Director of Quality

Job description

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 Quality at OLIX is not a support function, it is a strategic pillar. As we drive toward tape-out and the transition from development to production, we need a Director of Quality who will build the quality infrastructure that OLIX’s technology deserves: rigorous enough to satisfy world-class customers and partners, and lean enough to move at the pace our mission demands. This is a founding quality leadership role. OLIX is a fabless company: we build our products through a global network of best-in-class manufacturing and supply-chain partners, which means quality at OLIX is won or lost in the supply chain. You will define what quality means for novel optical computing technology, build our Quality Management System from a blank page, own supplier and partner quality across our manufacturing ecosystem, and be the quality voice at every critical decision point from tape-out readiness through to deployment. OLIX systems are designed for deployment at datacentre scale, so quality does not end at shipment. You will own reliability from component qualification through to fleet performance in the field, and you will scale the quality organisation as OLIX grows from first product launch into high-volume manufacturing. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Quality Management System - Design, implement, and own OLIX’s Quality Management System from the ground up, targeting ISO 9001 certification and laying the foundation for more advanced standards as the business scales - Define quality policies, procedures, metrics, document control, and CAPA processes that are fit for a fast-moving fabless company: rigorous without being bureaucratic - Establish quality gates and review processes across the full product lifecycle, from design sign-off through tape-out, manufacturing, test, and deployment - Build a quality culture at OLIX, partnering with engineering and operations teams to embed quality thinking early Supplier & Partner Quality - Own the supplier quality programme across OLIX’s foundry, OSAT, contract manufacturer, and component ecosystem, spanning silicon, advanced packaging, optical components, and compound semiconductor supply - Lead supplier qualification, audits, corrective action programmes, and ongoing performance management through structured KPIs and scorecards - Define and manage incoming inspection and acceptance criteria for wafers, substrates, optical components, and materials arriving from the supply chain - Build OLIX’s approved supplier list and qualification documentation to the standard required by tier-1 customers and strategic partners Product Qualification & Reliability - Own the product qualification strategy for OLIX’s silicon, optical components, modules, and systems: reliability test plans, qualification flows, and acceptance criteria informed by JEDEC and Telcordia GR-468 or equivalent standards - Lead Design for Reliability reviews alongside engineering and manufacturing teams, ensuring quality implications are factored into design decisions before commitments are made - Stand up failure analysis capability and FRACAS processes to close the loop on development, manufacturing, and field quality issues - Drive yield, defect, and reliability improvement programmes across manufacturing partners using structured methodologies including SPC, FMEA, 8D, and DOE Manufacturing & Fleet Quality - Establish manufacturing quality systems with OSAT and contract manufacturing partners: process capability, control plans, PFMEA, escape prevention, and data-driven continuous improvement - Define quality and compliance requirements for OLIX’s internal cleanroom and pilot manufacturing capability, including equipment safety and conformity - Own field quality for deployed systems: fleet reliability metrics, field failure analysis, and corrective action loops that feed back into design and manufacturing Regulatory Compliance & Certification - Ensure OLIX products meet applicable regulatory and certification requirements for datacentre deployment, including CE and UKCA marking, product safety (IEC 62368-1), laser safety (IEC 60825), EMC and EMI, RoHS, REACH, conflict minerals, and cybersecurity requirements under the Cyber Resilience Act - Define and manage compliance validation activities with test houses, notified bodies, and certification partners across target markets SKILLS & EXPERIENCE - 12+ years in Quality Engineering or Quality Management within the semiconductor, photonics, electronics, or advanced manufacturing industries, including at least five years leading teams - Demonstrated experience building a Quality Management System from the ground up in a fabless or early-stage environment, then scaling it through NPI into volume production - Deep supplier quality expertise managing foundries, OSATs, and contract manufacturers in an outsourced manufacturing model - Strong grounding in semiconductor and optoelectronic qualification and reliability: JEDEC, Telcordia GR-468, or equivalent standards - Hands-on proficiency with quality tools and methodologies: SPC, FMEA and PFMEA, control plans, 8D, DOE, and CAPA - Experience leading product compliance and certification for electronic hardware, including CE or UKCA, safety, and EMC - Comfortable operating hands-on in a fast-moving, pre-scale environment: able to define standards without over-engineering them, and to build the team as the company grows - Willingness to travel regularly to manufacturing partners across Taiwan, Japan, the US, and Europe - Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physics, Materials Science, or a related technical discipline NICE TO HAVE - Experience with optical or photonic component reliability, including laser-based components - Datacentre or hyperscaler hardware quality experience, including fleet reliability and RAS - ISO 9001 Lead Auditor certification, ASQ CQE or CMQ/OE, or Six Sigma Black Belt - Master’s degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, or Business Administration COMPENSATION & EQUITY - Competitive Salary: 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 an annual Living-Local Bonus if your residence is within 20 minutes of the office - Retirement Benefits: Employer-contributed retirement plans to help you build long-term financial security 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.