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Optical Engineer Jobs in Rochester, NY (NOW HIRING)

Corning

Optical Coating Engineer

Fairport, NY · On-site

As a member of the Advanced Optics Division Engineering Optical Thin Film Coating group, you will define and develop optical thin film coatings and manufacturing processes that build on Corning ...

Corning

Optical Coating Engineer

Fairport, NY

As a member of the Advanced Optics Division Engineering Optical Thin Film Coating group, you will define and develop optical thin film coatings and manufacturing processes that build on Corning ...

IDEX

Lead Engineer- Optical Coating Design

West Henrietta, NY · On-site +1

$98K - $129K/yr

Lead Engineer - Optical Coating Design REPORTING TO: Director, Filter Design and Coating Technology LOCATION: Center of Excellence, West Henrietta, NY (Onsite/hybrid remote possible) ITAR/EAR ...

Corning

Optical System Quality Engineer

Fairport, NY · On-site

We are seeking a Optical System Quality Engineer to partner closely with Systems Engineering and cross‑functional teams to convert product and system requirements into manufacturing-ready quality ...

Corning

Optical System Quality Engineer

Fairport, NY · On-site

We are seeking a Optical System Quality Engineer to partner closely with Systems Engineering and cross-functional teams to convert product and system requirements into manufacturing-ready quality ...

Corning

Development Manager, Optical Metrology

Fairport, NY · On-site

$147K - $202K/yr

Lead a multidisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, and technicians focused on optical metrology development * Translate business and product roadmaps into clear plans, priorities, and execution ...

Corning

Development Manager, Optical Metrology

Fairport, NY · On-site

$147K - $202K/yr

Lead a multidisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, and technicians focused on optical metrology development * Translate business and product roadmaps into clear plans, priorities, and execution ...

Corning

Development Manager, Optical Metrology

Fairport, NY · On-site

$147K - $202K/yr

Lead a multidisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, and technicians focused on optical metrology development * Translate business and product roadmaps into clear plans, priorities, and execution ...

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All JobsOptical Engineer JobsOptical Engineer Jobs in Rochester, NY

Optical Engineer information

See Rochester, NY salary details

$82K

$141.9K

$166.5K

How much do optical engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 23, 2026, the average yearly pay for optical engineer in Rochester, NY is $141,914.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $127,500.00 and $165,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Optical Engineer vs Optical Technician?

AspectOptical EngineerOptical Technician
Required CredentialsBachelor's or higher in optical engineering, physics, or related fieldAssociate's degree or technical certification in optics or related field
Work EnvironmentDesign, development, and testing of optical systems in labs or R&D settingsAssembly, alignment, and maintenance of optical equipment in manufacturing or labs
Employer & Industry UsageResearch institutions, tech companies, aerospace, defenseManufacturers, optical labs, production facilities

Optical Engineers focus on designing and developing optical systems, requiring higher education and involved in R&D. Optical Technicians handle the assembly, alignment, and maintenance of optical devices, often with technical certifications. Both roles are essential in the optics industry but differ in responsibilities and qualifications.

What Does an Optical Engineer Do?

An optical engineer oversees the scientific application of optics and light in an industrial, research, or manufacturing setting. As an optical engineering professional, your responsibilities include the design of instruments and products that rely on optics, from space telescopes to DVD players. You also may work in research and development to create new technologies and applications for optical science. Your specific duties and the level of education you need varies depending on the field in which you work

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

To thrive as an Optical Engineer, you need a solid background in physics, optics, and mathematics, typically supported by a degree in optical engineering or a related field. Familiarity with optical design software (such as Zemax or Code V), CAD tools, and laboratory equipment is commonly required, along with relevant certifications like SPIE or OSA membership. Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and effective teamwork are crucial soft skills for success in this field. These skills and qualifications are vital for designing precise optical systems, solving complex technical challenges, and collaborating on innovative projects.

What are some typical challenges Optical Engineers face when working on new product development?

