Chief Science Officer, Lykos
THE COMPANY
Lykos is the latest venture born out of Interplay’s Studio, which builds companies from scratch.
Lykos is a U.S.-based advanced materials and manufacturing company building defense-grade additives, components and production systems for extreme thermal, mechanical, and electromagnetic environments. We are building an industrial manufacturing platform designed to meet the standards of defense primes, government customers, and long-term strategic partners.
We focus on ultra-high-performance ceramics (UHPCs) critical to aerospace, propulsion, and autonomous systems applications where traditional materials fail. Through novel process integration and laser-based manufacturing, Lykos is delivering scalable, U.S.-controlled production for mission-critical defense and national security programs.
THE ROLE
As Lykos’ Chief Science Officer (CSO), you will own the scientific and technical foundation of the company. You will bridge advanced ceramics research with real-world manufacturability and defense qualification. You will be responsible for translating material systems from laboratory validation into repeatable, scalable, defense-relevant processes, while setting the technical direction that underpins Lykos’ long-term competitive advantage.
We are looking for a senior technical leader who has developed and validated novel ceramic or high-temperature material systems, owned process–property–performance relationships, and worked at the interface of materials science and manufacturing to make advanced materials repeatable and scalable. This role requires deep judgment in high-consequence environments, experience translating scientific breakthroughs into defensible, deployable capability, and the credibility to lead technical programs with defense primes, government partners, and manufacturing teams.
You will work closely with the CEO, COO, and manufacturing partners to ensure that Lykos’ materials and processes are not only best-in-class on paper, but viable in production, credible to primes, and defensible to investors and government stakeholders.
WHAT YOU’LL DO
Define and own Lykos’ core ceramic material systems (e.g., HfC, ZrC, AlN, SiC) and associated process windows.
Lead development and validation of material properties critical to defense applications, including thermal conductivity, thermal shock resistance, oxidation behavior, dielectric performance, and mechanical strength.
Translate lab-scale material concepts into manufacturable component designs suitable for laser-enabled, hybrid production workflows, and modular production environments.
Establish pass/fail performance benchmarks relative to incumbent defense-grade ceramics and competing technologies.
Design and oversee testing programs aligned with DoD and aerospace standards (e.g., MIL-STD environments).
Partner with manufacturing and engineering to ensure tight integration between material science and production realities.
Serve as Lykos’ senior technical authority with national labs, defense primes, research institutions, and government stakeholders.
Support technical diligence for fundraising, strategic partnerships, and government-funded programs.
Build and maintain technical documentation suitable for defense qualification and long-term IP protection.
REQUIRED SKILLS
PhD in Materials Science, Ceramics, Applied Physics, or a closely related field.
10+ years of experience working with advanced or ultra-high-temperature ceramics in one or more of the following sectors:
Advanced Manufacturing: (CoorsTek, Kyocera, CeramTec, Morgan, etc.)
Aerospace / Defense (Lockheed, Raytheon, Aerojet, Northrup, etc.)
National Labs (ORNL, Sandia, AFRL, Lawrence Livermore, etc.)
Hypersonics/Extremes (SpaceX, Anduril, Hermeus, Stratolaunch, etc.)
Demonstrated experience progressing materials from early-stage research (TRL 2–3) through applied validation (TRL 5–6).
Deep understanding of ceramic processing, densification, sintering, and failure modes.
Experience working in or alongside defense, aerospace, or national lab environments.
Ability to operate effectively in high-ambiguity, early-stage company settings.
PREFERRED SKILLS
Prior experience integrating ceramic materials into propulsion, aerospace, RF, or high-temperature systems.
Familiarity with laser-based processing, SPS, HIP, or hybrid manufacturing approaches.
Experience supporting DoD programs, prime contractors, or government-funded R&D.
Track record of translating scientific innovation into deployable industrial capability.
Security, Eligibility & Regulatory Requirements
Certain roles at Lykos may support programs involving U.S. Government, defense, or controlled technologies. Candidates must be U.S. persons as defined by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and must be eligible and willing to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance, up to and including Top Secret / SCI, if required for specific programs. An active clearance is not required at the time of application, and no guarantee of clearance is made. Candidates must be willing to comply with all applicable security, export control, and regulatory requirements associated with defense-related work.
Intellectual Property & Confidentiality
This role may involve access to or development of proprietary materials, processes, data, software, and technical know-how. Any engagement with Lykos is subject to execution of standard confidentiality, intellectual property assignment, and work-for-hire agreements, consistent with industry practices in advanced manufacturing and defense-related programs.
Nature of Engagement
Depending on the role, engagement may be full-time, part-time, advisory, or pre-funding in nature. Compensation, equity, and scope of work will be defined in a separate written agreement.