Lead Developer XR

XYZ Reality; Greater London; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A pioneering AR technology company in the UK is looking for a Lead Developer to design and deliver the software stack for their ATOM headset. This role involves leading a software team, focusing on real-time rendering and ensuring high-quality user experiences in complex environments. The ideal candidate will have over 7 years of software engineering experience, with significant expertise in real-time systems and leadership. Join a team that's transforming construction with cutting-edge technology.

Benefits

Ownership of impactful products

Collaboration with experts in AR and spatial computing

Ability to shape the next generation of construction technology

Qualifications

• 7+ years of software engineering experience, including 3+ years in a team lead or technical leadership role.
• Strong experience in real-time systems, embedded development, or XR/graphics software.
• Demonstrated experience shipping and supporting production software on devices.
• Deep understanding of performance optimization on constrained, battery-powered hardware.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and delivery of the embedded and XR software stack for the ATOM headset.
• Own the end-to-end on-device user experience and develop robust workflows.
• Ensure software is production-ready for challenging environments and low connectivity.

Skills

Real-time systems

Embedded development

XR/graphics software

C++

C#

OpenGL

Vulkan

CI/CD pipelines

Automated testing

Performance optimization

Job description

XYZ Reality is transforming construction through Augmented Reality. Our flagship product, the ATOM headset, enables precise holographic visualization of BIM models on site, reducing rework and improving delivery certainty. By combining advances in spatial computing, real-time rendering, and cloud integration, we’re redefining how complex construction projects are built.

Role Overview

As Lead Developer, you will lead the design, development, and delivery of the embedded and XR software stack powering XYZ Reality’s ATOM headset. You will be a hands-on technical leader, responsible for real-time rendering, tracking integration, system middleware, and device–cloud connectivity, while guiding a small, high-performing software team.

This role is focused on execution, quality, and on-device user experience, translating advanced capabilities from R&D, hardware, and cloud teams into reliable tools used daily on live construction sites.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership

• Lead development of the on-device software stack for the ATOM headset, including the XR runtime, system services, tracking integration, user interfaces, and networking layers.
• Design and implement scalable, modular, and high-performance software for real-time AR on constrained, battery-powered hardware.
• Make day-to-day technical decisions and provide hands-on contribution to critical areas of the codebase.

Team Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and support a team of XR, graphics, embedded, and systems software engineers.
• Set clear technical direction, review code, and support engineers’ technical growth.
• Promote best practices in performance-aware, reliable, and testable software development.

User Experience & Workflow Ownership

• Own the end-to-end on-device user experience, including spatial interaction models, alignment feedback, tolerances, error states, and operator guidance in real construction environments.
• Work closely with Product Management to translate field requirements into robust, real-time workflows that run locally on the device.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate closely with Hardware, Mobile, Cloud, and R&D teams to integrate navigation, perception, and data services into the on-device experience.
• Define and maintain clear integration boundaries, APIs, and performance expectations across teams.

Delivery & Quality Assurance

• Take ownership of shipping production software to deployed devices.
• Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines, simulation tools, and automated testing to ensure reliable releases.
• Ensure software is production-ready for challenging environments, including low connectivity and variable site conditions.

Security & Supportability

• Apply secure software development practices and support data protection requirements.
• Implement diagnostics, logging, and telemetry to support field operations, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement.

Success Metrics

• Stable, low-latency AR performance in live site deployments
• Predictable delivery of features and improvements
• Low defect rates in production releases
• Strong collaboration with Hardware, R&D, Cloud, and Mobile teams
• Maintainable, scalable software ready for future ATOM hardware generations

Qualifications

Required

• 7+ years of software engineering experience, including 3+ years in a team lead or technical leadership role
• Strong experience in real-time systems, embedded development, or XR/graphics software
  (C++, C#, OpenGL, Vulkan)
• Demonstrated experience shipping and supporting production software on devices, including:
• Release ownership
• CI/CD pipelines
• Automated testing
• Operational quality in the field
• Experience leading small to mid-sized engineering teams through hands-on technical leadership
• Deep understanding of performance optimization on constrained, battery-powered hardware
• Strong communication skills and experience working across engineering and product teams

Preferred

• Experience with AR or VR headsets, tracking systems, or spatial computing platforms
• Familiarity with OpenXR and OpenVR
• Exposure to Unity or Unreal internals, or real-time rendering pipelines
• Experience working with distributed or remote teams

Why Join XYZ Reality?

• Build cutting-edge AR technology used on some of the world’s most complex construction projects
• Take ownership of a critical, real-world product with visible customer impact
• Work alongside experts in spatial computing, AI, and hardware
• Help shape the next generation of construction technology through hands-on engineering leadership