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Optical Jobs in Texas (NOW HIRING)

Exowatt

Lead Optical Engineer (Austin, TX)

Austin, TX · On-site

$127K - $165K/yr

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Lead Optical Engineer to own concentrator design, optical testing, and model validation for the P3. In this role, you will design and optimize non ...

Warby Parker

Optical Supervisor - Domain

Austin, TX · On-site

Warby Parker is searching for an Optical Supervisor to join our growing team of in-house optical professionals. In this role, you'll rely on your optical prowess, friendly demeanor, and product ...

Exowatt

Lead Optical Engineer (Austin, TX)

Austin, TX · On-site

$127K - $165K/yr

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Lead Optical Engineer to own concentrator design, optical testing, and model validation for the P3. In this role, you will design and optimize non ...

Exowatt

Lead Optical Engineer (Austin, TX)

Austin, TX · On-site

$127K - $165K/yr

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Lead Optical Engineer to own concentrator design, optical testing, and model validation for the P3. In this role, you will design and optimize non ...

Stanton Optical

Sales Manager (Optical Retail)

San Angelo, TX · On-site

$16 - $19.25/hr

As a Stanton Optical Sales Manager you would be our sales leader, assisting the Brand Manager in supervising and executing action plans to drive sales performance while creating a positive, results ...

Stanton Optical

Sales Manager (Optical Retail)

Del Rio, TX · On-site

$15 - $18.25/hr

As a Stanton Optical Sales Manager you would be our sales leader, assisting the Brand Manager in supervising and executing action plans to drive sales performance while creating a positive, results ...

Stanton Optical

Sales Manager (Optical Retail)

Hurst, TX · On-site

$14.75 - $17.75/hr

As a Stanton Optical Sales Manager you would be our sales leader, assisting the Brand Manager in supervising and executing action plans to drive sales performance while creating a positive, results ...

Neurophos Inc

Staff Optical Design Engineer

Austin, TX · On-site

$160K - $200K/yr

Our optical cells are 10,000x smaller than traditional photonic components, enabling unprecedented density. By using photonics instead of electricity, our chips become more efficient as they scale.

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All JobsOptical JobsOptical Jobs in Texas

Optical information

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$10

$19

$34

How much do optical jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 23, 2026, the average hourly pay for optical in Texas is $19.97, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $15.24 and $21.73 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are optical jobs?

Optical jobs refer to roles within the vision care and eyewear industry, such as opticians, optical assistants, and technicians. These professionals help customers select and fit eyeglasses or contact lenses, assist with vision tests, and provide support to optometrists and ophthalmologists. They may also perform repairs and adjustments on eyewear and educate customers about lens options and eye care. Working in optical jobs typically requires strong customer service skills and a basic understanding of eye anatomy and optical products.

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

To thrive as an Optical Technician, you need a strong understanding of optics, lens fabrication, and vision correction, often supported by a high school diploma and on-the-job training or certification. Familiarity with lensometers, auto-refractors, and optical dispensing software is typically required. Attention to detail, customer service skills, and effective communication help you excel when assisting patients and collaborating with eye care professionals. These skills are crucial for ensuring accurate prescription fulfillment, patient satisfaction, and the smooth operation of optical services.

What are some common challenges faced by optical technicians, and how can they effectively address them?

Optical technicians often encounter challenges such as keeping up with evolving lens technologies, managing high volumes of customer orders, and ensuring precise fabrication and fitting of eyewear. Staying updated through ongoing training and certifications is essential to handle new equipment and materials. Additionally, strong communication and organizational skills help in coordinating with optometrists and delivering excellent customer service. Collaborating closely with the rest of the optical team ensures that patient needs are met efficiently and accurately.

What is the difference between an ophthalmologist, an optometrist, and an optician?

Optometrists and ophthalmologists are both medical eye care professionals, but they differ in their level of training. Ophthalmologists are medical doctors and complete eight years of medical school. They can practice medicine and perform surgery. Optometrists are not medical doctors. Optometrists earn a doctor of optometry degree after attending four years of optometry school. These professionals primarily perform eye exams and vision tests, but they can also identify some basic eye abnormalities. Optometrists are also licensed to prescribe some medications. Opticians are eyewear specialists and do not need any formal medical education.

What is the difference between Optical vs Optometrist?

AspectOpticalOptometrist
CredentialsTypically requires optical technician or assistant certificationRequires Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree and licensure
Work EnvironmentOptical stores, eyewear retail, labsClinics, private practices, healthcare settings
Industry UsageFocuses on eyewear fitting, lens selection, customer serviceFocuses on eye exams, vision testing, diagnosing eye conditions

Optical roles mainly involve assisting with eyewear and customer service, while optometrists provide comprehensive eye care and diagnosis. Both are essential in eye health but differ significantly in education and scope of practice.

How long is schooling to become an optical?

Becoming an optical technician typically requires completing a post-secondary program or certificate that lasts from several months up to a year. For opticians, the process often involves completing an associate degree or a specialized training program, followed by certification or licensing depending on the state or country. Practical experience and knowledge of optical equipment are also important components of training.

Is optical technician a good career?

Optical technicians assist in the fabrication, repair, and fitting of eyeglasses and optical devices, often working in retail or laboratory settings. The role typically requires technical training or certification and offers steady employment with opportunities for advancement in the eye care industry.
More about Optical jobs

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

The most popular types of Optical jobs in Texas are:

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For Optical jobs in Texas, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Optical jobs in Texas look for?

The top searched job categories for Optical jobs in Texas are:

What cities in Texas are hiring for Optical jobs?

Cities in Texas with the most Optical job openings:

Optical jobs near you
Infographic showing various Optical job openings in Texas as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 79% Full Time, 18% Part Time, 2% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 88% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $41,545 per year, or $20 per hour.

