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Optical Laboratory Manager Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has turned bold ideas into world-changing impact ... Represent the organization as a primary technical contributor and advise management during reviews ...

Senior Optical Engineer

Livermore, CA ยท On-site

$151K - $195K/yr

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has turned bold ideas into world-changing impact ... Represent the organization as a primary technical contributor and advise management during reviews ...

Optical Engineer (Starshield)

Hawthorne, CA ยท On-site

$131K - $169K/yr

... management, customers, and vendors BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: * Bachelor's degree in optical engineering, physics, or other engineering/STEM discipline * 2+ years of hands-on laboratory or work experience ...

... management, customers, and vendors BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: * Bachelor's degree in optical engineering, physics, or other engineering/STEM discipline * 2+ years of hands-on laboratory or work experience ...

Optical Engineer (Starshield)

Hawthorne, CA ยท On-site

$130K - $169K/yr

... management, customers, and vendors BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: * Bachelor's degree in optical engineering, physics, or other engineering/STEM discipline * 2+ years of hands-on laboratory or work experience ...

Optical Engineer (Starshield)

Hawthorne, CA ยท On-site

$100 - $135/hr

... management, customers, and vendors BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: * Bachelor's degree in optical engineering, physics, or other engineering/STEM discipline * 2+ years of hands-on laboratory or work experience ...

Optical Systems Engineer

Los Angeles, CA ยท On-site

$110K - $280K/yr

... and * laboratory characterization, system-level validation, mission readiness, and on-orbit ... management, and productionization of assembly and test processes. * Experience with optical ...

Optical Engineer III

Pasadena, CA ยท On-site

$140K - $181K/yr

Experience managing contracts and hardware procurement involving industrial vendors. * Experience ... In extending an offer, Jet Propulsion Laboratory considers factors including, but not limited to ...

Sr. Optical Engineer (Starshield)

Hawthorne, CA ยท On-site

$130K - $169K/yr

... management, customers, and vendors BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: * Bachelor's degree in optical engineering, physics, or other engineering/STEM discipline * 5+ years of hands-on laboratory or work experience ...

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Optical Laboratory Manager information

See California salary details

$78K

$83.9K

$88.3K

How much do optical laboratory manager jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 12, 2026, the average yearly pay for optical laboratory manager in California is $83,886.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $81,400.00 and $86,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges faced by optical laboratory managers, and how can they be addressed?

Optical Laboratory Managers often face challenges such as maintaining high production quality while meeting tight deadlines, managing inventory of lenses and frames, and ensuring compliance with safety and industry standards. Effective communication with team members and cross-functional departments, such as customer service and sales, is essential to address these issues promptly. Implementing robust quality control procedures and ongoing staff training can help maintain accuracy and efficiency, while adopting inventory management systems can minimize shortages or overstock situations.

What does an optical laboratory manager do?

An Optical Laboratory Manager oversees the daily operations of an optical lab where eyeglasses, lenses, and other optical products are manufactured and assembled. They are responsible for supervising staff, ensuring quality control, maintaining equipment, and managing inventory. Additionally, they implement safety standards, handle scheduling, and coordinate with optometrists and optical dispensaries to fulfill orders accurately and efficiently. Their role is crucial in ensuring timely delivery of high-quality optical products to customers.

What is the difference between Optical Laboratory Manager vs Optical Lab Technician?

AspectOptical Laboratory ManagerOptical Lab Technician
CredentialsTypically requires a high school diploma or equivalent; some roles prefer certifications in optical technologyHigh school diploma or equivalent; technical training often preferred
Work EnvironmentSupervises lab operations, manages staff, oversees quality controlPerforms lens fabrication, assembly, and quality checks
Industry UsageUsed in optical labs, eyewear manufacturing, and retail optical stores

The Optical Laboratory Manager oversees the entire lab operations, staff, and quality control, requiring some managerial skills. In contrast, the Optical Lab Technician focuses on the hands-on fabrication and assembly of lenses. Both roles are essential in optical labs but differ mainly in responsibilities and scope.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an optical laboratory manager, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Optical Laboratory Manager, you typically need a solid understanding of optical science, laboratory operations, lens fabrication processes, and a relevant degree or certification in opticianry or optical technology. Familiarity with laboratory management software, lens edging and surfacing equipment, and quality control systems is crucial. Excellent leadership, problem-solving abilities, and strong communication skills help manage teams and ensure smooth workflow. These skills are vital for maintaining high-quality standards, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction in a competitive optical environment.

What does an optical laboratory manager do?

As an optical laboratory manager, your responsibilities include handling all optical laboratory duties for one or many practices. This includes inspecting lenses and invoices to ensure billing is accurate, coordinating scheduling with patients, and managing digital tracers, stock lenses, and lens turnaround time. You work closely with the lens vendor rep for staff training and marketing, and integrate lab management software. Other duties include crafting eyewear by edging lenses to the correct prescription, mounting lenses in frames, inspecting to ensure conformance to ANSI specifications, and working directly with patients to troubleshoot problems. You make recommendations to your manager on new operations and technologies that help increase efficiency and cost savings, assist with laboratory training, and organize expenses reports. You are also expected to handle equipment maintenance as needed.

