct-Hire Authority for this occupation.Qualifications:Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.
Basic Requirement:
A.
Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics. OR
B. Combination of education and experience - college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following:
(1) Professional registration or licensure - Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT) 1, or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions.
(2) Written Test - Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
(3) Specified academic courses - Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A.
(4) Related curriculum - Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions. (The above examples of related curricula are not all inclusive.)
In addition to meeting the Basic Requirement outlined above, you must also meet the following specialized experience requirements outlined below.
For the GS-12:
1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience may be earned as a general, civil, agricultural, environmental, or mechanical engineer. Examples of specialized experience include but is not limited to: preparing and reviewing preliminary engineering reports with analysis of design options and detailed costs estimate for water and sewer projects; reviewing detailed project plans, and specifications; participation in construction bidding process, analysis of bid proposals, and reviews of construction contracts documents; field knowledge of construction methods, sequence of construction, construction inspection and problem resolution; and knowledge and analysis of water distribution systems.
Examples of specialized experience are: Monitoring day-to-day performance of a civil engineering contract by reviewing drawings for accuracy and adequacy, evaluating requests for routine design deviations, and/or conducting site surveys; Preparing civil engineering design plans and criteria for smaller or less complex projects, including water and sewer projects; portions of structures such as bridges, retaining walls, or structural pavement sections; Planning and conducting engineering projects according to clear and specified objectives such as developing technical data on materials, sizes, dimensions, quantities and costs of materials to be incorporated in formal specifications; field knowledge of construction methods, sequence of construction, construction inspection and problem resolution; knowledge and analysis of water distribution systems.
NOTE: To be considered for this position, you must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the GS-0810 series set forth in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards by the closing date of the announcement. A copy is available at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.Education:A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.Employment Type: OTHER

What United States Department Of Agriculture employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom