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Optical Engineer Intern Jobs in Raleigh, NC (NOW HIRING)

Optical Engineer Intern information

See Raleigh, NC salary details

$13

$24

$37

How much do optical engineer intern jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 13, 2026, the average hourly pay for optical engineer intern in Raleigh, NC is $24.71, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $20.10 and $28.03 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Optical Engineer Intern position, and why are they important?

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 kinds of projects or tasks do Optical Engineer Interns typically work on during their internship?

Optical Engineer Interns often contribute to a variety of projects, such as assisting in the design and optimization of optical systems, supporting laboratory experiments, analyzing test data, and building prototypes for product development. Interns may work closely with senior engineers to develop optical models or perform simulations, and may also be involved in troubleshooting system issues or improving manufacturing processes. The work is typically hands-on and collaborative, offering frequent opportunities to learn from experienced professionals and to gain real-world experience in the field. This exposure provides interns with valuable technical skills and insight into the daily responsibilities of an optical engineer.

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 most commonly searched types of Optical Engineer jobs in Raleigh, NC? The most popular types of Optical Engineer jobs in Raleigh, NC are:
What cities near Raleigh, NC are hiring for Optical Engineer Intern jobs? Cities near Raleigh, NC with the most Optical Engineer Intern job openings:
Infographic showing various Optical Engineer Intern job openings in Raleigh, NC as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Internship. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $51,391 per year, or $24.7 per hour.

Supervisory General Engineer

SD Department of Veterans Affairs

Raleigh, NC • On-site

$125K/yr

Other

Posted 13 days ago


Job description

Serves as a Senior Engineer Team Lead responsible for the management of major lease construction of VA facilities within the Office of Construction & Facilities Management (CFM), Office of Real Property. Design and construction projects are major renovations, modernization, or new construction for highly specialized medical facilities, nursing homes, energy centers, cemeteries, and administrative facilities designed and constructed to support the Department in the accomplishment of its mission
Qualifications:To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/08/2026.
You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:
Individual Occupational Requirements: All Professional Engineering Positions have Individual Occupational Requirements. Applicants must meet the basic requirements listed below.
  • 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
  • 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:
    • Professional registration or licensure -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT), 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.
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • 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 bachelor's 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 the Individual Occupational Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the specialized experience as described below:
  • Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-13 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Developing strategies and plans for providing continuous, high quality, professional, efficient and effective engineering expertise needed to support the construction of major lease projects; Providing oversight, direct supervision and authority that is closer to mission execution where resolution to operational issues can be expedited in a timelier fashion and managing resources and workload ensuring proper staffing levels for all projects; Taking ownership of supporting issues, judging situations rationally and objectively, considering risks associated with decisions, and proposing viable alternatives in deciding on a course of action to solve day-to-day coverage and/or technical problems.
For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be found well qualified, applicants must meet the following qualifications: . Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.Education:There is no educational substitution for experience for the GS-14 levels. However, you must meet the Individual Occupational Requirements for the Engineering (800) series: (Transcripts Required)
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.
If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.Employment Type: OTHER