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Photonics Technicians

Build, install, test, or maintain optical or fiber optic equipment, such as lasers, lenses, or mirrors, using spectrometers, interferometers, or related equipment.

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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Lay out cutting lines for machining, using drafting tools.
    • Adjust or maintain equipment, such as lasers, laser systems, microscopes, oscilloscopes, pulse generators, power meters, beam analyzers, or energy measurement devices.
    • 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 engineers in the development of new products, fixtures, tools, or processes.
    • Repair or calibrate products, such as surgical lasers.
    • Develop solar power sources for lasers used in fiber optics.
    • Recommend optical or optic equipment design or material changes to reduce costs or processing times.
    • Monitor inventory levels and order supplies as necessary.
    • Monitor mechanical factors, such as turbine load or strain information.
    • Design, build, or modify fixtures used to assemble parts.
    • Fabricate devices, such as optoelectronic or semiconductor devices.
    • Set up or operate prototype or test apparatus, such as control consoles, collimators, recording equipment, or cables.
    • Optimize photonic process parameters by making prototype or production devices.
    • Build photonics tools to be applied to electrical grids to detect hot spots, such as failing insulators or conductors.
    • Maintain clean working environments, according to clean room standards.
    • Compute or record photonic test data.
    • 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.
    • Assemble or adjust parts or related electrical units of prototypes to prepare for testing.
    • Monitor inventory levels and order supplies as necessary.
    • Repair or calibrate products, such as surgical lasers.
    • Terminate, cure, polish, or test fiber cables with mechanical connectors.
    • Perform diagnostic analyses of processing steps, using analytical or metrological tools, such as microscopy, profilometry, or ellipsometry devices.
    • Assemble devices or equipment to be used in green technology applications, including solar energy, high efficiency solid state lighting, energy management, smart buildings, or green processes.
    • Fabricate sensors to be used to control wind turbines.
    • Compute or record photonic test data.
    • Assist engineers in the development of new products, fixtures, tools, or processes.
    • Mix, pour, or use processing chemicals or gases according to safety standards or established operating procedures.
    • Test or perform failure analysis for optomechanical or optoelectrical products, according to test plans.
    • Design, build, or modify fixtures used to assemble parts.
    • Splice fibers, using fusion splicing or other techniques.
    • Build prototype optomechanical devices for use in equipment such as aerial cameras, gun sights, or telescopes.
    • Assemble components of energy-efficient optical communications systems involving photonic switches, optical backplanes, or optoelectronic interfaces.
    • Assemble fiber optical, optoelectronic, or free-space optics components, subcomponents, assemblies, or subassemblies.
    • Assist scientists or engineers in the conduct of photonic experiments.

    Skills

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    4
    Workplace Documents
    4
    Graphic Literacy
    4

    Abilities

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    Knowledge

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Customer and Personal Service

      Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

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    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 60790/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 29.23/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 2,430
    • Yearly Projected Openings 230

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Integrity
    • Cooperation
    • Analytical Thinking
    • Initiative

    Tools

    • Bench refractometers or polarimeters
    • Binocular light compound microscopes
    • Cable splicing kits
    • Calipers
    • Comparators
    • Coordinate measuring machines CMM
    • Cutting machines
    • Depth gauges
    • Diffractometers
    • Digital testers
    • Drill press or radial drill
    • Facial shields
    • Fiber optic fault locators
    • Fire extinguishers
    • HEPA filtered enclosures
    • Hardness testers
    • Horizontal turning center
    • Induction heaters
    • Integrated circuit testers
    • Interferometers
    • Isolators
    • Jacks
    • Lab coats
    • Laboratory evaporators
    • Laboratory forceps
    • Laboratory mechanical convection ovens
    • Laser cutting machine
    • Laser measuring systems
    • Laser welding machine
    • Lasers
    • Loupes
    • Magnifiers
    • Micrometers
    • Milling machines
    • Monochromators
    • Multimeters
    • Optical diffusers
    • Optical mounts
    • Optical rails or bases
    • Oscilloscopes
    • Personal computers
    • Photosensitive diodes
    • Pocket calculator
    • Polishing machines
    • Portable data input terminals
    • Positioning jig
    • Power grinders
    • Power meters
    • Power saws
    • Protective gloves
    • Refrigerated and heated reach in environmental or growth chambers
    • Safety glasses
    • Sawing machines
    • Scanning electron microscopes
    • Scanning probe microscopes
    • Semiconductor process systems
    • Semiconductor testers
    • Signal generators
    • Soldering iron
    • Spectrometers
    • Spectrophotometers
    • Spherometers
    • Surface testers
    • Temperature cycling chambers or thermal cyclers
    • Tension testers
    • Thickness measuring devices
    • X ray diffraction equipment

    Technology

    • Analytical or scientific software
    • Computer aided design CAD software
    • Computer aided manufacturing CAM software
    • Data base user interface and query software
    • Development environment software
    • Enterprise resource planning ERP software
    • Graphics or photo imaging software
    • Internet browser software
    • Office suite software
    • Presentation software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Web page creation and editing software
    • Word processing software

    Tags

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