CTO AI-native optical design platform (Paraxial) at Pioneer Square Labs

Chief Technology OfficerParaxial Seattle WA (Hybrid or Remote for exceptional candidates)Paraxial is building the first AI-native optical design platform a modern successor to legacy tools like Zemax and Code V. Optical systems drive AR/VR LiDAR robotics aerospace and biomedical imaging yet the tools used to design them are outdated slow and fundamentally incompatible with modern compute and AI.Were rebuilding the stack from first principles:natural-language spec-to-model high-performance ray tracing intelligent design exploration hybrid AI tolerancing and CAD-native integration.With hundreds of optical engineers already on the waitlist and enterprise design partners ready to begin pilots were hiring a CTO to architect and ship the beginning of the platform.The RoleThis is a hands-on technical leadership role.You will build the first working iteration of Paraxial make the architectural decisions that define its long-term future and grow the engineering organization around your technical vision.What Youll OwnThe end-to-end architecture of Paraxials early productTechnical decisions across backend orchestration data modeling optimization workflows and early simulation integrationRapid prototyping of core workflows (spec model optimization results)Interfaces to external engines (ZOS-API or alternatives) and eventually modernized high-performance coresEarly LLM integration workflowsDevelopment of reproducibility logging and correctness foundationsEngineering culture documentation and hiring the first technical teamLong-term decisions on HPC GPU ML and CAD infrastructure selecting the right tools for the job rather than adhering to a specific stackYou are responsible for building the spine of Paraxial: the architecture systems and workflows the entire company will build on.What You BringCore Technical StrengthsYou are a senior/principal-level engineer with deep experience building zero-to-one products in technically complex domains. You have strong command over:System design across backend compute and data layersBuilding and shipping simulation-heavy or data-intensive workflowsWorking with performance-sensitive code whether in C Python or another modern languageChoosing and integrating the right technology (C Python CUDA GPU libraries ML frameworks rendering engines etc.) based on constraintsArchitecting pipelines that involve optimization numerical analysis or scientific computationWriting pragmatic reliable code while moving quicklyYoure not tied to one language or stack you choose the right tool for the job.Product & Execution StrengthsAbility to independently deliver a working product slice in weeks not quartersStrong intuition for glueing together APIs LLMs numerical code and UIClear communication with non-software domain expertsBias toward shipping learning and iteratingComfort owning ambiguous open-ended problem spacesDomain Knowledge (Strong Pluses)Not required but very valuable:Experience with simulation rendering robotics AV computational physics or optimizationExposure to ray tracing geometric optics or optical system designExperience working in AR/VR imaging or any hardware-adjacent industryWe do not expect deep optical expertise but curiosity and ability to collaborate closely with optical engineers is essential.In the first 3060 days you will work closely with the CEO and our optical domain expert to:Stand up core backend services and data modelsBuild the initial Parametric Optical Model (POM) schemaImplement a pipeline that turns a spec (form or natural language) into an optimized optical systemIntegrate with existing engines (ZOS-API or similar) for design generation and analysisBuild a simple but functional UI for entering specs and reviewing candidate designsCreate the first LLM-driven spec mapper for natural-language inputEnsure correctness by working closely with optical domain knowledgeYoull write code every day while also making foundational decisions about system design performance characteristics toolchain choices and long-term architecture.Why Join ParaxialBuild the foundational technical architecture of a next-generation engineering platformWork at the intersection of physics AI simulation and human creativityDirect exposure to real optical engineers shaping the future of hardwareThe opportunity to reinvent an entire industrys core toolsRequired Experience:Chief Key Skills Business Continuity Planning,Active Directory,C,Higher Education,AC Maintenance,Analytics Employment Type : Full Time Experience: years Vacancy: 1