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

This is a hands-on, high-impact role for someone who combines deep RTL and SoC design expertise with strong architectural judgment and technical leadership. You’ll be responsible for building and guiding the digital design team, defining the architecture of compute and control subsystems, and ensuring our chips meet performance, power and area targets.

This position reports into the VP of ASIC.

Responsibilities

• Lead the digital design and verification effort for Olix’s ASICs, from architecture through tape-out.

• Define and partition digital subsystems (compute cores, data movement, control, and high-speed interfaces).

• Drive the development of RTL, synthesis, timing closure, and DFT methodologies for next-generation optical compute devices.

• Coordinate closely with analog, mixed-signal, photonics, packaging, and firmware teams to integrate full-stack system functionality.

• Build, mentor, and grow a high-performing digital design team; set technical standards and review critical design work.

• Collaborate with EDA partners, foundries, and external IP vendors to ensure schedule and quality targets are met.

• Establish and manage verification plans, regression infrastructure, and bring-up/test hand-off.

• Own key technical decisions around power domains, clocking architecture, data paths, and testability.

• Contribute directly to strategic program planning, MPW/test-chip execution, and silicon bring-up.

Skills & Experience

• 15 + years experience in digital ASIC design and verification, with at least 3+ full-cycle chips successfully taped out at ≤ 22 nm.

• Demonstrated track record managing managers and multi‑disciplinary teams (high speed analog, digital, verification, physical design, test).

• Proven ability to lead teams through RTL architecture, design, verification, synthesis, and timing closure.

• Deep understanding of high‑speed mixed‑signal design challenges—multi‑lane SerDes, fast‑settling DACs/ADCs, sub‑picosecond clocking, advanced power‑delivery and packaging.

• Proven success negotiating foundry schedules, MPW slots, mask‑set revisions and yield‑improvement plans with Tier‑1 fabs (TSMC, Samsung, GF, UMC, etc.).

• Strong cross-disciplinary communication and program-management instincts — able to drive execution across multiple domains.

• Comfort with startup-pace environments where iteration speed and ownership matter more than bureaucracy and alignment with 5-days in-office culture.

Compensation & Equity

• Competitive Salary: $$274,000 - $370,000, 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: $274K - $370K