Lead Developer, XR
XYZ Reality
Location
London Office
Employment Type
Full time
Location Type
Hybrid
Department
Technology
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