Optical Engineers involved in new product development often encounter challenges such as balancing optical performance with manufacturability and cost constraints. They must collaborate closely with mechanical and electrical engineers to ensure system integration meets all technical requirements. Additionally, they need to troubleshoot issues that arise during prototyping, such as unexpected aberrations or alignment difficulties, and iterate designs rapidly to meet project timelines. Effective communication and creative problem-solving are essential in overcoming these hurdles.

What does an optical engineer do?

An optical engineer designs and develops devices and systems that use the properties of light, such as lenses, lasers, microscopes, and fiber optics. They use principles of physics and engineering to solve problems related to the generation, transmission, and detection of light. Optical engineers work in a variety of industries, including telecommunications, aerospace, healthcare, and manufacturing. Their work often involves research, testing, and improving optical components and systems to enhance performance and efficiency.
More about Optical Engineer jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Optical Engineer jobs in Rochester, NY? The most popular types of Optical Engineer jobs in Rochester, NY are:
What are popular job titles related to Optical Engineer jobs in Rochester, NY? For Optical Engineer jobs in Rochester, NY, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Optical Engineer jobs in Rochester, NY look for? The top searched job categories for Optical Engineer jobs in Rochester, NY are:
What cities near Rochester, NY are hiring for Optical Engineer jobs? Cities near Rochester, NY with the most Optical Engineer job openings:
Optical Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Optical Engineer job openings in Rochester, NY as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 92% Full Time, 4% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $141,914 per year, or $68.2 per hour.
Optical Coating Engineer

Optical Coating Engineer

Corning

Fairport, NY • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 10 days ago

Corning rating

8.2

Company rating: 8.2 out of 10

Based on 128 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

85th of 535 rated manufacturers

Job description

Requisition Number: 74909
The company built on breakthroughs.
Join us.
Corning is one of the world's leading innovators in glass, ceramic, and materials science. From the depths of the ocean to the farthest reaches of space, our technologies push the boundaries of what's possible.
How do we do this? With our people. They break through limitations and expectations - not once in a career, but every day. They help move our company, and the world, forward.
At Corning, there are endless possibilities for making an impact. You can help connect the unconnected, drive the future of automobiles, transform at-home entertainment, and ensure the delivery of lifesaving medicines. And so much more.
Come break through with us.
Corning's businesses are ever-evolving to best serve our customers, industries, and consumers. Today, we accelerate and transform life sciences, mobile consumer electronics, optical communications, display, automotive, and solar markets. We are changing the world with:
  • Trusted products that accelerate drug discovery, development, and delivery to save lives
  • Damage-resistant cover glass to enhance the devices that keep us connected
  • Optical fiber, wireless technologies, and connectivity solutions to carry information and ideas at the speed of light
  • Precision glass for advanced displays to deliver richer experiences
  • Auto glass and ceramics to drive cleaner, safer, and smarter transportation
  • Solar polysilicon, wafers, and innovative photovoltaic modules, enabling low-cost solar energy solutions

Scope of Position:
As a member of the Advanced Optics Division Engineering Optical Thin Film Coating group, you will define and develop optical thin film coatings and manufacturing processes that build on Corning's existing knowledge base to move products into coating production.
This is a hands-on engineering / manufacturing role working in collaboration with the Division Engineering Optical Design, Mechanical Design, and System Test teams, as well as the Development Engineering, Plant Engineering, and Program Management teams.
Major Responsibilities:
  • Design robust, cost-effective coating production processes using existing methods that meet customer specifications. Specify cleaning, material handling, storage procedures, and metrology methods to characterize coating performance within the coating process flow. Manage coating designs and process recipe portfolio.
  • Transfer knowledge of new coating designs, processes, and product characteristics into manufacturing. Provide training as needed, create coating recipes, work instructions, process sheets, and define measurement requirements for new products.
  • Interface with Development and Optical Design teams to understand new coating fundamentals and processing requirements. Comprehension of coating properties impact to system-level performance specifications; analyze technical trade-offs and risks.
  • Utilize in-house developed software to model system-level coating performance; transmission uniformity, polarization and retardance characteristics, coating thickness variation, and perform tolerancing studies and Monte Carlo simulations.
  • Engage with Mechanical Design team to design and fabricate prototype and production optical element tooling, customized coating chamber hardware, and metrology tools.
  • Provide engineering support to Division Engineering Technicians; define test activities, process set-up, hardware evaluation, measurements, and analysis of results.
  • Assist Program Management to estimate costs, labor hours, and manage overall coating aspects of projects. Provide input for process and product transfer tollgates. Participate in weekly project meetings; customer and design review meetings; experienced working directly with customers.
  • Support System Test team with customized coatings for test benches and other metrology applications.
  • Utilize Design for Manufacturing principles to determine optimal manufacturing strategies and Manufacturing Engineering Excellence (MEE) practices to solve technical problems and formulate mechanistic understanding of coating processes.
  • Lead projects and activities furthering coating technology and metrology capabilities, and document intellectual property via internal reports, invention disclosures, and patent applications.

