Also called: Diamond Turning Technician, Ultra-Precision Machinist
Uses lathes with real diamond cutting tools to carve lenses and mirrors so smooth their bumps are smaller than a virus.
In a temperature-controlled room, you mount a germanium blank for a night-vision camera lens on a lathe floating on air bearings. A diamond tool shaves it to the exact curve. You measure the surface with an interferometer, which shows errors as tiny fringes of light.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Associate's degree (2-year), about 2 years after high school. Associate degree in precision machining or optics technology.
Ways in: 2-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Precision Machining Technology, Optics Technology.
Growing faster than average. Infrared cameras, lasers and AR headsets need precision optics.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Machines are computer-controlled, but setup, tool care and measuring nano-level surfaces stay human.
Classes: Physics, Geometry, Shop class, Computer class.
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.