Optical Engineer Visa Sponsorship Jobs in California
Optical engineer jobs in California are concentrated in Silicon Valley, San Diego's photonics corridor, and the Greater Los Angeles area, where employers like II-VI (now Coherent), Lumentum, Viavi Solutions, and defense contractors including Northrop Grumman and L3Harris actively hire. California's density of research universities and national laboratories creates a steady pipeline of sponsored roles for international engineers.
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Get Access To All JobsSUMMARY
Apple is where individual imaginations gather together, committing to the values that lead to great work. Every new product we build, service we create, or Apple Store experience we deliver is the result of us making each other’s ideas stronger. That happens because every one of us shares a belief that we can make something wonderful and share it with the world, changing lives for the better. It’s the diversity of our people and their thinking that inspires the innovation that runs through everything we do. When we bring everybody in, we can do the best work of our lives. Here, you’ll do more than join something — you’ll add something.
DESCRIPTION
The Camera Hardware Engineering group is responsible for all research, design, development, test and qualification of camera hardware for Apple products. The team is looking for an Optical Engineer to work on the development and system-level integration of new illumination components such as the camera flash.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in Optics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or relevant field of study.
- Experience in LightTools, SPEOS, Zemax non-sequential, RSoft, or Lumerical.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Master’s or PhD degree in Optics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or relevant field of study with 3 years of relevant industry experience.
- Experience in optical design applied to illumination systems such as general lighting, automotive lighting, displays, cameras, or optical metrology.
- Ability to write scripts to automate optical simulations and data analysis (Python, Matlab, C#, C++, VB).
- Experience using AI coding agents (Claude Code, MCP servers, agent skills) along optical software (LightTools, CODE V, Zemax) to automate simulation and analysis work.
- Ability to verify AI-generated scripts and results against optics first-principles. Build and validate tools and workflows for use across the larger team.
- Experience with optical characterization equipment such as spectrophotometers and scatterometers.
- Understanding of LEDs and solid-state lighting.
- Familiarity with CAD software such as NX or SolidWorks.
- Ability to interface with cross-functional teams to support integration of illumination components into systems and assess feasibility of new optical concepts.
COMPENSATION
- Base pay range for this role is between $150,400 and $225,300, and your base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.
Apple employees also have the opportunity to become an Apple shareholder through participation in Apple’s discretionary employee stock programs. Apple employees are eligible for discretionary restricted stock unit awards, and can purchase Apple stock at a discount if voluntarily participating in Apple’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You’ll also receive benefits including: Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, a range of discounted products and free services, and for formal education related to advancing your career at Apple, reimbursement for certain educational expenses — including tuition. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments as well as relocation.
Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.
Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We seek to promote equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics.
At Apple, we believe accessibility is a fundamental human right. You’ll find that idea reflected in everything here — in our culture, our benefits and our digital tools. By welcoming as many perspectives as possible, we help you build a career where you feel like you belong.
Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.
SUMMARY
Apple is where individual imaginations gather together, committing to the values that lead to great work. Every new product we build, service we create, or Apple Store experience we deliver is the result of us making each other’s ideas stronger. That happens because every one of us shares a belief that we can make something wonderful and share it with the world, changing lives for the better. It’s the diversity of our people and their thinking that inspires the innovation that runs through everything we do. When we bring everybody in, we can do the best work of our lives. Here, you’ll do more than join something — you’ll add something.
DESCRIPTION
The Camera Hardware Engineering group is responsible for all research, design, development, test and qualification of camera hardware for Apple products. The team is looking for an Optical Engineer to work on the development and system-level integration of new illumination components such as the camera flash.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in Optics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or relevant field of study.
- Experience in LightTools, SPEOS, Zemax non-sequential, RSoft, or Lumerical.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Master’s or PhD degree in Optics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or relevant field of study with 3 years of relevant industry experience.
