Optical Technician

Class Specifications – H.15
Principal Senior Optical Technician – 8761
Optical Technician – 8762

December, 1978

Series Concept

Optical Technicians perform and supervise skilled tasks in the design, development, fabrication, testing, adjustment, maintenance and installation of a wide variety of custom-built optical instruments; perform technical operations that require a knowledge of the capabilities, limitations, design characteristics, and functional use of a wide variety of small to large optical elements; operate machine and optical shop equipment; set up optical equipment; operate curve generators to obtain aspheric forms; cut, grind, edge and shape material used in making objectives;. determine the appropriate curvature by contact or nondestructive testing with a spherometer, autocollimator, interferometer, or related instruments; construct templates and angle gauges; correct concave mirrors using the knife-edge (Foucault) technique to determine imperfections; polish prisms and lenses of varying sizes to the desired uniform curvature; formulate pitches; use abrasives for both coarse and fine grinding and polishing; test polished surfaces for flatness by means of Newton’s fringes using proof plates under monochromatic light; operate a high vacuum coating chamber to deposit thin coatings on mirrors; and perform other related duties as required.

Class Concepts

Principal Optical Technician

Under general direction, incumbents fabricate, produce and install optical instruments, and make original contributions to the innovation and development of optical instruments. At this level incumbents typically participate in the design of complex optical systems and design fabrication tools and test equipment; develop fabrication procedures, methods and tests; aad provide technical supervision in the installation and maintenance operations associated with large optics.

Senior Optical Technician

Under direction incumbents operate a wide variety of optical equipment and perform the full range of duties as outlined in the series concept.

Minimum Qualifications

Principal Optical Technician

Graduation from high school or a General Education Diploma and eight years of experience in the fabrication of optical instruments; or an equivalent combination of education and experience; and knowledges and abilities essential to the successful performance of the duties assigned to the position.

Senior Optical Technician

Graduation from high school or a General Education Diploma -and six years of experience in the fabrication of optical instruments; or an equivalent combination of education and experience; and knowledges and abilities essential to the successful performance of the duties assigned to the position.