Head of Manufacturing

About the Company

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 focus on ultra-high-performance ceramics (UHPCs) critical to aerospace, propulsion, and autonomous systems applications.

Responsibilities

• Execute and own end-to-end manufacturing strategy from raw materials to finished ceramic components
• Lead initial pilot manufacturing build including equipment selection, layout, and CAPEX management
• Integrate laser-enabled manufacturing processes with ceramic material workflows
• Establish production process controls and quality systems aligned with aerospace and defense standards
• Identify scale-up risks and throughput constraints across multiple material SKUs
• Serve as the primary operational interface with defense contractors and government stakeholders
• Recruit and manage cross-functional teams including engineering, operations, and procurement

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in advanced manufacturing, aerospace, defense, or precision industrial operations
• Proven experience launching new production lines or pilot facilities
• Strong understanding of process engineering, yield management, and quality systems
• Strong understanding of polymer derived ceramics and material science
• Understanding of autonomous manufacturing systems and machine learning applications
• Experience operating multi-million dollar projects within regulated environments (AS9100, ITAR, DFARS)
• Ability to operate in early-stage, fast-moving environments

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced Degree in Advanced Manufacturing, Material Science, Mechanical, or Chemical Engineering
• Background in laser-based manufacturing, ceramics, or composites
• Experience supporting defense primes or government production programs
• Experience designing autonomous manufacturing systems
• Experience in machine learning for manufacturing automation