- Experience in optical design applied to illumination systems such as general lighting, automotive lighting, displays, cameras, or optical metrology.
- Ability to write scripts to automate optical simulations and data analysis (Python, Matlab, C#, C++, VB).
- Experience using AI coding agents (Claude Code, MCP servers, agent skills) along optical software (LightTools, CODE V, Zemax) to automate simulation and analysis work.
- Ability to verify AI-generated scripts and results against optics first-principles. Build and validate tools and workflows for use across the larger team.
- Experience with optical characterization equipment such as spectrophotometers and scatterometers.
- Understanding of LEDs and solid-state lighting.
- Familiarity with CAD software such as NX or SolidWorks.
- Ability to interface with cross-functional teams to support integration of illumination components into systems and assess feasibility of new optical concepts.
COMPENSATION
- Base pay range for this role is between $150,400 and $225,300, and your base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.
Apple employees also have the opportunity to become an Apple shareholder through participation in Apple’s discretionary employee stock programs. Apple employees are eligible for discretionary restricted stock unit awards, and can purchase Apple stock at a discount if voluntarily participating in Apple’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You’ll also receive benefits including: Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, a range of discounted products and free services, and for formal education related to advancing your career at Apple, reimbursement for certain educational expenses — including tuition. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments as well as relocation.
Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.
Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We seek to promote equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics.
At Apple, we believe accessibility is a fundamental human right. You’ll find that idea reflected in everything here — in our culture, our benefits and our digital tools. By welcoming as many perspectives as possible, we help you build a career where you feel like you belong.
Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.
Optical Engineer Job Roles in California
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Search Optical Engineer Jobs in CaliforniaOptical Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies in California sponsor visas for optical engineers?
California's optical engineering sector includes active sponsors such as Coherent (formerly II-VI), Lumentum, Viavi Solutions, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, L3Harris, and Apple. Semiconductor and lidar companies in Silicon Valley, including Luminar Technologies and Velodyne, also file for sponsored roles. Defense contractors typically require security clearance eligibility, which may limit options for some international candidates.
What visa types realistically fit optical engineer roles in California?
Optical engineering qualifies as a specialty occupation, making the H-1B visa the most common path. It requires a bachelor's degree in a directly related field such as optical engineering, physics, or electrical engineering, and is subject to an annual cap and selection process. Canadian and Mexican nationals may qualify for TN visa status under the USMCA Engineer category. Australian nationals can apply for the E-3 visa, which carries a separate cap and requires a certified Labor Condition Application. F-1 graduates may work under OPT or STEM OPT while pursuing long-term sponsorship.
Which cities in California have the most optical engineer sponsorship jobs?
San Jose and the broader Silicon Valley region lead in photonics, fiber optics, and lidar roles tied to the tech and semiconductor industries. San Diego is a major hub for defense optics and biomedical imaging, home to employers like Thermo Fisher Scientific and several defense primes. Los Angeles hosts aerospace and defense contractors, while Santa Clara and Sunnyvale concentrate telecom and consumer photonics companies.
How to find optical engineer visa sponsorship jobs in California?
Migrate Mate lists California employers with verified visa sponsorship history for engineering roles, including optical engineer positions. You can search by city or region to target Silicon Valley, San Diego, or Los Angeles employers specifically. Because optical engineering overlaps with photonics, fiber optics, and laser systems, browsing related engineering categories on Migrate Mate can surface additional sponsoring employers you might otherwise miss.
Are there state-specific factors that affect optical engineer sponsorship in California?
California's concentration of defense contractors means some optical engineer roles require U.S. citizenship or permanent residency due to security clearance requirements, which limits sponsorship eligibility for those positions. However, the commercial photonics, semiconductor, and consumer electronics sectors face no such restriction. California's university pipeline, including UC San Diego's photonics program and Stanford's applied physics department, creates well-established pathways from academic research into industry sponsorship.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored optical engineer jobs in California?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.