About OLIX

AI is growing faster than any technology in history and the explosion in demand has created a massive infrastructure gap; we can no longer build chips or power stations fast enough to keep up. The industry is still leaning on a ten-year-old hardware blueprint that has reached its limit. A new paradigm that is faster and more efficient will be the biggest economic opportunity of the next century and create the most important company of the next decade. OLIX is building this next paradigm; the Optical Tensor Processing Unit (OTPU) achieves performance and energy efficiency that is impossible to match from existing chips.

The Role:

You will lead and scale Olix's Compiler & Performance Modelling teams, the groups defining and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with our OTPUs, and realize it through the design and delivery of our compiler stack. You’ll define technical strategy, drive execution, and help build one of the most technically ambitious teams in the industry.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and grow a high-performing performance modelling and compiler teams in a fast-paced, high-expectation environment.

• Own delivery of complex, cross-functional projects across optics, hardware, and software that drive customer and business outcomes.

• Define the future performance of our OTPUs through detailed roofline, functional and performance modelling.

• Shape the engineering strategy and architecture, aligning current and future OTPU performance with Olix's broader product roadmap and technical vision.

• Build organisational capacity by hiring exceptional engineers, mentoring emerging leaders, and establishing scalable processes.

• Drive quality and reliability across pre-silicon emulation, compilation, and distributed inference.

• Partner cross-functionally with optics, hardware, and software teams to bring the OTPU to market.

Skills & Experience:

In order to set you up for success as an Engineer Manager at Olix, we’re looking for the following skills and experience:

• Have 5+ years of experience managing engineering teams of 5-10 in a high-performance, fast-paced environment. Experienced in hyper-scaling and managing managers preferred.

• Proven experience in ML or NPU compiler development and performance modelling, with hands-on expertise in modern toolchains such as LLVM, MLIR, XLA/OpenXLA, SystemC, Gem5, or QEMU.

• Strong track record of leading world-class teams and delivering customer and business outcomes.

• Thrive in ambiguity and can adapt quickly to rapidly changing conditions.

• Have experience closing competitive candidates for your team, and the ability to craft and convey compelling visions of the future

• Have a strong coaching mindset and excel at guiding engineers to reach their peak potential.

Compensation & Equity

• Competitive Salary: $286,000–$350,000, commensurate with your experience, skills, and location.

• Equity & Ownership: Meaningful stock options. You’re not just joining the mission; you’re owning a piece of it.

• Proximity Bonus: We value your time. To minimise your commute and maximise your life, we offer a $36k annual Living-Local Bonus if your residence is within 20 minutes of the office.

Time Off

• Time Off: 33 days of paid time off (PTO), including US federal holidays.

Health & Wellbeing

• Healthcare Coverage: Multiple high-quality medical plan options, including family coverage.

• Health Savings Account: A high-deductible medical option with a company-funded health savings account (HSA).

• Dental & Vision: Dental and vision coverage.

• Additional Coverage: Life insurance, plus short- and long-term disability.

• Wellbeing Support: Mental health resources, fertility and family-building support.

• Commuter Benefits: Pre-tax commuter and parking benefits.

Retirement

• 401(k): Access to a 401(k) retirement plan with a 4% employer match, with both traditional and Roth contribution options. Employees also have access to a dedicated financial advisor to support portfolio selection and long-term planning.

The Workspace & Tech

• M4 Macs come as standard, with M4 Pro upgrades for our engineering team. We will provide whatever you need to do your best work.

• High-spec noise-cancelling headphones and a fully ergonomic workstation designed for deep focus.

• Rapid Prototyping: Access to our high-performance 3D printing lab for work, experimentation, and personal creative projects.

Life at the Office

• Chef-prepared meals: if you need to work late.

Relocation & Global Mobility

• Visa Sponsorship: We hire the best in the world. We offer full UK and international visa sponsorship.

• Seamless Relocation: Whether you’re moving across the country or across the globe, our dedicated relocation partner provides funding and concierge support to get you settled.

Due to U.S. export control regulations, candidates’ eligibility to work at OLIX depends on their most recent citizenship or permanent residency status. We are generally unable to consider applicants whose most recent citizenship or permanent residence is in certain restricted countries (currently including Iran, North Korea, Syria, Cuba, Russia, Belarus, China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Venezuela). Applicants who have subsequently obtained citizenship or permanent residency in another country not subject to these restrictions may still be eligible.

Compensation Range: £208,000 - £256,600