Senior Optical Communications Engineer

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. The OLIX Decode Accelerator 1 (DX-1) is the first accelerator architected specifically for decode. Rack‑scale co‑design of logic, data movement, packaging, optics and interconnect enables a step change in system level performance.

The Role OLIX is developing next-generation optical interconnect architectures for AI data centers, spanning chip‑to‑chip, intra‑tray, and rack‑scale links. As an Optical Communications Engineer, you will lead the design and optimization of high-speed optical links and co‑packaged optics (CPO) systems. This role focuses on system‑level architecture, link design, and electro‑optic co‑design, working across optics, ASICs, and signal processing to deliver ultra‑high bandwidth, low‑latency interconnects. You will operate at the intersection of modeling, simulation, and experimental validation, translating theoretical performance into real‑world systems.

Responsibilities

• Optical System Architecture
• Define optical interconnect architectures across chip‑to‑chip, intra‑tray, and rack‑to‑rack domains
• Develop scalable link strategies across fiber, waveguides, and PLC‑based systems
• Own system‑level link budgets (loss, BER, bandwidth, power, thermal margins)
• Evaluate trade‑offs between reach, bandwidth density, power, and latency
• Electro‑Optic Co‑Design
• Collaborate with ASIC, RF, DSP, and mixed‑signal teams on interface definitions
• Co‑optimize modulation formats, equalization, and Tx/Rx architectures
• Model end‑to‑end electro‑optic channels including devices, packaging, and signal processing
• Analyse system trade‑offs across optical, electrical, and algorithmic domains

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.