Compiler Engineer

OLIX•San Francisco, CA

23h•$233,000 - $314,000

About The Position

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. We’re searching for Senior Compiler Engineers to join the team building the ML backend (compiler, run-time, and debugger) for our next-generation OPTUs that connect PyTorch, Tensorflow, JAX, and MXNet down to our low-level kernel drivers.Your mission will be to create seamless support for a broad ecosystem of large AI models, and ensure we are pushing the limits of their performance envelope by closely partnering with hardware and modelling teams to understand device trade-offs.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in software engineering with a focus on C/C++ programming.
Deep expertise in ML framework internals, compilers, low-level programming, and optimisation techniques.
Deep expertise in optimising Tensorflow, PyTorch or JAX deep learning models.
Deep expertise with multiple toolchains like LLVM, OpenXLA/XLA, MLIR, TVM.
Practical experience applying machine learning in high-performance computing contexts.
Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to think critically and creatively.
Experience in high-pace, dynamic work environments.
Excellent teamwork and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
Bachelor's degree in computer science, electrical engineering, telecoms engineering, mathematics, or a related field.
Personal projects are a key differentiating factor and hold more weight than other requirements.

Responsibilities

Project Ownership: Own and deliver projects on your team's roadmap that unlock key high-impact technical and business milestones that drive the success of Olix.
Architect & Build: Design and implement our compiler, runtime, and debugger for PyTorch, TensorFlow, JAX, and MXNet on custom hardware.
Optimise Performance: Apply advanced techniques (layout, fusion, scheduling, tiling) to eliminate bottlenecks and maximise throughput.
Mentor & Encourage Standards: Lead code reviews, coach peers, and uphold best practices in ML backend and performance engineering for your team.
Guide Team Direction: Stay ahead of GPU, AI accelerator, and optical computing trends; propose and prototype innovations.

Benefits

Competitive Salary: $233,000 - $314,000, 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: 33 days of paid time off (PTO), including US federal holidays.
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.
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.
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.
Chef-prepared meals: if you need to work late.
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.