optical-engineer/references/skills.md

Competences — optical engineer

Source: ESCO v1.2.1 occupation-skill relations (http://data.europa.eu/esco/occupation/ab3c4d3e-3189-47ad-82af-57cdae3cb589).

Essential

• adjust engineering designs (skill/competence)
• analyse test data (skill/competence)
• approve engineering design (skill/competence)
• conduct literature research (skill/competence)
• conduct quality control analysis (skill/competence)
• demonstrate disciplinary expertise (skill/competence)
• design drawings (knowledge)
• design optical prototypes (skill/competence)
• develop optical test procedures (skill/competence)
• engineering principles (knowledge)
• interact professionally in research and professional environments (skill/competence)
• manage personal professional development (skill/competence)
• manage research data (skill/competence)
• mathematics (knowledge)
• model optical systems (skill/competence)
• operate open source software (skill/competence)
• operate scientific measuring equipment (skill/competence)
• optical components (knowledge)
• optical engineering (knowledge)
• optical equipment standards (knowledge)
• optical glass characteristics (knowledge)
• optical manufacturing process (knowledge)
• optics (knowledge)
• perform project management (skill/competence)
• physics (knowledge)
• prepare production prototypes (skill/competence)
• record test data (skill/competence)
• refractive power (knowledge)
• report analysis results (skill/competence)
• synthesise information (skill/competence)
• test optical components (skill/competence)
• think abstractly (skill/competence)
• types of optical instruments (knowledge)

Optional

• acoustics (knowledge)
• apply blended learning (skill/competence)
• apply for research funding (skill/competence)
• apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities (skill/competence)
• apply technical communication skills (skill/competence)
• build business relationships (skill/competence)
• CAE software (knowledge)
• cavity optomechanics (knowledge)
• communicate with a non-scientific audience (skill/competence)
• communicate with customers (skill/competence)
• computer engineering (knowledge)
• conduct research across disciplines (skill/competence)
• control engineering (knowledge)
• coordinate engineering teams (skill/competence)
• create technical plans (skill/competence)
• define manufacturing quality criteria (skill/competence)
• design optical systems (skill/competence)
• develop electronic test procedures (skill/competence)
• develop product design (skill/competence)
• develop professional network with researchers and scientists (skill/competence)
• digital camera sensors (knowledge)
• disseminate results to the scientific community (skill/competence)
• draft bill of materials (skill/competence)
• draft scientific or academic papers and technical documentation (skill/competence)
• electromagnetic spectrum (knowledge)
• electronic equipment standards (knowledge)
• electronics (knowledge)
• electrooptic devices (knowledge)
• electrooptics (knowledge)
• evaluate research activities (skill/competence)
• fibre optics (knowledge)
• increase the impact of science on policy and society (skill/competence)
• integrate gender dimension in research (skill/competence)
• interpret circuit diagrams (skill/competence)
• lasers (knowledge)
• maintain optical equipment (skill/competence)
• maintain safe engineering watches (skill/competence)
• manage findable accessible interoperable and reusable data (skill/competence)
• manage intellectual property rights (skill/competence)
• manage open publications (skill/competence)
• mechanical engineering (knowledge)
• medical imaging technology (knowledge)
• mentor individuals (skill/competence)
• microelectromechanical systems (knowledge)
• microelectronics (knowledge)
• microoptics (knowledge)
• microprocessors (knowledge)
• microsensors (knowledge)
• microwave principles (knowledge)
• MOEM (knowledge)
• mount optical components on frames (skill/competence)
• operate optical assembly equipment (skill/competence)
• operate precision machinery (skill/competence)
• operate precision measuring equipment (skill/competence)
• optical instruments (knowledge)
• optoelectronic devices (knowledge)
• optoelectronics (knowledge)
• optomechanical components (knowledge)
• optomechanical engineering (knowledge)
• perform data analysis (skill/competence)
• perform resource planning (skill/competence)
• perform scientific research (skill/competence)
• perform test run (skill/competence)
• photonics (knowledge)
• precision mechanics (knowledge)
• prepare assembly drawings (skill/competence)
• promote open innovation in research (skill/competence)
• promote the participation of citizens in scientific and research activities (skill/competence)
• promote the transfer of knowledge (skill/competence)
• publish academic research (skill/competence)
• quality standards (knowledge)
• quantum optics (knowledge)
• radars (knowledge)
• read engineering drawings (skill/competence)
• resolve equipment malfunctions (skill/competence)
• sell optical products (skill/competence)
• semiconductors (knowledge)
• sensors (knowledge)
• speak different languages (skill/competence)
• teach in academic or vocational contexts (skill/competence)
• telecommunications engineering (knowledge)
• train employees (skill/competence)
• use CAD software (skill/competence)
• use precision tools (skill/competence)
• write scientific publications (skill/competence)

Market evidence (job-ad analysis, 57 ads, as of 2026-07-18)

Share of analyzed job ads mentioning the item (threshold ≥ 20 %). Source: JSearch/Adzuna APIs.

Hard skills

• data analysis — 39 %
• optical system design — 35 %
• optical design — 19 %