Profession optoelectronic engineering technician

Optoelectronic engineering technicians collaborate with engineers in the development of optoelectronic systems and components, such as photodiodes, optical sensors, lasers and LED's. Optoelectronic engineering technicians build, test, install and calibrate optoelectronic equipment. They read blueprint and other technical drawings to develop testing and calibrating procedures.

Would you like to know what kind of career and professions suit you best? Take our free Holland code career test and find out.

Personality Type

• Realistic / Investigative

Knowledge

• Optical manufacturing process

  The process and different stages of manufacturing an optical product, from design and prototyping to the preparation of optical components and lenses, the assembly of optical equipment, and the intermediate and final testing of the optical products and its components.

• Optoelectronic devices

  Electronic devices, systems, and components that possess optical features. These devices or components may include electrically driven light sources, such as LEDs and laser diodes, components that can convert light into electricity, such as solar or photovoltaic cells, or devices that can electronically manipulate and control light.

• Optical engineering

  Subdiscipline of engineering that deals with the development of optical instruments and applications, such as telescopes, microscopes, lenses, lasers, fibre optic communication, and imaging systems.

• Circuit diagrams

  Read and comprehend circuit diagrams showing the connections between the devices, such as power and signal connections.

• Types of optical instruments

  Possess information on the types of optical instruments and lenses, such as microscopes and telescopes, as well as on their mechanics, components, and characteristics.

• Optical components

  The components and materials necessary for building optical instruments, such as lenses and frames.

• Electronics

  The functioning of electronic circuit boards, processors, chips, and computer hardware and software, including programming and applications. Apply this knowledge to ensure electronic equipment runs smoothly.

• Design drawings

  Understand design drawings detailing the design of products, tools, and engineering systems.

• Refractive power

  Refractive power or optical power is the degree to which an optical system, such as a lens, converges or diverges light. Diverging lenses possess negative refractive power, while converging lenses possess positive refractive power.

• Electronic equipment standards

  The national and international quality and safety standards and regulations with regards to the use and manufacture of electronic equipment and its components, such as semiconductors and printed circuit boards.

• Optical equipment standards

  The national and international quality and safety standards and regulations with regards to the use and manufacture of optical equipment, including optical materials, optical components, optical systems, ophthalmic equipment, optomechanical equipment, optical measuring equipment, photographic equipment, and optoelectronic equipment.

• Optical glass characteristics

  The characteristics of optical glass such as refractive index, dispersion, and chemical properties.

• Optoelectronics

  Branch of electronics and optics dedicated to the study and use of electronic devices that detect and control light.

• Optics

  The science that studies the elements and reaction of light.

Skills

• Operate optical assembly equipment

  Set up and operate optical processing or assembly equipment, such as optical spectrum analysers, power saws, lasers, die bonders, soldering irons, and wire bonders.

• Fasten components

  Fasten components together according to blueprints and technical plans in order to create subassemblies or finished products.

• Record test data

  Record data which has been identified specifically during preceding tests in order to verify that outputs of the test produce specific results or to review the reaction of the subject under exceptional or unusual input.

• Assemble optoelectronics

  Prepare, construct, and assemble optoelectronic components and systems, such as lasers and imaging systems, using soldering, micro-fabrication, and polishing techniques.

• Assist scientific research

  Assist engineers or scientists with conducting experiments, performing analysis, developing new products or processes, constructing theory, and quality control.

• Read engineering drawings

  Read the technical drawings of a product made by the engineer in order to suggest improvements, make models of the product or operate it.

• Test optical components

  Test optical systems, products, and components with appropriate optical testing methods, such as axial ray testing and oblique ray testing.

• Inspect quality of products

  Use various techniques to ensure the product quality is respecting the quality standards and specifications. Oversee defects, packaging and sendbacks of products to different production departments.

• Liaise with engineers

  Collaborate with engineers to ensure common understanding and discuss product design, development and improvement.

• Clean optical components

  Clean optical components after every cycle in the manufacturing process.

• Apply optical coating

  Apply coating to optical lenses, such as reflective coating to mirrors, anti-reflective coatings to camera lenses, or tinted coatings to sunglasses.

• Test optoelectronics

  Test optoelectronic systems, products, and components using electronic, optic, and photonic testing and measuring equipment.

• Align components

  Align and lay out components in order to put them together correctly according to blueprints and technical plans.

• Adjust engineering designs

  Adjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.

• Prepare production prototypes

  Prepare early models or prototypes in order to test concepts and replicability possibilities. Create prototypes to assess for pre-production tests.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB