Table 1Transition record

optical engineertosensor engineer

A optical engineer already meets 71% of what the sensor engineer role asks for. The move turns on 13 required skills not yet in the profile.

From optical engineer

71%

Overlap1

To sensor engineer

78 Skills carried over

13 Required, not held

46.1 Difficulty2

Career overlap Strong match

71%

Learning distance Real move, short list to learn

46.1/ 100

Easy adjacentmoderatesubstantialcareer change Hard

1 Share of the sensor engineer role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the optical engineer profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Why

Why this move works

A sensor engineer role treats 29 of its required skills as things a optical engineer already does. These are the ones it depends on most.

adjust engineering designs
analyse test data
approve engineering design
conduct literature research
conduct quality control analysis
control engineering

What stands in the way is 13 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 78 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A sensor engineer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a optical engineer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held develop electronic test procedures management skills
already held MOEM engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held microsensors engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held digital camera sensors arts and humanities
already held microelectromechanical systems engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held microprocessors information and communication technologies (icts)

All 78 carried skills, including the 29 the sensor engineer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 30 missing skills fall into 10 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 engineering, manufacturing and construction 3 required, 7 supplementary

required, not held electricity required
required, not held electricity principles required
required, not held electronic test procedures required

optional, not held consumer electronics optional
optional, not held automation technology optional
optional, not held building automation optional
optional, not held electrical engineering optional
optional, not held environmental engineering optional
optional, not held industrial research and development optional
optional, not held safety engineering optional

02 communication, collaboration and creativity 3 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held design sensors required
required, not held model sensor required
required, not held design prototypes required

optional, not held automotive engineering optional
optional, not held design firmware optional

03 information and communication technologies (icts) 2 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held digital twin technology required
required, not held computer simulation required

optional, not held quantum computing optional
optional, not held firmware optional
optional, not held hybrid control systems optional

04 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held environmental threats required

optional, not held mathematical modelling optional

05 working with computers 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held use technical drawing software required

optional, not held use CAM software optional

06 assisting and caring 1 required

required, not held abide by regulations on banned materials required

4 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a sensor engineer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 78 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held adjust engineering designs skill
already held analyse test data skill
already held approve engineering design skill
already held conduct literature research skill
already held conduct quality control analysis skill
already held control engineering knowledge
already held demonstrate disciplinary expertise skill
already held design drawings knowledge
already held develop electronic test procedures skill
already held electronic equipment standards knowledge
already held electronics knowledge
already held engineering principles knowledge
already held interact professionally in research and professional environments skill
already held manage personal professional development skill
already held manage research data skill
already held mathematics knowledge
already held microsensors knowledge
already held operate open source software skill
already held operate scientific measuring equipment skill
already held perform data analysis skill
already held perform project management skill
already held physics knowledge
already held prepare production prototypes skill
already held read engineering drawings skill
already held record test data skill
already held report analysis results skill
already held sensors knowledge
already held synthesise information skill
already held think abstractly skill
already held CAE software knowledge
already held MOEM knowledge
already held apply blended learning skill
already held apply for research funding skill
already held apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities skill
already held apply technical communication skills skill
already held build business relationships skill
already held communicate with a non-scientific audience skill
already held communicate with customers skill
already held computer engineering knowledge
already held conduct research across disciplines skill
already held coordinate engineering teams skill
already held create technical plans skill
already held define manufacturing quality criteria skill
already held develop product design skill
already held develop professional network with researchers and scientists skill
already held digital camera sensors knowledge
already held disseminate results to the scientific community skill
already held draft bill of materials skill
already held draft scientific or academic papers and technical documentation skill
already held evaluate research activities skill
already held increase the impact of science on policy and society skill
already held integrate gender dimension in research skill
already held maintain safe engineering watches skill
already held manage findable accessible interoperable and reusable data skill
already held manage intellectual property rights skill
already held manage open publications skill
already held mechanical engineering knowledge
already held mentor individuals skill
already held microelectromechanical systems knowledge
already held microelectronics knowledge
already held microprocessors knowledge
already held optics knowledge
already held optoelectronics knowledge
already held perform resource planning skill
already held perform scientific research skill
already held perform test run skill
already held precision mechanics knowledge
already held prepare assembly drawings skill
already held promote open innovation in research skill
already held promote the participation of citizens in scientific and research activities skill
already held promote the transfer of knowledge skill
already held publish academic research skill
already held speak different languages skill
already held teach in academic or vocational contexts skill
already held train employees skill
already held use CAD software skill
already held use precision tools skill
already held write scientific publications skill

