Licensed Optician

Location: DIFF Retail Store, Charleston, South Carolina Position Overview The Licensed Optician is a key member of the DIFF Eyewear retail team and plays an essential role in delivering an elevated, personalized eyewear experience to every customer. This position combines licensed optical expertise with luxury retail service, helping customers find eyewear that allows them to look and see their best. The Licensed Optician will guide customers through the entire eyewear journey, from understanding their prescription and visual needs to selecting frames, recommending lens options, taking accurate measurements, placing orders, and ensuring a seamless dispensing experience. This role will work closely with the Licensed Optometrist, Optical Technician, and Store Manager to create a best in class optical experience that blends clinical knowledge, fashion, hospitality, and DIFF’s mission of delivering style with purpose. The ideal candidate is a licensed optical professional who is passionate about eyewear, fashion, and customer service. They are confident educating customers on lens technology and prescription solutions, have a strong attention to detail, and thrive in a fast paced, high touch retail environment. What You Will Do in This Role Optical Expertise & Patient Experience Serve as a trusted optical expert and primary resource for customers throughout their eyewear purchasing journey. Deliver a luxury level customer experience that reflects DIFF’s brand values and customer first culture. Build genuine relationships with customers by understanding their lifestyle, visual needs, personal style, and eyewear preferences. Review and interpret prescriptions accurately and explain prescription requirements and options in a clear and approachable manner. Educate customers on frame, lens, material, coating, and prescription options to help them make confident purchasing decisions. Provide personalized recommendations based on prescription requirements, lifestyle, occupation, visual needs, and personal style. Create a welcoming and consultative experience that feels more like personal styling than a traditional optical transaction. Anticipate customer needs and proactively resolve concerns throughout the purchasing and dispensing process. Partner with the Optometrist and Optical Technician to create a seamless transition from the eye exam experience to eyewear selection. Provide personalized frame styling consultations based on facial features, personal style, prescription requirements, and lifestyle. Maintain expert knowledge of DIFF’s collections, products, materials, fit, and new product launches. Educate customers on frame construction, lens materials, lens designs, coatings, and other optical technologies. Recommend appropriate lens solutions based on the customer’s prescription and individual needs. Explain the benefits and differences between single vision, progressive, occupational, computer, polarized, and other lens options as appropriate. Help customers understand lens enhancements including anti reflective coatings, blue light technology, photochromic options, and sun protection. Take accurate measurements required for prescription eyewear, including pupillary distance and other measurements as appropriate. Ensure frame selection and lens recommendations are appropriate for the customer’s prescription and visual requirements. Support customers in making informed decisions while maintaining a consultative, non pressured sales approach. Contribute to achieving individual and store sales goals through exceptional service, product knowledge, and customer relationships. Optical Dispensing & Order Management Accurately enter, verify, and process prescription eyewear orders. Verify prescriptions, measurements, frame selections, and lens specifications prior to submitting orders. Inspect completed eyewear for quality, accuracy, prescription compliance, fit, and overall presentation. Dispense finished eyewear and make appropriate adjustments to ensure proper fit and comfort. Perform frame adjustments including alignment, temple adjustments, nose pad adjustments, and other standard optical adjustments. Identify and troubleshoot common fitting and dispensing issues. Communicate with optical laboratories and vendors regarding orders, remakes, delays, or quality concerns. Manage customer eyewear orders from initial purchase through final dispensing. Follow up with customers regarding order status, appointments, and completed eyewear. Handle remakes, returns, exchanges, and warranty issues in accordance with DIFF policies. Maintain accurate customer and order records. Lens & Optical Education Maintain a strong understanding of prescription lens designs, materials, coatings, and optical technologies. Educate customers on the advantages and limitations of different lens options. Provide guidance on progressive lens options and help customers understand adaptation expectations. Recommend appropriate lens solutions based on prescription complexity and lifestyle requirements. Stay current on developments in optical technology, lens products, frame materials, and industry trends. Maintain strong knowledge of DIFF’s optical offerings and any laboratory or lens partners used by the company. Retail Operations Maintain a clean, organized, and visually elevated optical sales floor and dispensing area. Ensure frames are properly displayed, organized, clean, and fully stocked. Assist with inventory management, including receiving, organizing, transferring, and replenishing eyewear. Maintain accurate records of customer purchases, prescriptions, measurements, and orders. Assist with opening and closing procedures as needed. Support appointment scheduling, confirmations, recalls, and customer follow up. Assist the Store Manager with operational initiatives, product launches, promotions, and special events. Maintain a high level of professionalism and presentation consistent with DIFF’s elevated retail environment. Is This You? Passionate about eyewear, fashion, optical products, and helping people look and see their best. Naturally hospitable with a strong customer service mindset. Confident educating customers on prescriptions, lenses, frames, and optical technology. Comfortable combining professional optical expertise with a luxury retail experience. Professional, personable, and confident interacting with customers of all ages. Highly detail oriented with a strong commitment to accuracy. Strong communicator who can translate technical optical information into an easy to understand customer experience. Comfortable working in a fast paced retail environment. Strong multitasker who can manage customer interactions, orders, dispensing, and operational responsibilities. Sales minded without being overly transactional or pushy. Fashion forward and excited about helping customers find eyewear that fits their individual style. Positive team player who communicates effectively with doctors, leadership, and retail associates. Tech savvy and comfortable learning new optical, point of sale, scheduling, and inventory systems. Driven to create memorable customer experiences that build loyalty and long term relationships. Preferred Qualifications Current South Carolina Licensed Optician license required. ABO and/or NCLE certification preferred. 1+ years of optical dispensing experience preferred. Experience working in a retail optical, optometry, ophthalmology, or luxury eyewear environment preferred. Strong knowledge of prescription eyewear, lens designs, materials, coatings, and optical technology. Experience with progressive lenses and complex prescriptions preferred. Experience taking accurate optical measurements and performing frame adjustments. Experience using optical laboratory systems and managing prescription eyewear orders. Experience with optical point of sale and inventory management systems preferred. Familiarity with vision insurance and optical benefit programs preferred. Previous luxury retail, fashion, hospitality, or premium customer service experience is highly desirable. Experience with Essilor equipment and technology is a plus, specifically VS700. Experience working with digital lens measurement and dispensing technology is a plus. Requirements of the Role Active South Carolina Licensed Optician license required. Ability to work a flexible retail schedule including evenings, weekends, and holidays as business needs require. Ability to stand and move throughout the sales floor and optical area for extended periods. Ability to perform repetitive hand movements associated with frame adjustments and optical dispensing. Ability to lift up to 25 pounds. Comfortable using computers, tablets, point of sale systems, inventory platforms, and optical technology. Strong organizational, communication, and time management skills. Strong attention to detail and commitment to prescription and dispensing accuracy. Ability to maintain customer confidentiality and comply with applicable privacy requirements. Ability to work collaboratively with medical and retail professionals. Commitment to delivering an elevated customer experience consistent with the DIFF brand. Ability to thrive in a fast growing and entrepreneurial retail environment. Accrued PTO for Full Time Employees Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance Career Growth & Development Opportunities Fun, collaborative, and purpose driven work environment #J-18808-Ljbffr