Lead GPU Engineer

KOG:

Kog is a European VC-funded startup and real-time AI frontier lab building the world's fastest AI execution layer, part of the 2030 French Tech cohort.

We are not just optimizing existing libraries; we are bypassing inefficient abstraction layers to rewrite the rules of AI inference. By coding at the Assembly level on high-end GPUs (starting with the AMD MI300X), we unlock raw performance that standard stacks leave on the table.

Our Mission: To enable true real-time AI. We are targeting 10x performance gains through a combination of low-level GPU mastery and novel model architecture. Our goal is to build the sovereign infrastructure that will power the next generation of collaborative AI agents.

Why join now? We have already achieved a 3x to 10x speedup compared to state-of-the-art alternatives (vLLM, TensorRT-LLM) by making breakthroughs in:

• Inter-GPU communication & Grid synchronization
• Aggressive Kernel fusion
• Low-level Memory Access Optimization

What you'll do:

We are looking for a Lead GPU Engineer with strong managerial experience or senior expertise to act as a strategic partner to the CEO.

You will bridge the gap between high-level architectural vision and concrete execution, turning ambitious breakthroughs into a production-ready reality.

Your role is a hybrid of high-impact technical leadership and hands-on engineering. You will be expected to:

1. Technical Strategy & Execution (The "Owner")

2. Own the Roadmap: Take high-level directions from the CEO to define concrete objectives and convert them into a structured, actionable technical roadmap.

3. Architect the 10x leap: Lead the engineering efforts to optimize the Kog inference engine, aiming to surpass current state-of-the-art solutions (vLLM, TensorRT-LLM) by an order of magnitude.
4. Drive technical breakthroughs: Take ownership of the most complex R&D challenges, ensuring we don't just follow the industry standards but define them.

5. Accountability: You are fully accountable for the delivery. You ensure that we don't just have a plan, but that we execute it with precision.

6. Hands-on Engineering (When Necessary) (The "Expert")

7. Strategic Contribution: You are capable of diving into the code to unblock the team or tackle critical optimizations, when necessary.

8. Lead by example: You maintain a deep understanding of the codebase to conduct high-level code reviews and architectural decisions, ensuring quality without being the bottleneck.
9. Deep-dive optimization: Spearhead the reverse-engineering of subtle GPU features (memory page mappings, hashing functions, cache behaviors, credit assignment logic) to unlock raw performance.

10. System-level creativity: Leverage your deep hardware understanding to find and implement creative optimization strategies that junior engineers might miss.

11. Team Leadership & Culture (The "Captain")

12. Manage and coach the team: Manage a team of brilliant engineers. Your goal is to coach them toward technical excellence and foster "no-ego" collaboration.

13. Ensure delivery: Instill a mindset of execution and reliability. You are responsible for the "how" and the "when" of the engineering plan.
14. Entrepreneurial ownership: Act not just as an employee, but as a builder of the company. Make decisions that prioritize the startup's long-term success, scalability and velocity.
15. Efficient Communication: You promote a culture of deep work and asynchronous communication to minimize interruptions while keeping the team aligned.

Who we'd like to work with :

We are looking for a rare profile: a deeply technical engineer who enjoys the craft of code, but who also possesses the maturity to structure a team and a roadmap. You are a "force multiplier » and make everyone around you better.Technical Mastery

• Low-Level Authority: You have deep expertise in modern C++ and Assembly. You are comfortable working close to the metal.
• GPU Intimacy: You understand exactly how GPUs work under the hood (memory hierarchy, cache coherency, thread scheduling). You are familiar with NVIDIA (CUDA/PTX) and/or AMD (ROCm/GCN) architectures.
• Optimization Obsession: You have a proven track record of extracting every ounce of performance from hardware. You know how to use profilers and debuggers to solve complex bottlenecks.

Leadership & Accountability (The "Owner")

• Structure from Chaos: You can take high-level, sometimes abstract scientific directives (e.g., "we need a 3x speedup on this kernel") and turn them into a concrete, executed engineering plan.

• Flexible Experience Level:

• Option A: You are already an Engineering Manager / Tech Lead with experience managing a high-performance team.

• Option B: You are a Senior/Staff Engineer at a top-tier tech company, looking to take the next step in your career and shoulder managerial responsibilities.
• Delivery Focus: You prioritize shipping. You understand the trade-offs between "perfect code" and "market timing."

Mindset

• Superstar without the Ego: You are confident in your skills but humble in your interactions. You are hands-on and willing to do the "grunt work" when necessary.
• Entrepreneurial Drive: You treat the company as if it were your own. You are resilient, adaptable, and motivated by the ambition of building a European AI giant.
• Curiosity: You are not afraid of the unknown. If the documentation doesn't exist, you reverse-engineer it.

What we offer:

• Top-Tier Compensation: We offer a highly competitive salary package (top of the market) tailored to match your expertise and leadership level.
• Real Ownership (BSPCE): You aren't just an employee; you are a partner. We offer significant equity to ensure you share in the startup's success.
• Unrivaled Technical Playground: Work on the bleeding edge of AI hardware. You will have access to the compute power you need (high-end clusters) to perform your magic.
• A world-class Environment: Join a high-density talent team of 12 engineers (including 5 PhDs). We value peer-to-peer learning, high autonomy, and zero bureaucracy.
• Impact & Autonomy: As a Lead, you will have a direct seat at the table to shape our engineering culture and roadmap alongside the CEO.
• Prime Location & Flexibility: WeWork offices in the 13th district (near Station F), the heart of Paris' tech scene. We operate with a hybrid model, punctuated by our "Paris Weeks" for deep work and team bonding (and great afterworks).

Feel free to apply if feel like you're up to the task