---
title: 'Senior Materials Engineer at Lydian'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-materials-engineer-lydian-boston-mktmv1a9cg6z'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-08'
---

# Senior Materials Engineer at Lydian

- **Company:** Lydian
- **Location:** Boston, MA
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-08-21
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-08
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/lydian/335a3c05-a3f4-48e9-b58c-f07461995255

## Job description

## COMPANY OVERVIEW

Lydian is developing the lowest cost sustainable fuels from waste CO2, water, and renewable electricity to decarbonize the aviation industry. Our breakthrough technology replaces oil and gas refining with fully electrified, modular, and flexible reactor systems that produce fuel with 95% lower emissions than traditional jet fuel.

Since our founding in 2021, Lydian has achieved key milestones in record time, including the production of our first liquid fuel from our pilot system, capable of producing ~10,000 gallons of fuel per year for a fraction of the capital and time of alternative approaches. Lydian is backed by top climate investors including Congruent Ventures, Galvanize Climate Solutions, Union Square Ventures, Voyager Ventures, Grok Ventures, and Overture. 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 who are energized by solving the hardest, highest impact problems that come their way.

## POSITION OVERVIEW

Lydian is looking for a Senior Materials Engineer to advance the performance and processing of the materials at the heart of our reactor and module platforms. Reporting to the Senior Manager, Materials Design & Manufacturing, you will drive the continued development and refinement of our high-temperature ceramic and metal materials, including various joints, interfaces, and protective coatings. You will connect that work to real-world reactor performance and deepen the materials understanding that underpins our manufacturing scale-up and quality control.

This is a hands-on, individual-contributor role for an engineer who pairs deep materials fundamentals with a strong sense of urgency. You will not only develop materials in the lab but also engage external vendors and technical partners, translating materials science theory into what suppliers can actually deliver and helping build a development-and-supply cycle that keeps pace with our design timelines. You will work alongside a small, high-caliber materials team as we advance our materials and processes toward commercial scale.

This role is based onsite in Charlestown, MA and requires in-person collaboration five days per week, with up to 25% required travel to partners and suppliers.

## RESPONSIBILITIES

- Own the continued selection and development of ceramic and metallic materials and components, driving improvements in electrical performance, strength, and consistency
- Develop joints and interfaces between various ceramics and metals, and mature the associated joining processes
- Advance protective coatings that safeguard materials under operating conditions
- Connect material properties to reactor-level performance, ensuring materials development stays aligned with mechanical design, operating modes, and core technical program priorities
- Lead durability assessments and root-cause analyses, and define the quality-control parameters and acceptance criteria that ensure consistent material performance
- Develop advanced characterization and measurement methods for the electrical and mechanical properties of ceramic and metallic materials
- Translate R&D materials and process developments into scale-up-ready engineering specifications and process controls
- Engage, evaluate, and manage external technical partners, anticipating design timelines, queuing vendors, managing lead times, and specifying material requirements to build a reliable, cyclical development and supply-chain system
- Serve as a cross-functional collaborator, interfacing with mechanical design, catalysis, testing, and process engineering teams

## QUALIFICATIONS

- MS or PhD in Materials Science, or an equivalent degree
- 3+ years of industry experience working with materials aimed at industrial application in a manufacturing-focused environment
- Deep expertise in materials properties and performance for high-temperature applications
- Experience with and understanding of ceramic materials manufacturing and joining processes
- Industrial experience or exposure, ideally at a startup or fast-moving company
- Experience with advanced characterization methods such as SEM, Raman, and micro-CT
- Demonstrated ability to engage, evaluate, and collaborate with external partners, connecting materials science theory to what partners can realistically deliver
- An action-oriented personality with a strong sense of urgency, paired with the organization and communication skills to get things done

## Preferred Qualifications

- Experience measuring electrical and mechanical properties of ceramic and metallic materials
- Experience translating material manufacturing processes from R&D to commercial scale

## COMPANY CULTURE AND BENEFITS

- Challenging, collaborative, and meaningful work and an important voice in company development
- Competitive salary commensurate with experience
- Meaningful equity compensation
- Unlimited PTO and expectation that all employees take significant time off to rest, recharge, and enjoy life outside work
- Excellent insurance with 100% of healthcare, vision, and dental premiums covered for the employee, and 80% coverage for dependents
- 401(k) with company match

