Also called: Opto-Mechanical Engineer
Designs the mounts and structures that hold lenses and mirrors perfectly still, even in space or on a bumpy truck.
You design a holder for a telescope mirror that must stay aligned to within a millionth of a meter while a rocket shakes it. You simulate heat and vibration, then watch it ride a shake table in the lab.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in mechanical engineering with optics coursework.
Ways in: 4-year college. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering.
Growing much faster than average (about 9% over 10 years). Tracks mechanical engineers.
Low risk for 10 years. AI helps with CAD and stress checks; building precision mounts and testing them in real conditions stays human.
Classes: AP Physics, CAD class, Shop or machining class, AP Calculus.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-2141.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.