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Optical Jobs in Santa Rosa, CA (NOW HIRING)

Warby Parker

Optician - Montgomery Village

Santa Rosa, CA · On-site

$18.75 - $24.25/hr

Optical Education Reimbursement * Free eyewear * And more (just ask!) Some benefits of working at Warby Parker for part-time employees: * Employee Assistance Program (EAP) * Employee Stock Purchase ...

Warby Parker

Optician - Montgomery Village

Santa Rosa, CA

$18.75 - $24.25/hr

Optical Education Reimbursement * Free eyewear * And more (just ask!) Some benefits of working at Warby Parker for part-time employees: * Employee Assistance Program (EAP) * Employee Stock Purchase ...

The Eye Works Optometry

Be Seen First

Optician/Front Desk

Napa, CA · On-site

$22 - $25/hr

Familiarity with optical software (Office Mate, Weave or similar) is preferred. * Knowledge of insurance processing and eligibility. Company Description Located in the heart of Napa, this practice ...

Zenni Optical

Shipping Specialist

Novato, CA · On-site

$20.50 - $23/hr

Zenni Optical is looking for a Shipping Specialist to join our growing team. This role plays a key part in keeping our warehouse running smoothly by handling inbound shipments, accurately picking ...

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All JobsOptical JobsOptical Jobs in Santa Rosa, CA

Optical information

See Santa Rosa, CA salary details

$12

$23

$40

How much do optical jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 2, 2026, the average hourly pay for optical in Santa Rosa, CA is $23.44, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $17.88 and $25.48 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What jobs pay $500,000 a year in the US?

In the optical field, high-paying roles such as specialized ophthalmologists or optometrists with extensive experience and advanced certifications can reach or exceed $500,000 annually. These positions often require advanced degrees, clinical expertise, and sometimes ownership of private practices or leadership roles in healthcare organizations.

Is optical technician a good career?

Optical technicians assist in the fabrication, repair, and fitting of eyeglasses and contact lenses, often working in optical labs or retail settings. The role typically requires technical skills, attention to detail, and may involve certification or training programs; job prospects are steady with opportunities for advancement in the optical industry.

How much money do opticians get paid?

Opticians typically earn a median annual salary of around $37,000 to $40,000, depending on experience, location, and certification. Salaries can increase with specialized skills, such as fitting complex lenses or working in high-demand areas, and may include benefits like health insurance and paid time off.

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 are the different careers in optometry?

Careers in optometry include optometrists who examine, diagnose, and treat eye conditions, as well as opticians who fit and dispense corrective lenses. Other roles include ophthalmic technicians, vision therapists, and practice managers, all working in clinical or retail settings. These careers often require specific certifications or licenses and involve skills in patient care, eye health, and use of diagnostic tools.

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 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.

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 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.
More about Optical jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Optical jobs in Santa Rosa, CA? The most popular types of Optical jobs in Santa Rosa, CA are:
What are popular job titles related to Optical jobs in Santa Rosa, CA? For Optical jobs in Santa Rosa, CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Optical jobs in Santa Rosa, CA look for? The top searched job categories for Optical jobs in Santa Rosa, CA are:
What cities near Santa Rosa, CA are hiring for Optical jobs? Cities near Santa Rosa, CA with the most Optical job openings:
Optical jobs near you
Infographic showing various Optical job openings in Santa Rosa, CA as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 82% Full Time, 12% Part Time, and 6% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $48,754 per year, or $23.4 per hour.
Director Of Programs - Advanced Optical Development Group

Director Of Programs - Advanced Optical Development Group

Viavi Solutions

Santa Rosa, CA • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 7 days ago

Job description

Summary:
VIAVI (NASDAQ: VIAV) is a global provider of network test, monitoring and assurance solutions for telecommunications, cloud, enterprises, first responders, military, aerospace, and railway. VIAVI is also a leader in light management technologies for 3D sensing, anti-counterfeiting, consumer electronics, industrial, automotive, government and aerospace applications.
We are the people behind the products that help keep the world connected at home, school, work, at play, and everywhere in between. VIAVI employees are passionate about supporting customer success and we welcome people who bring their best every day to the company - to question, to collaborate and to push for solutions that will delight our customers.
Duties & Responsibilities:
Director Of Programs
Advanced Optical Development Group
SUMMARY
VIAVI Solutions has a 100+ year history of technical innovations that have evolved to keep pace and address our customers' most pressing business issues. We make equipment, software, and systems that help to plan, deploy, certify, monitor, and optimize all kinds of networks - like those for mobile phones, service providers, large businesses and data centers. VIAVI is also a leader in high performance thin film optical coatings and engineered diffusers, providing light management technologies to the bank note security, consumer electronics, automotive, defense and instrumentation markets.
The Optical Security and Performance Products (OSP) business segment of VIAVI leverages its core technology strengths of optics, vacuum coatings, and materials science to deliver innovative and differentiated technologies that manipulate light to improve the performance of sensors, to shape light from high performance light sources, and to create unique visual effects. With over seven decades of experience in optical coating technology, VIAVI OSP is a customer focused, market driven enterprise serving attractive and sustainable market sectors including banknote security, consumer electronics, automotive, industrial, and defense/aerospace. VIAVI OSP's customers include global leaders such as SICPA, BASF, Raytheon and STMicroelectronics.
We are seeking an exceptionally talented and highly motivated Advanced Optical Development Lead to join our Research & Development team. This is a leadership role responsible for driving the conceptualization, design, development, and validation of innovative optical systems that are critical to our next-generation products. The successful candidate will develop and lead a team of optical, opto-electronic and opto-mechanical engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, collaboration, and continuous innovation.
Key Responsibilities:
  • Technical Leadership: Define and execute Advanced Optical Development R&D programs in alignment with the overall company strategy and product roadmap. Identify and evaluate emerging technologies and methodologies in optical design, opto-mechanics and precision engineering.
  • Team Leadership & Mentorship: Lead, mentor, and inspire a diverse team of optical, mechanical and electrical engineers. Foster a collaborative and high-performance environment, promoting professional growth and technical skill development.
  • Full Lifecycle Development: Oversee the entire development lifecycle, from initial concept generation, feasibility studies, and detailed design to prototyping, testing, validation, and transition to manufacturing for volume production.
  • Precision Opto-Mechanical/Electronic Design: Drive the design of high-precision opto-mechanical and opto-electronic assemblies, including stable optical mounts, alignment mechanisms, thermal management solutions, and vibration isolation systems for highly sensitive optical components (e.g. waveguides, detectors, laser, fiber optic interfaces, quantum emitters).
  • Tolerance Analysis & Budgeting: Guide tolerance analysis and error budgeting methodologies to ensure manufacturability, performance, and reliability of optical systems under various environmental conditions.
  • Material Selection & Process Optimization: Guide the selection of appropriate materials and manufacturing processes (e.g., machining, additive manufacturing, bonding) for optimal optical performance, thermal stability, and long-term reliability.
  • Simulation & Modeling: Champion the use of advanced simulation and modeling tools (e.g., FEA for structural and thermal analysis, optical modeling software) to predict system performance and optimize designs.
  • Verification & Validation: Establish comprehensive test plans and lead experimental validation activities to ensure designs meet performance specifications. Oversee the development of custom test setups and metrology solutions.
  • Problem Solving & Root Cause Analysis: Lead complex problem-solving efforts for design challenges, performance deviations, and manufacturing issues related to opto-mechanical systems.
  • IP Development: Contribute to and drive intellectual property generation through patent disclosures and publications.
  • Budget & Resource Management: Work with Program Management to establish and track budgets, timelines, and resource allocations.

Pre-Requisites / Skills / Experience Requirements:
Background & Experience:
  • Education: Ph.D. or M.S. in Optical Sciences, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a closely related field.
  • Experience:
    • Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in project/program management with a strong technical aptitude for optical and opto-mechanical design and development, with at least 5 years in a leadership or senior technical lead role.
    • Proven track record of successfully bringing complex opto-mechanical and opto-electronic systems from R&D to production in a fast-paced, high-tech environment.
    • Knowledgeable in precision opto-mechanical design principles, including athermalization techniques, vibration isolation, and thermal management for optical systems.
    • Knowledgeable with CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, Inventor, Creo) and FEA simulation tools (e.g., ANSYS, SolidWorks Simulation).
    • Familiarity with schematic capture and PCB layout tools (e.g. Altium, OrCAD, PADS).
    • Strong understanding of optical system design principles and their impact on opto-mechanical and sensing requirements.
    • Experience with various manufacturing processes for precision components (e.g., CNC machining, grinding, polishing, injection molding, additive manufacturing).
    • Familiarity with optical metrology techniques and equipment (e.g., interferometers, autocollimators, profilometers).
    • Knowledgeable of requirements in quantum technology, aerospace, defense, scientific instrumentation, or semiconductor industries is desirable.
    • Knowledge of vacuum deposition is a plus.
    • Must be U.S. Persons as defined by ITAR. ITAR defines a U.S. Person as a U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (i.e. "Green Card Holder"), Political Asylee, or Refugee.

If you are a visionary leader with a passion for optical innovation and a desire to make a significant impact on groundbreaking technology, we encourage you to apply.
VIAVI Solutions is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer - minorities/females/veterans/persons with disabilities.
Job Posting Pay Range:
158,200
to
293,800
Exceptional qualifications, experience and location may impact salary. VIAVI offers a competitive benefits package that includes paid time off, health, life and disability insurance, 401(k), and a bonus program.

Apply