Lead Optical Engineer (Austin, TX)

Exowatt

Austin, TX • On-site

$127K - $165K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Retirement

Re-posted 8 days ago

Job description

Exowatt is revolutionizing the energy landscape for the AI era with our groundbreaking P3 system that captures solar energy, stores it as heat, and generates electricity on demand. Founded in 2023 and backed by leading investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Sam Altman, and Felicis, we're committed to providing clean, modular, and scalable power that meets the rapidly growing demands of AI infrastructure. Our mission is to make sustainable renewable energy always available and almost free, enabling technological advancement while protecting our planet.
We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Lead Optical Engineer to own concentrator design, optical testing, and model validation for the P3. In this role, you will design and optimize non-imaging optics for maximum flux transfer, build and automate optical test setups, validate models against on-sun performance, and work across the optic-to-thermal boundary that defines the P3 architecture. You will collaborate closely with the Optical Product Development, R&D, and thermal teams to ensure alignment between design intent, test outcomes, and delivered system performance.
Non-imaging concentrating optics experience is required for this role.
This position is based in Austin, TX preferred, however an alternate location of Miami, FL is possible for the right candidate. If hired for this role, relocation to one of these sites is required. We provide relocation assistance.
What You'll Do:
  • Design and optimize non-imaging concentrating optics - Fresnel primaries and secondary optical elements - to maximize flux transfer, uniformity, and intercept factor rather than image quality.
  • Build an optical error budget that rolls slope error, tracking error, and alignment tolerances into an intercept-factor model, and validate it against hardware.
  • Design for uniform irradiance on the receiver, mitigating hot spots and the material stress that uneven flux drives on a thermal absorber.
  • Design, automate, and optimize optical test setups for our concentrators and complex opto-mechanical assemblies, ensuring efficiency and precision.
  • Characterize concentration ratio, acceptance angle, focal-spot flux distribution, and end-to-end optical efficiency, and validate these against Monte Carlo ray-tracing models.
  • Automate ray-tracing, test procedures, and analysis using Python (and C++/MATLAB as needed) to streamline workflows and improve accuracy.
  • Conduct on-sun testing - flux mapping, calorimetry, and pyrheliometer-based efficiency measurement - and reconcile field results with simulation.
  • Feed validated optical performance into annual optical-efficiency models, thermal models, and the system digital twin (developed with NVIDIA and AWS).
  • Characterize soiling, UV degradation, and abrasion on polymer optics, and evaluate anti-reflective and anti-soiling coatings to support a 30-year field lifespan.
  • Define and validate manufacturing tolerances for optical components produced at high volume in domestic factory settings.
  • Collaborate with optical, mechanical, electrical, thermal, and systems engineering teams to ensure alignment across product development stages.
  • Maintain clear, organized technical documentation for internal teams and external stakeholders.

What You Have:
  • Education & foundation
    • Master's or PhD in Optical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline, with a minimum of 3 years of industry experience, or equivalent work experience.
    • Hands-on experience with optical systems in a lab environment, including assembly, alignment, integration, and testing.

    Core non-imaging design competencies
    • Concentrator design experience with Fresnel lenses (ideally molded PMMA or silicone-on-glass), compound parabolic concentrators (CPCs), parabolic troughs, heliostats, or secondary optical elements (SOEs). Designing a coupled primary + secondary stage for CPV or CSP is an ideal match.
    • Fluency in the language of concentration limits - étendue conservation, geometric concentration ratio, acceptance angle, and the concentration-acceptance product (CAP).
    • Command of the edge-ray principle and tailored-optics design, optimizing for flux transfer over image quality; familiarity with Winston/Miñano/Benítez methods or simultaneous multiple surface (SMS) design is a strong plus.
    • Experience designing for irradiance uniformity, hot-spot mitigation, and intercept-factor optimization on a receiver or absorber.

    Software & simulation
    • Proficiency with Monte Carlo ray-tracing tools built for illumination/flux work - TracePro, LightTools, FRED, Photopia, or CSP-specific codes such as SolTrace or Tonatiuh. Zemax/OpticStudio in non-sequential mode counts; sequential-only imaging experience is a weaker fit.
    • Ability to build custom ray-tracing or optimization routines in Python or MATLAB, and to construct optical error budgets (slope, tracking, and alignment tolerances rolled into an intercept-factor model).

    Solar-specific domain knowledge
    • Familiarity with sun-shape and DNI modeling, circumsolar ratio, cosine losses, and annual optical-efficiency simulation (often paired with SAM or similar performance models).
    • Tracking-system tolerance analysis - how pointing error degrades concentration - with awareness of UL 3703-adjacent tracker considerations.
    • Understanding of soiling, UV degradation, and abrasion on polymer optics, and of anti-reflective and anti-soiling coatings.

    Hardware & manufacturing
    • Exposure to injection or compression molding of PMMA/silicone Fresnel optics, diamond turning of mold masters, and metrology for large-aperture optics (deflectometry, photogrammetry, VSHOT-type slope measurement).
    • Receiver/absorber interface experience - cavity receivers, selective absorber coatings, or thermal receiver flux limits - demonstrating work across the optic-to-thermal boundary that defines the P3.
    • Outdoor test experience: on-sun testing, flux gauges and calorimetry, and pyrheliometer-based efficiency measurement.

    Ways of working
    • A problem-solving mindset, with the ability to work independently and collaboratively.
    • Excellent communication skills, capable of articulating technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.

What We Offer:
Competitive salary and equity options.
Comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and retirement plans.
A dynamic work environment that fosters creativity and innovation.
Opportunities for professional growth and development in a rapidly evolving industry.
Relocation assistance.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

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