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.
We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Mechanical Engineer to design and develop the mechanical systems and infrastructure at the heart of our next-generation compute platforms. This role spans the full product lifecycle — from concept and architecture through prototype builds, qualification, and production release. You will work on high-performance, thermally demanding systems involving chassis design, cooling integration, rack-scale infrastructure, and complex electromechanical assemblies. The position requires close collaboration across Electronics, Optical, FPGA, Systems, Software, Manufacturing, and Quality teams.
Mechanical Engineering Delivery
Design and develop mechanical systems for high-performance compute platforms and associated infrastructure, including chassis, enclosures, structural assemblies, cooling systems, and rack-integrated hardware.
Own the mechanical architecture of assigned products and subsystems from concept through validation, production release, and lifecycle support.
Develop solutions that balance thermal performance, mechanical robustness, serviceability, manufacturability, scalability, and cost.
Create detailed CAD models, engineering drawings, bills of materials, and technical documentation.
Design components and assemblies suitable for manufacture using sheet metal fabrication, CNC machining, casting, moulding, extrusion, and additive manufacturing processes.
Define mechanical interfaces between compute, networking, power, optical, and cooling subsystems.
Support the development of scalable infrastructure platforms capable of deployment in modern data centre environments.
Technical Leadership
Provide technical leadership for mechanical and thermal design activities within assigned projects.
Lead design reviews and contribute to system architecture discussions across multidisciplinary engineering teams.
Develop mechanical architectures that support high-density compute platforms and future product scalability.
Drive thermal management strategies including airflow optimisation, liquid cooling integration, heat rejection, and system-level thermal performance.
Develop serviceability, maintainability, and deployment strategies for rack-scale hardware platforms.
Perform engineering trade-off analysis considering thermal performance, reliability, manufacturability, deployment complexity, and total cost of ownership.
Apply Design for Manufacture (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), Design for Reliability (DFR), and Design for Serviceability (DFS) principles throughout product development.
Identify and mitigate technical risks associated with mechanical, thermal, manufacturing, and integration challenges.
Rack & Infrastructure Integration
Support the development of rack-level mechanical architectures including equipment integration, structural design, service access, cable management, airflow management, and cooling distribution.
Define and optimise mechanical interfaces between compute hardware, power infrastructure, networking equipment, and cooling systems.
Contribute to platform designs aligned with industry-standard deployment models and data centre integration requirements.
Develop solutions that enable efficient deployment, maintenance, upgradeability, and operational reliability.
Support infrastructure scaling activities through modular and serviceable mechanical design approaches.
Product Development & Validation
Support product development activities from concept generation through prototype builds, qualification testing, and production release.
Develop verification and validation plans for mechanical, structural, thermal, and environmental performance requirements.
Conduct and interpret mechanical, thermal, airflow, and structural analysis to support design decisions.
Support prototype assembly, integration, and troubleshooting activities.
Lead root cause analysis and corrective action activities for mechanical, thermal, manufacturing, and integration issues.
Support engineering change management and configuration control processes.
Contribute to EVT, DVT, PVT, manufacturing readiness, and deployment validation activities.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Work closely with Electronics, Optical, FPGA, Systems, Software, Manufacturing, and Quality teams to achieve system-level objectives.
Collaborate with thermal engineers, systems architects, and manufacturing teams to deliver integrated hardware solutions.
Participate in programme planning, technical reviews, and milestone delivery activities.
Communicate technical concepts, risks, recommendations, and trade-offs effectively to stakeholders.
Contribute to the development of system-level solutions balancing performance, reliability, deployment, and commercial objectives.
Supplier & Manufacturing Engagement
Work with suppliers, manufacturing partners, and external engineering organisations throughout product development and production.
Review supplier designs, manufacturing feedback, tooling approaches, and technical documentation.
Support component qualification, manufacturing process development, and production readiness activities.
Lead issue resolution related to manufacturability, supplier quality, and production performance.
Contribute to cost optimisation and value engineering initiatives through supplier collaboration and design improvements.
Quality & Compliance
Ensure designs comply with applicable engineering standards, regulatory requirements, and company processes.
Generate and maintain engineering documentation including specifications, manufacturing drawings, and GD&T requirements.
Support qualification testing, reliability assessments, and failure investigations.
Apply engineering best practices to improve product robustness, quality, and lifecycle performance.
Contribute to the continuous improvement of engineering tools, processes, and methodologies.
Technical Expertise
Degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
Strong experience developing complex electromechanical products from concept through production.
Demonstrated ownership of mechanical systems, assemblies, chassis, infrastructure, or products throughout the full product lifecycle.
Experience designing products incorporating dense electronics, optical subsystems, networking equipment, compute hardware, or other high-performance technology platforms.
Strong understanding of mechanical design principles including structural design, materials selection, thermal management, tolerancing, and manufacturability.
Experience developing products requiring high levels of reliability, serviceability, and operational performance.
Solid understanding of thermal management technologies including forced-air cooling, liquid cooling, cold plates, thermal interface materials, and airflow optimisation.
Experience designing systems with demanding thermal and power density requirements.
Strong understanding of rack-level integration challenges including cooling distribution, service access, cable management, power integration, and infrastructure deployment.
Familiarity with industry-standard rack architectures and data centre infrastructure design considerations.
Strong understanding of mechanical integration involving electronics, optics, cooling systems, and complex assemblies.
Engineering Tools & Analysis
Strong 3D CAD experience using Creo, SolidWorks, NX, or equivalent mechanical design tools.
Experience producing detailed manufacturing documentation, engineering drawings, and technical specifications.
Strong understanding of GD&T and ASME Y14.5 standards.
Experience performing tolerance stack-up analysis and managing manufacturing variation.
Experience using simulation tools for structural, thermal, vibration, and airflow analysis.
Familiarity with FEA and CFD methodologies and the interpretation of simulation results.
Ability to correlate analytical models with physical testing and validation data.
Product Development & Manufacturing
Experience supporting prototype development, product integration, qualification testing, and production release activities.
Familiarity with New Product Introduction (NPI) processes and manufacturing ramp-up activities.
Experience working with sheet metal fabrication, CNC machining, casting, injection moulding, extrusion, and additive manufacturing processes.
Understanding of DFM, DFA, DFR, and DFS principles.
Experience supporting engineering change management and product lifecycle management processes.
Ability to balance performance, reliability, manufacturability, serviceability, and cost when evaluating design solutions.
Experience working directly with suppliers and contract manufacturers through development, qualification, and production ramp.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Experience working within multidisciplinary engineering teams delivering complex hardware products.
Ability to collaborate effectively with Electronics, Optical, FPGA, Systems, Software, Manufacturing, and Quality Engineering teams.
Strong communication skills with the ability to explain technical concepts clearly and concisely.
Experience contributing to design reviews, technical discussions, and cross-functional problem-solving activities.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results in a fast-paced product development environment.
Personal Attributes
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Structured and methodical approach to engineering design and decision-making.
High level of ownership and accountability for technical deliverables.
Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a collaborative team environment.
Curious, adaptable, and motivated to learn new technologies and engineering disciplines.
Passion for developing innovative compute infrastructure and solving complex engineering challenges.
Committed to engineering excellence, continuous improvement, and delivering high-quality solutions.
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.
Compensation Range: £102K
