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Senior Materials Engineer, Ceramics

Lydian

Lydian

Cambridge, MA, USA
Posted on Oct 11, 2024

Lydian overview

Lydian is a technology development company focused on producing the cheapest carbon-neutral fuels and chemicals on the planet. Our process replaces oil and gas refining with fully electrified, modular, and highly efficient reactor systems that enable the upgrading of captured CO2 into a range of carbon-neutral fuels and chemicals. Our initial focus is on the production of the cheapest and most scalable CO2-derived sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Lydian is backed by top climate investors including Congruent Ventures, Galvanize Climate Solutions, Union Square Ventures, Voyager Ventures, Grok Ventures, and Overlap Holdings. We are building a motivated, diverse, and collaborative team that is passionate about addressing the growing climate crisis and is committed to excellence in their work. In particular, we look for tenacious people that are energized by solving the hardest, highest impact problems that come their way.

Position overview

Are you a visionary materials engineer with a passion for ceramics and cutting-edge technologies? Lydian is looking for a Senior Materials Engineer, Ceramics to drive the commercial scaling of our groundbreaking electrified reactor technology. This is a rare opportunity to be at the forefront of sustainable innovation, where your expertise in ceramic materials design and manufacturing will shape the future of sustainable fuels and aviation.

In this role, you’ll be instrumental in developing first-of-their-kind material specifications and manufacturing processes, working closely with cross-functional teams to deliver products that meet the most demanding technical challenges. You’ll interface with industry experts, external partners, and internal innovators, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in ceramic applications.

We’re looking for someone who thrives on solving complex technical puzzles. Whether it’s pioneering new applications of ceramics or navigating the challenges of scaling production, you’re driven to turn open-ended problems into clear solutions. If you’re passionate about sustainable energy and eager to make a real impact, Lydian could be your next great adventure. This full-time, permanent position is based in Cambridge, MA.

Responsibilities

  • Work with the R&D team to develop high temperature ceramic materials with specific material properties, chemical compatibility, and novel geometries
  • Design and develop specifications for manufacturing processes and equipment with key internal and external stakeholders
  • Assess material performance through characterization and post-mortem analyses to inform R&D and manufacturing strategies
  • Apply modeling and statistical process tools to predict component lifetime and impact on cost
  • Build out Lydian’s internal materials and subcomponent manufacturing capabilities to increase scale and throughput of reactor component production
  • Collaborate with engineering design team to influence design of electrified reactor systems
  • Stay up to date (and educate other team members) on next generation ceramic manufacturing strategies and industry trends and development

Qualifications

  • Degree in Materials Science and Engineering
  • 5+ years of industry experience with ceramics materials
  • Experience with design and scale-up of new materials and formulations for producing ceramic materials
  • Familiarity with high temperature material manufacturing processes and required environmental controls
  • Experience with characterization tools to analyze material properties (SEM/EDS, XRD, microstructure analysis, corrosion analysis etc.)
  • Ability to understand analytical results and feed learnings into process improvements
  • Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and solve interesting technical problems
  • Alignment with our mission, vision, and virtues
Company culture and benefits
  • Challenging, collaborative, and meaningful work and an important voice in company development
  • Competitive salary and title commensurate with experience
  • Meaningful equity compensation
  • Flexible PTO and expectation that all employees take significant time off to rest, recharge, and enjoy life outside work
  • Excellent health, vision, and dental insurance with 100% of premiums covered
  • 401(k) with company match