Senior Mechanical Engineer, Lykos

About the role

You will own the end-to-end mechanical engineering lifecycle for Lykos' qualification-led repair and sustainment network, translating process science into hardened hardware solutions. This role demands a builder who designs, procures, builds, commissions, and debugs real hardware systems in an advanced manufacturing environment. You will be responsible for the machines, cells, fixtures, tooling, and automation that power our pilot line and modular manufacturing units. As the first dedicated mechanical engineering leader, you will set technical standards, own the discipline, and grow the team that supports our mission. You will work in direct partnership with the Head of Data & Software and the CTO to ensure every hardware decision generates structured, high-fidelity process data from day one. This position requires hands-on leadership in defining vendor strategy, execution standards, and long-term equipment architecture for our defense and aerospace sustainment network.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Own mechanical engineering for Lykos end to end, including architecture, design, analysis, build, commissioning, and sustaining engineering across pilot line and modular manufacturing units.
• Design and integrate additive manufacturing capability for ceramic and precursor workflows, covering build platforms, material handling, thermal management, and post-process handling.
• Own subtractive and finishing operations, defining CNC strategy, workholding and fixturing, tolerance stack-ups and GD&T, and green- and fired-state machining approaches.
• Design and deploy automation and robotics, including robotic cells, end effectors, motion systems, part transfer, machine tending, and vision-assisted handling with complete safety architecture and risk assessments.
• Integrate laser-enabled processing hardware within ceramic material workflows, managing optics mounting, motion control, enclosure design, thermal and fume management, and laser safety compliance.
• Design the mechanical architecture of modular, transportable micro-factory units, addressing envelope, utilities, containerization, serviceability, and transport loads.
• Specify and instrument machines for data capture, including sensors, thermal and load measurement, in-process monitoring, and machine interfaces to support structured data generation.
• Collaborate with the Head of Data & Software to ensure process data is structured, labeled, and usable for automation and machine learning from the earliest hardware iterations.
• Build test, metrology, and inspection fixturing that supports qualification, NDT, and repeatable article-level evidence for critical aerospace and defense components.
• Run equipment selection and vendor execution, owning requirements, RFQs, build-to-print packages, technical reviews, FAT/SAT, acceptance criteria, and CAPEX justification with the Chief Operating Officer.
• Establish and enforce mechanical engineering discipline, including drawing standards, revision and configuration control, ECO process, BOM and PLM structure, and documentation aligned with AS9100 and defense manufacturing expectations.
• Identify and engineer out throughput constraints, yield killers, and cost inflection points before they escalate into production problems.
• Recruit, mentor, and lead a small mechanical engineering and technician team as the operational scale increases and capabilities mature.
• Partner with process and data teams to validate hardware performance, correlate empirical results, and drive continuous improvement across the network.

Requirements

• Bring 8+ years of hands-on mechanical engineering experience in advanced manufacturing, aerospace, defense, or precision industrial environments, including direct ownership of production hardware in real operating conditions.
• Demonstrate direct, hands-on expertise in additive manufacturing, having designed for, operated, or built AM systems and understanding the associated process physics, failure modes, and qualification challenges.
• Demonstrate direct, hands-on expertise in subtractive manufacturing, including CNC machining, fixturing and workholding, GD&T, tolerance analysis, surface finish control, and metrology practices.
• Show a proven track record designing and deploying advanced automation and robotics in production settings, covering robotic cells, end-of-arm tooling, motion control, PLC/controls integration, and adherence to machine safety standards.
• Exhibit strong structural and mechanical design skills, with experience in load analysis, stress validation, design for manufacturing, and failure mode identification specific to hardware-intensive programs.
• Have experience specifying and integrating sensors, instrumentation, and data capture hardware into manufacturing platforms to enable in-process monitoring and traceability.
• Display disciplined engineering practices, including strict adherence to revision control, configuration management, engineering change orders, and documentation standards required in defense and aerospace sectors.
• Hold U.S. citizenship to meet ITAR requirements and be eligible for a U.S. position based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Nice to have

• Experience with ceramic or advanced material processing systems and related thermal, chemical, or environmental controls.
• Familiarity with modular micro-factory concepts, containerized systems, and distributed manufacturing networks.
• Background in qualification-led environments where hardware must meet defense and aerospace traceability and test standards.
• Experience leading equipment qualification, factory acceptance testing, and site acceptance testing in regulated industries.

Practical notes

This role is based in Atlanta, Georgia, and requires U.S. citizenship due to ITAR regulations. The position is full-time and involves hands-on hardware development, factory integration, and vendor oversight. Travel may be required for vendor audits, factory acceptance testing, and site validation activities. No specific visa sponsorship details are provided in the source material.