What are popular job titles related to Optical Laboratory Manager jobs in California? For Optical Laboratory Manager jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Optical Laboratory Manager jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Optical Laboratory Manager jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Optical Laboratory Manager jobs? Cities in California with the most Optical Laboratory Manager job openings:
What are popular job titles related to Optical Laboratory Manager jobs in CA? For Optical Laboratory Manager jobs in CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Infographic showing various Optical Laboratory Manager job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 13% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 93% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $83,886 per year, or $40.3 per hour.

Senior Manager, Optical Laboratory

Staffingine LLC

Richmond, CA โ€ข On-site

Full-time

Medical, Vision

Re-posted 18 days ago


Job description

Job Title: Senior Manager, Optical Laboratory 
Job Location: Richmond, CA 
Job Type: Full Time 

Job Description:  

  • Creates and advocates for developmental opportunities for others; builds collaborative, cross-functional relationships. Solicits and acts on performance feedback; works with leaders and employees to set goals and provide open feedback and coaching to drive performance improvement. Pursues professional growth; hires, trains, and develops talent for growth opportunities; strategically evaluates talent for succession planning; sets performance management guidelines and expectations across teams / units. Oversees implementation, adapts, and stays up to date with organizational change, challenges, feedback, best practices, processes, and industry trends; shares best practices within and across teams. Fosters open dialogue amongst team members, engages, motivates, and promotes collaboration within and across teams; motivates teams to meet business objectives. Delegates tasks and decisions as appropriate; provides appropriate support, guidance and scope; encourages development and consideration of options in decision making; fosters access to stakeholders. 

  • Manages designated units or teams by translating business plans into tactical action items; oversees the completion of work assignments and identifies opportunities for improvement; ensures all policies and procedures are followed; partners with key stakeholders and business leaders to ensure products and/or services meet requirements and expectations while aligning with departmental strategies. Aligns team efforts; builds accountability for and measuring progress in achieving results; assumes responsibility for decision making; fosters direct reports to resolve escalated issues as appropriate. Communicates goals and objectives; incorporates resources, costs, and forecasts into team and unit plans; ensures matrixed resources are fulfilling service or performance requirements across reporting lines. Removes obstacles that impact performance; identifies and addresses improvement opportunities; guides performance and develops contingency plans accordingly; influences teams and units to operate in alignment with operational and business objectives. 

  • Manages assets and resources by: developing the strategic vision and direction for asset and inventory management, establishing comprehensive policies and procedures to ensure optimal accountability and adherence to industry standards; setting strategic vision for inventory control and purchasing, optimizing monitoring, replenishing, receiving, storing, distributing, processing returned goods, and accounting in the optical labs; leading strategies for developing, monitoring, and maintaining all optical lab equipment in proper working order; and creating a business case for, planning procurement of, and analysing optical lab needs for up-to-date equipment. 

  • Conducts budgeting and financial planning by: driving the strategic direction of financial planning and budget management for the optical labs; designing and executing comprehensive budgeting strategies and identifying and recommending opportunities to minimize expenses, and consistently deliver high-quality service in the optical labs; ensuring responsibility for the operational and financial performance of performance of the optical lab in an assigned area; driving efficiencies and promoting financial stewardship for the organization; and establishing a cost-conscious culture. 

  • Ensures education and training by: designing and presenting ongoing training programs in appropriate work methods for branch managers, opticians, contact lens fitters, and other staff in member service technician and product sales roles; overseeing staff to ensure understanding of approved policies and procedures, lab management system, and all Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements; and maintaining advanced contemporary knowledge of optical manufacturing techniques integrated with other disciplines. 

  • Ensures member service and production quality by: championing member satisfaction by defining standards for the provision of quality eyewear in a timely manner in accordance with established regional, departmental, and professional standards (e.g., Food & Drug Administration, American National Standards Institute, International Organization for Standardization); determining root causes for and ensuring member complaints, production and service issues, and inquiries are investigated and resolved; developing, implementing, and monitoring solutions to mitigate or eliminate future instances of issues; designing measurement tools to capture quality, turnaround time, and satisfaction with optical products and services rendered, and utilizing the resulting feedback to improve member satisfaction; and leading and driving the enforcement of Optical Quality Standards, refining production procedures and promoting consistency in workmanship across all areas of the optical lab. 

  • Ensures safety and compliance by: directing and controlling long-term operations of the optical lab to ensure compliance with federal laws, regulatory requirements, safety policies and procedures, and quality standards (e.g., American National Standards Institute, Food and Drug lens regulations, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, Optical Quality Standards, Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements); developing and implementing a comprehensive safety program, including monitoring and ensuring compliance with safety procedures and requirements, to create and maintain a safe work environment for all employees; and developing and implementing a comprehensive inspection program, conducting regular inspections of work areas, and addressing identified risks and hazards.