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Optical Laboratory Manager Jobs in Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Optical Dispenser

Fontana, CA ยท On-site

$33.62 - $36.55/hr

Manage and resolve problems regarding member eyewear complaints performing service recovery ... Prepare delivery and receive product from vendor and laboratory. * Maintain/ order optical supplies.

Quality Lead

Colton, CA ยท On-site

$90 - $120/hr

Operates laboratory equipment, including calipers, gauges, and optical inspection equipment ... Manages Quality Systems and Processes (auditing and documentation, including guidelines, procedures ...

Quality Lead

Colton, CA ยท On-site

$82K - $110K/yr

Operates laboratory equipment, including calipers, gauges, and optical inspection equipment ... Manages Quality Systems and Processes (auditing and documentation, including guidelines, procedures ...

Optical Laboratory Manager information

See Rancho Cucamonga, CA salary details

$80.7K

$86.9K

$91.5K

How much do optical laboratory manager jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 28, 2026, the average yearly pay for optical laboratory manager in Rancho Cucamonga, CA is $86,862.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $84,300.00 and $89,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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 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 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 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 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 job categories do people searching Optical Laboratory Manager jobs in Rancho Cucamonga, CA look for?

The top searched job categories for Optical Laboratory Manager jobs in Rancho Cucamonga, CA are:

What cities near Rancho Cucamonga, CA are hiring for Optical Laboratory Manager jobs?

Cities near Rancho Cucamonga, CA with the most Optical Laboratory Manager job openings:

Infographic showing various Optical Laboratory Manager job openings in Rancho Cucamonga, CA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 80% Full Time, 19% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 79% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 18% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $86,862 per year, or $41.8 per hour.

Full-time

Posted 18 days ago


Job description

Summary and Purpose of Job: 

Under the general direction of the Director of Clinical Operations, support the delivery of patient care services and clinical education through the management of optical services in the WesternU Health Eye Care Institute (ECI).

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

The below description is intended to provide a summary of the typical functions of the position and is not intended to be an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible responsibilities, tasks, and duties of the position.  

  • Provides direct patient care for spectacle frame and lens selection, fitting, ordering, verification, and dispensing
  • Verifies accuracy of ophthalmic materials when received from the optical laboratory, assures timely notification of receipt of materials 
  • Orders and verifies contact lenses for diagnostic use and patient dispensing. Coordinates appointment scheduling for contact lens dispensing 
  • Assists patients in the selection of ophthalmic materials, performs all necessary measurements and completes all ordering and inputs necessary information into the EHR system
  • Assists and triages patients with any concerns with ophthalmic materials.  Provides direct patient care for spectacle frame and lens selection, fitting, ordering, verification, and dispensing.
  • Provides clinical education in optical services to students enrolled in the College of Optometry 
  • Implements the business aspects of the optical service including stocking, ordering, inventory, display, direct and third-party billing
  • Stays current in ophthalmic optics including spectacle lens design, lens materials, need for โ€œlifestyle dispensingโ€, and trends in frame design
  • Participates in quality assurance programs
  • Performs other duties as assigned.  The University/College reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • High School Diploma or Graduate Equivalency Diploma required
  • Three to five yearsโ€™ experience in an optometric clinical practice or institutional setting or any combination of education, training, or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
  • Bilingual (English/Spanish) required
  • Certified optician or paraoptometric technician preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

Individuals must possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities or be able to perform the essential functions of the assigned classification, with or without reasonable accommodation(s), using some other combination of skills and abilities. Necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities are as follows:  

  • Proficient computer skills necessary to create documents, spreadsheets, tables, and/or forms in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Acrobat Professional, EMR/EHR software programs and any other software programs as required by the position with the ability to learn various software programs used within the College of Optometry and the Eye Care Institute.
  • Basic knowledge of optical services and optical business practices. Ability to manage business aspects of an optical service and ability to provide direct patient care for optical services.
  • Level of familiarity with optical service terminology and optometric patient care terminology.
  • Mathematical ability to add, subtract, divide, multiply, calculate percentages.
  • Language ability to read professional literature, provide patient education, read insurance and third-party payer information
  • Reasoning ability to problem solve quickly
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to interact well with patients, staff, students, faculty, and administration in a highly responsive manner. Must be culturally sensitive and maintain confidentiality.
  • Must be a self-assured, experienced leader who is able to interact with senior executives, anticipate potential problems, and initiate solutions. Must be able to manage a crisis with upset customers or calm a faculty member, staff member, or student.
  • Must be able to multi-task in a fast-paced environment and be flexible with job assignments.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to working in an organization that values and promotes humanism. 

Work Environment Demands:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

  • While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear, sit, stand, use hands to grasp objects, and reach with hands and arms.  The employee must occasionally walk, stoop, and lift and/or move up to 10 lbs.  No specific vision abilities are required.  No other specific physical demands are required.
  • Duties of the Optical Technician are normally performed in a typical office, laboratory, or environmentally controlled interior healthcare setting. The work environment may involve exposure to potentially dangerous materials, e.g., blood and body fluids, communicable diseases, toxic substances, and risk of electric shock. Clinical environments require compliance with safety precautions, OSHA Blood borne pathogen training, and may include the use of certain personal protective equipment.
  • The noise level in this setting is usually moderate due to telephone calls, equipment, and normal patient and student traffic.
  • Typical work week is Monday โ€“ Friday with a rotating schedule that varies based on assignments, as outlined below.  Some evenings and weekends are required.  
    • 7:30am โ€“ 4:30pm
    • 8:00am โ€“ 5:00pm
    • 8:30am โ€“ 5:30pm