The 4 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 business, administration and law 1 required

required, not held environmental legislation required

08 constructing 1 required

required, not held test sensors required

09 health and welfare 2 supplementary

optional, not held biomedical engineering optional
optional, not held biotechnology optional

10 arts and humanities 1 supplementary

optional, not held holography optional

17 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held consumer electronics optional
optional, not held holography optional
optional, not held quantum computing optional
optional, not held automation technology optional
optional, not held automotive engineering optional
optional, not held biomedical engineering optional
optional, not held biotechnology optional
optional, not held building automation optional
optional, not held design firmware optional
optional, not held electrical engineering optional
optional, not held environmental engineering optional
optional, not held firmware optional
optional, not held hybrid control systems optional
optional, not held industrial research and development optional
optional, not held mathematical modelling optional
optional, not held safety engineering optional
optional, not held use CAM software optional

40 held skills the sensor engineer role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role acoustics knowledge
not needed by the target role cavity optomechanics knowledge
not needed by the target role design optical prototypes skill
not needed by the target role design optical systems skill
not needed by the target role develop optical test procedures skill
not needed by the target role electromagnetic spectrum knowledge
not needed by the target role electrooptic devices knowledge
not needed by the target role electrooptics knowledge
not needed by the target role fibre optics knowledge
not needed by the target role interpret circuit diagrams skill
not needed by the target role lasers knowledge
not needed by the target role maintain optical equipment skill
not needed by the target role medical imaging technology knowledge
not needed by the target role microoptics knowledge
not needed by the target role microwave principles knowledge
not needed by the target role model optical systems skill
not needed by the target role mount optical components on frames skill
not needed by the target role operate optical assembly equipment skill
not needed by the target role operate precision machinery skill
not needed by the target role operate precision measuring equipment skill
not needed by the target role optical components knowledge
not needed by the target role optical engineering knowledge
not needed by the target role optical equipment standards knowledge
not needed by the target role optical glass characteristics knowledge
not needed by the target role optical instruments knowledge
not needed by the target role optical manufacturing process knowledge
not needed by the target role optoelectronic devices knowledge
not needed by the target role optomechanical components knowledge
not needed by the target role optomechanical engineering knowledge
not needed by the target role photonics knowledge
not needed by the target role quality standards knowledge
not needed by the target role quantum optics knowledge
not needed by the target role radars knowledge
not needed by the target role refractive power knowledge
not needed by the target role resolve equipment malfunctions skill
not needed by the target role sell optical products skill
not needed by the target role semiconductors knowledge
not needed by the target role telecommunications engineering knowledge
not needed by the target role test optical components skill
not needed by the target role types of optical instruments knowledge

21 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held digital twin technology required
required, not held environmental threats required
required, not held computer simulation required
required, not held electricity required
required, not held electricity principles required
required, not held electronic test procedures required
required, not held environmental legislation required
optional, not held consumer electronics optional
optional, not held holography optional
optional, not held quantum computing optional
optional, not held automation technology optional
optional, not held biomedical engineering optional
optional, not held biotechnology optional
optional, not held building automation optional
optional, not held electrical engineering optional
optional, not held environmental engineering optional
optional, not held firmware optional
optional, not held hybrid control systems optional
optional, not held industrial research and development optional
optional, not held mathematical modelling optional
optional, not held safety engineering optional

Index

Other moves recorded from optical engineer

Full index of moves from optical engineer

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.