Jobs / Architecture and engineering / 17-3029.08
Photonics Technicians
Build, install, test, or maintain optical or fiber optic equipment, such as lasers, lenses, or mirrors, using spectrometers, interferometers, or related equipment.
- US jobs
- 59,930 (SOC 17-3029 group, "Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other")
- Median wage
- $78,350 a year
- Job family
- Architecture and engineering
Can agents do the work of photonics technicians?
We read the evidence for the whole job family, Architecture and engineering: Some tasks (first measured in the last 12 months)
Agents complete 20% or more of the tasks (or projects) on a direct benchmark.
Evidence: HWE-Bench, 79.9% of tasks completed.
Direct evidence that disagrees: Parametric CAD Bench V3, 9% of tasks fully completed (Perfect tasks).
0% of this occupation's work, by O*NET work activities, is measured by a direct benchmark (figures for the SOC 17-3029 group).
- 12%Document technical designs, procedures, or activitiesNot measured
- 11%Analyze performance of systems or equipmentNot measured
- 11%Measure physical characteristics of materials, products, or equipmentNot measured
- 9%Assemble equipment or componentsNot measured
- 5%Test characteristics of materials or productsNot measured
- 5%Test performance of equipment or systemsNot measured
- 3%Inspect completed work or finished productsNot measured
- 3%Develop models of systems, processes, or productsNot measured
Benchmarks for the job family
These cover work in architecture and engineering, not always this occupation's tasks.
Direct evidence
Work benchmarks mapped primary to this family. They set the step when they report how many tasks agents complete.
- 61%Claude Opus 5.5 (max) with Claude Code 2.1.280 · 24 Sep 2026Strong
Also relevant
These benchmarks cover part of this family's work, or have no result yet. They do not set its step.
- 64.8%Claude Code + Opus 5.5 (max) · 6 Oct 2026Strong
Context only
These benchmarks span many occupations, or they test how agents behave. They give context but do not set the step.
Typical tasks
From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.
- Compute or record photonic test data.
- Maintain clean working environments, according to clean room standards.
- Adjust or maintain equipment, such as lasers, laser systems, microscopes, oscilloscopes, pulse generators, power meters, beam analyzers, or energy measurement devices.
- Document procedures, such as calibration of optical or fiber optic equipment.
- Set up or operate assembly or processing equipment, such as lasers, cameras, die bonders, wire bonders, dispensers, reflow ovens, soldering irons, die shears, wire pull testers, temperature or humidity chambers, or optical spectrum analyzers.
- Assist scientists or engineers in the conduct of photonic experiments.
- Test or perform failure analysis for optomechanical or optoelectrical products, according to test plans.
- Assist engineers in the development of new products, fixtures, tools, or processes.
- Recommend optical or optic equipment design or material changes to reduce costs or processing times.
- Set up or operate prototype or test apparatus, such as control consoles, collimators, recording equipment, or cables.
- Monitor inventory levels and order supplies as necessary.
- Assemble fiber optical, optoelectronic, or free-space optics components, subcomponents, assemblies, or subassemblies.
Other job titles for this occupation (41)
Fiber Optics Instructor · Fiber Optics Technician (Fiber Optics Tech) · Laser Technician (Laser Tech) · Optics Technician (Optics Tech) · Optomechanical Technician (Optomechanical Tech) · Photonics Laboratory Technician (Photonics Lab Tech) · Photonics Technician (Photonics Tech) · Ruling Technician (Ruling Tech) · Certified Laser Technician (Certified Laser Tech) · Electro-Optics Technician (Electro-Optics Tech) · Fiber Optics Assembler · Fiber Optics Cabling Specialist · Fiber Optics Design Technician (Fiber Optics Design Tech) · Fiber Optics Specialist · Fiber Optics Splicer · Fiber Splicer · Fiber Technician (Fiber Tech) · Healthcare Laser Technician (Healthcare Laser Tech) · Installation Technician (Installation Tech) · Laser Assembly Technician (Laser Assembly Tech) · Laser Operator · Laser Scanners Technician (Laser Scanners Tech) · Laser Specialist · Medical Laser Technician (Medical Laser Tech) · Mobile Laser Technician (Mobile Laser Tech) · Mobile Technician (Mobile Tech) · Optical Engineering Technician (Optical Engineering Tech) · Optical Fabrication Technician (Optical Fabrication Tech) · Optical Manufacturing Technician (Optical Manufacturing Tech) · Optics Manufacturing Technician (Optics Manufacturing Tech) · Optics Test Technician (Optics Test Tech) · Optoelectronic Technician (Optoelectronic Tech) · Photonics Engineer · Photonics Engineering Technician (Photonics Engineering Tech) · Photonics Engineering Technologist · Removal Technician (Removal Tech) · Splicing Technician (Splicing Tech) · Strain Technician (Strain Tech) · Surgical Laser Technician (Surgical Laser Tech) · Test Technician (Test Tech) · Thin Film Technician (Thin Film Tech)