# Photonics Technicians

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

- **SOC code:** 17-3029.08
- **Canonical URL:** https://singulariki.com/roles/role-17-3029-08
- **Also known as:** Fiber Optics Instructor, Laser Technician (Laser Tech), Optics Technician (Optics Tech), Photonics Technician (Photonics Tech), Fiber Optics Technician (Fiber Optics Tech), Optomechanical Technician (Optomechanical Tech), Photonics Laboratory Technician (Photonics Lab Tech), Ruling Technician (Ruling Tech)
- **Frame:** "AI exposure" means task overlap (how codifiable the work is), not jobs lost or a forecast. Every figure below is traced to a named public dataset.

## What this work is

**Core tasks** (O*NET):
- 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.
- Assemble fiber optical, optoelectronic, or free-space optics components, subcomponents, assemblies, or subassemblies.
- Optimize photonic process parameters by making prototype or production devices.
- Document procedures, such as calibration of optical or fiber optic equipment.
- Splice fibers, using fusion splicing or other techniques.
- 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.
- Build prototype optomechanical devices for use in equipment such as aerial cameras, gun sights, or telescopes.
- Terminate, cure, polish, or test fiber cables with mechanical connectors.

## Skills, tools, capabilities

**Knowledge, skills & abilities** (O*NET, highest importance first):
- Engineering and Technology _(knowledge)_
- Computers and Electronics _(knowledge)_
- Near Vision _(ability)_
- Oral Comprehension _(ability)_
- Problem Sensitivity _(ability)_
- Reading Comprehension _(essential_skill)_
- Written Comprehension _(ability)_
- Mathematics _(knowledge)_
- Mechanical _(knowledge)_
- Active Listening _(essential_skill)_
- Critical Thinking _(essential_skill)_
- Operations Monitoring _(transferable_skill)_

**Skills in demand:**
- Reading Comprehension _(Common Skill)_
- Microsoft Excel _(Common Skill)_
- Mathematics _(Common Skill)_
- Information Ordering _(Specialized Skill)_
- Finger Dexterity _(Common Skill)_
- Critical Thinking _(Common Skill)_
- Active Listening _(Common Skill)_
- Equipment Maintenance _(Specialized Skill)_
- Deductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_
- Active Learning _(Common Skill)_
- English Language _(Common Skill)_
- Physics _(Specialized Skill)_

**Tools & technology:**
- Microsoft Excel _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Autodesk AutoCAD _(hot technology)_
- Dassault Systemes SolidWorks _(hot technology)_
- Facebook _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Access _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Office software _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft PowerPoint _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Word _(hot technology)_
- SAP software _(hot technology)_
- The MathWorks MATLAB _(hot technology)_
- Data acquisition software
- Database software

## AI exposure & outlook

- **AI task-overlap index:** 52nd percentile (Moderate) across all occupations — composite of current-era exposure studies (ai-exposure-index-v1).
- **Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.):** 53rd percentile (Moderate) — source: felten_aioe.
- **LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou):** 37th percentile (Moderate) — source: eloundou_gamma.
- **AI assistant applicability (Microsoft):** 69th percentile (High) — source: microsoft_applicability.
- **Frey–Osborne (2013, historical computerization estimate):** 36th percentile — kept separate from current-era studies.
- **Remote-capable (Dingel–Neiman):** no — task structure, not who actually works remote.
- **Projected employment (BLS 2024–34):** 1.5% growth (About average); 5.7k annual openings; 67.3k → 68.3k jobs.
- **Pay & employment (BLS OEWS, May 2024):** median $77,390; 64,410 employed.

## How people actually use AI here

Anthropic Economic Index — measured AI conversations mapped to this occupation's tasks:

- **Automation vs augmentation:** — automation, 60% augmentation (usage-weighted).
- **Autonomy median:** 4.0 (higher = AI acts more independently).
- **Dominant collaboration mode:** learning.

**Tasks most handed to AI here:**
- Assist scientists or engineers in the conduct of photonic experiments. _(0.4% of measured AI use; learning)_

**Example prompts (honest phrasings of the tasks above — starting points, not endorsed instructions):**
- Help me assist scientists or engineers in the conduct of photonic experiments.

## Sources

- **O*NET** (30.3) — U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development. https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html
- **BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** (May 2024) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- **BLS Employment Projections** (2024–2034) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- **Anthropic Economic Index** (v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27)) — Anthropic. https://www.anthropic.com/economic-index
- **Microsoft “Working with AI”** (working-with-ai) — Microsoft Research. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/
- **“GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.)** (arXiv 2303.10130) — OpenAI / academic. https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130
- **AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE)** (Felten, Raj & Seamans) — academic. https://github.com/AIOE-Data/AIOE
- **Frey & Osborne (2013)** (frey-osborne-automation) — academic. https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/publications/the-future-of-employment/
- **Dingel & Neiman (2020)** (dingel-neiman-workathome) — academic. https://github.com/jdingel/DingelNeiman-workathome

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_Generated from Singulariki's joined dataset; data snapshot 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-17-3029-08_