Director of Quality
OLIXJobsCloseBy Editorial Insights
OLIX seeks a Director of Quality to build and own the Quality Management System from scratch in a fabless optical computing environment in London. This founding role directs supplier and partner quality across foundries and manufacturers, leads product qualification and reliability from tape-out to deployment, and establishes manufacturing and fleet quality for deployments, regulatory CE UKCA and IEC standards. The ideal candidate has 12 years in quality in semiconductors or photonics, proven QMS implementation, and hands-on leadership in ecosystems. Tips: tailor your CV to show QMS from scratch, supplier audits, CAPA, metrics, and measurable impact; highlight cross functional collaboration and travel readiness.
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 fabless: our products are built through a global network of foundry, OSAT, contract manufacturing, and component 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 deployed and operated at fleet scale in partner datacentres, 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
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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.