Photonics Engineers
Design technologies specializing in light information or light energy, such as laser or fiber optics technology.
$122,930 a year (for the broader BLS group this job sits in).
of the working time. Estimate.
- 65%
- 1%
- 34%
Measured, from Anthropic's usage data (2025). Counts help on part of a task.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 0%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 2%. Today's estimate: 3%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 26 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Develop or test photonic prototypes or models.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 11% | 2.1 work days3.3 h to 1.7 work weeks | Stays with people | |
| Conduct research on new photonics technologies.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 11% | 2.1 work days6.7 h to 1.7 work weeks | 1%Half by Apr 2028 | |
| Develop optical or imaging systems, such as optical imaging products, optical components, image processes, signal process technologies, or optical systems.Done daily by most who do it. | 11% | 4.2 work days6.7 h to 3.5 work weeks | 0%Half by Apr 2029 | |
| Design, integrate, or test photonics systems or components.Done daily by most who do it. | 11% | 4.2 work days6.7 h to 3.5 work weeks | Stays with people | |
| Design gas lasers, solid state lasers, infrared, or other light emitting or light sensitive devices.Done yearly or less by most who do it. | 11% | 4.2 work days6.7 h to 3.5 work weeks | 0%Half by Apr 2029 | |
| Design electro-optical sensing or imaging systems.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 5% | 4.2 work days6.7 h to 3.5 work weeks | 0%Half by Apr 2029 | |
| Conduct testing to determine functionality or optimization or to establish limits of photonics systems or components.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 4% | 1.7 work days3.3 h to 1.7 work weeks | Stays with people | |
| Determine applications of photonics appropriate to meet product objectives or features.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 4% | 6.7 h1.7 h to 4.2 work days | 6%Half by Jan 2028 | |
| Assist in the transition of photonic prototypes to production.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 3% | 2.1 work days3.3 h to 1.7 work weeks | Stays with people | |
| Design photonics products, such as light sources, displays, or photovoltaics, to achieve increased energy efficiency.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 3% | 4.2 work days6.7 h to 3.5 work weeks | 0%Half by Apr 2029 | |
| Write reports or proposals related to photonics research or development projects.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 3% | 2.1 work days3.3 h to 1.7 work weeks | 1%Half by Sep 2028 | |
| Develop laser-processed designs, such as laser-cut medical devices.Done yearly or less by most who do it. | 3% | 4.2 work days6.7 h to 3.5 work weeks | 0%Half by Apr 2029 |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
- Photonics Technicians10% now, 16% by 2028
- Microsystems Engineers1% now, 36% by 2028
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer5% now, 52% by 2028
- Computer Hardware Engineers8% now, 65% by 2028
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians17% now, 49% by 2028
- Mechatronics Engineers4% now, 51% by 2028
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025). Counts are for the broader BLS group this job sits in.
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025). Counts are for the broader BLS group this job sits in.