## About Lydian

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Lydian produces drop-in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from CO₂, water, and renewable electricity using a radically simpler, fully-electrified plant design.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series A – last raised $43.7M in 2026)
- **Headquarters**: Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
- **Founded**: 2021
- **Founders**: Joe Rodden (CEO) and Branko Zugic (Co-founder & CTO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Renewable Energy Equipment Manufacturing / Sustainable Aviation Fuel (e-SAF)
- **Target customers**: Airlines, fuel buyers, corporate offtakers, and owners/operators of synthetic fuel production facilities (B2B)
- **Mission/purpose**: Decarbonize the aviation industry by replacing oil and gas refining with electrified, modular, highly-efficient reactor systems.

## Products & Services
- **Turnkey e-SAF Production Plants**: Standardized plant design (≤24-month deployment) that converts CO₂ and H₂ into ASTM-approved FT-SPK jet fuel. Designed to ramp up/down with intermittent renewable power, drastically reducing storage needs and renewable oversizing.
- **Direct SAF Supply**: For airlines, fuel buyers, and corporate offtakers seeking RFNBO-compliant sustainable aviation fuel.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (private company)
- **Key Metrics**:
  - Total Funding: ~$55.8M – $58.25M (latest round: Series A, $43.7M in early 2026)
  - Annual Revenue: ~$1.0M (estimated; early-stage pre-commercial)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Congruent Ventures, Galvanize Climate Solutions, Union Square Ventures, Overlap Holdings, IAGi (International Airlines Group accelerator), and 10+ other investors.
- **Growth Signals**: Selected for IAGi Accelerator 2025; patented 9+ patents in chemical processes and catalysis; growing job postings (+200% YoY); expanding presence in Belgium and Argentina.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Radically simpler plant design**: All subsystems developed in-house – single integrated technology vs. multiple licenses.
- **Fast deployment**: Target ≤24 months construction, compared to 4+ years for conventional SAF plants.
- **Lower capital intensity**: “At least 50% lower” capital cost vs. conventional jet fuel plants.
- **Dynamic operating range**: 10–100% turndown, responding in minutes to intermittent renewable power – minimizing storage and enabling RFNBO compliance.
- **Drop-in compatibility**: ASTM-approved FT-SPK fuel meets commercial and defense specifications.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scale production**: Move from pilot/demo to commercial volumes by 2028.
- **Expand project pipeline**: Partner with airlines, fuel buyers, and corporate offtakers for direct SAF supply.
- **Continuous R&D**: Optimize reactor systems and syngas production to further reduce cost and energy consumption.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Early-stage climate tech startup backed by top-tier investors; mission-driven team of engineers, scientists, and operators.
- **Work Policy**: In-office (Cambridge, MA) – employees work from the Charlestown office.
- **Open Roles** (as of mid-2026): Director of Capital Projects, VP Engineering, Staff Controls & Automation Engineer – signals scaling phase.
- **Team**: ~31 employees with strong technical focus (47% technical staff); alumni from MIT, Form Energy, Boom Supersonic, etc.

## Sources
1. [lydianlabs.com](https://www.lydianlabs.com/)
2. [linkedin.com/company/lydianlabs](https://www.linkedin.com/company/lydianlabs)
3. [cbinsights.com/company/lydian-labs](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/lydian-labs)
4. [builtin.com/company/lydian](https://builtin.com/company/lydian)
5. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/lydian](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/lydian)

## Other roles at Lydian

- [Senior Reactor Modeling Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-reactor-modeling-engineer-lydian-boston-kkmga92r5s6j) — Boston, MA
- [Staff R&D Data Engineer, Hardware Systems](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-r-d-data-engineer-hardware-systems-lydian-boston-3720t3cd6yc4) — Boston, MA
- [Senior Lab Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-lab-technician-lydian-boston-eff7k22vxyd0) — Boston, MA
- [Senior R&D Data Engineer, Hardware Systems](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-r-d-data-engineer-hardware-systems-lydian-boston-gjjcfn1yc5rw) — Boston, MA
- [Staff Controls & Automation Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-controls-automation-engineer-lydian-boston-rvqhj7wekhpd) — Boston, MA