Software Engineering Director - Platform Integration

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.

As Software Engineering Director, Platform Integration, You will lead and scale an organization of >30 engineers and 5 managers spanning cluster orchestration, platform management, networking (ingress/egress), and field engineering, ensuring OLIX systems operate as hyperscale AI infrastructure.

We are looking for a senior engineering leader to help shape where OLIX is going, not just how we get there. You bring deep technical judgment and a proven ability to build high-performing organizations that move with pace and conviction. You'll set the technical direction, define what matters and why, and create the conditions for outstanding engineers and engineering managers to do their best work.

• Set the vision and long-term direction for Platform Integration - spanning cluster orchestration, fleet management, networking, and deployment, and hold the organisation accountable for delivering against it.

• Build and lead a high-performing Platform Integration organisation. Develop managers who take genuine ownership of customer outcomes and reliability, not just delivery metrics.

• Define what technical excellence looks like at scale. Establish the architectural principles, review cadences, and quality standards the organisation operates by,

• Shape the technical direction for distributed AI workloads, making the hard calls on where to invest in cluster orchestration, scheduling, and fleet management systems.

• Translate long-term business direction into clear priorities to maximize customer and business outcomes, and shutting down work that does not.

• Build a healthy, high-performance culture that balances innovation, speed, and operational excellence.

• Proven engineering leader that has delivered large-scale distributed infrastructure or platform systems across multiple teams in an ambiguous and fast-moving environment with direct accountability for senior managers and multi-team execution.

• Scaling expertise - You've designed teams, hired senior talent, and developed managers to be strong leaders as well as managers.

• Track record running production platforms with high reliability expectations including SLOs, observability, incident management, and security management.

• Deep technical expertise in distributed systems, systems software, cluster orchestration, networking, and fleet operations.

• Outstanding communicator and recruiter, able to articulate a technical vision that makes exceptional people want to join and do the best work of their careers.

People Leader in the truest sense. You coach, develop, and stretch engineers and managers alike - not to hit targets, but to raise the ceiling of what the organisation can do.

• Competitive Salary: £195,000+, 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 £24k annual Living-Local Bonus if your residence is within 20 minutes of the office.

Health & Wellbeing

• Premium Healthcare: Comprehensive BUPA medical and dental cover, including Medical History Disregarded (MHD), for complete peace of mind.

• Time Off: 25 days of annual leave, plus all UK bank holidays.

The Workspace & Tech

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

• Optimal Environment: 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.

• Caffeine on Us: We’ve got you covered with a tab at our favourite local coffee shop.

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.