Required Education and Experience:
  • B.S. degree (M.S. preferred) in Optical Science / Eng, Physics, Materials Science, Chemical Eng, Ceramic Eng, Mechanical Eng.
  • 5+ years of optical coating design and manufacturing, ideally in the UV and visible wavelength ranges.

Desired Skills and Experience:
  • Coating and optical design / modeling software experience - FilmStar, OptiLayer, WVASE, UniformityPro, Code V.
  • Thin film characterization - spectrophotometer, ellipsometer, SEM, TEM, FTIR, SIMS, MIL spec testing.
  • Electron beam, thermal evaporation, and ion-assisted deposition. High-vacuum practice; vacuum chamber operation, system control, and support equipment.
  • Experience with optical substrate materials; optics handling, cleaning, and inspecting.
  • Contamination control and cleanroom operations.
  • Experienced specifying capital equipment configuration and acceptance testing.
  • Programming (MATLAB, Python, MS Excel).
  • Excellent mechanical ability. Experienced with mechanical design and fabrication techniques. Ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings and specifications.
  • Strong written and oral communication skills.
  • Critical thinking to solve problems quickly and efficiently. Determine root cause by leveraging Statistical and Hypothesis Tree problem solving methodologies.
  • Ability to interact within a team of multi-disciplinary engineers and at all levels of the organization (Production Technicians to Senior Leadership).

Travel Requirements:
  • Less than 10%. Typical travel includes training, networking opportunities, customer visits, technical conferences, and benchmarking activities as required.

Hours of work:
  • Typical first shift production hours, M - F, 8AM - 5PM. Extra and off-hours may be required during times of heightened project activity to meet deliverables.

This position does not support immigration sponsorship.
The range for this position is $112,902.00 - $155,240.00 assuming full time status. Starting pay for the successful applicant is dependent on a variety of job-related factors, including but not limited to geographic location, market demands, experience, training, and education.
A job that shapes a life.
Corning offers you the total package.
Your well-being is our priority. Our compensation and benefits package supports your health and wellness, financial aspirations, and career from day one.
  • Company-wide bonuses and long-term incentives align with key business results and ensure you are rewarded when the company performs well. When Corning wins, we all win.
  • As part of our commitment to your financial well-being, we provide a 100% company-paid pension benefit with fixed contributions that grow throughout your career. Combined with matching contributions to your 401(k) savings plan, Corning's total contributions to your retirement accounts can reach between 7% and 12% of your pay, depending on your age and years of service.
  • Our health and well-being benefits include medical, dental, vision, paid parental leave, family building support, fitness, company-paid life insurance, disability, disease management programs, paid time off, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to support you and your family.
  • Getting paid for our work is important, but feeling appreciated and recognized for those contributions motivates us much more. That's why Corning offers a recognition program to celebrate successes and reward colleagues who make exceptional contributions.

We prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected status.
Corning is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and considers requests for reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable laws. Individuals with disabilities or sincerely held religious beliefs may request reasonable accommodations to participate in the application or interview process, perform essential job functions, or access other benefits and privileges of employment. To submit a request for reasonable accommodation related to disability or religion, please contact us at accommodations@corning.com.

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