Chief Technology Officer/Lead Scientist (Advanced Materials)
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Position: Chief Technology Officer (CTO) / Lead Scientist (Advanced Materials)
Location: Oxford area, UK
Reports to: CEO
Remuneration: Competitive Salary + Significant Co-Founder-level Equity
About Layrr
Layrr is a deeptech materials startup. Our mission is to accelerate the energy transition by developing high-performance, functional materials.
We are now focusing this mission on a critical new market: developing next-generation magnetic materials from cost-effective and earth-abundant elements.
Our foundational technology is a proprietary, large-scale (50kg batch) Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD)-on-Powder platform. This solvent-free, low-waste process transforms commodity powders into high-performance, high-value materials, replacing legacy wet-chemistry with a clean, efficient technology.
We are a small, agile, and expert team looking for a technical leader to own this mission.
The Role
This is a co-founder-level opportunity to be the technical and scientific leader of our pivot into the advanced materials market, with a beachhead focus on magnetic materials. We are looking for a hands‑on "player‑coach" who will provide the critical materials science credibility, technical vision, and execution‑focus to win this market.
You will own the technical and scientific execution, translating our core PVD-on-powder capability into market‑leading advanced material products. You will lead our R&D, act as our primary voice with customers, and build a world‑class science and engineering team.
Core Responsibilities
* Market‑Focused R&D Leadership: Own the complete technical roadmap for our advanced materials portfolio. Lead the R&D team in designing, executing, and accelerating experiments to develop novel powders with superior performance.
* Customer & Partner Engagement: Act as our primary technical expert. Lead deep‑dive workshops with customers and partners to uncover critical performance/supply chain pain points and co‑develop validated solutions.
* Hands‑On Science: This is not a pure "desk job." We expect you to be in the lab with the team, guiding experimental design (DoE), interpreting complex characterisation data, and applying first‑principles thinking to solve hard material science problems.
* Scale‑Up & Process: Work closely with our Systems Engineer to translate successful small‑scale R&D recipes to our 50kg batch‑scale platform, developing robust, repeatable, and commercially‑viable manufacturing processes.
* Team & IP Leadership: Build, mentor, and lead a world‑class, multi‑disciplinary team of scientists and engineers. Develop and execute a robust intellectual property (IP) strategy focused on novel material compositions, processes, and applications.
* Technical Strategy: Work directly with the CEO to align the technical roadmap with our commercial goals, ensuring our R&D efforts are focused on solving problems the market will pay for.
Who You Are: The Ideal Profile
This role is for a unique hybrid of scientist, engineer, and commercial strategist.
* Expert in Magnetic Materials: Deep, demonstrable expertise in magnetic materials. Your experience must include a strong fundamental understanding of both permanent magnet materials (like novel rare‑earth‑free compositions) and soft magnetic materials (as potential core/precursor materials).
* Platform Technology Expert: You have deep, hands‑on expertise in relevant platform processes such as PVD/sputtering, thin‑film deposition, surface engineering, and powder metallurgy.
* Startup DNA: You thrive in a fast‑paced, ambiguous environment. You have a proven track record of moving fast, getting things done, and making data‑driven decisions, likely in a startup, scale‑up, or autonomous R&D group.
* Credible Leader: You have the credibility (e.g., PhD in Materials Science, Physics, Chemistry, or equivalent industrial experience) and communication skills to inspire a team, build trust with customers, and represent the company at the highest level.
* "Commercial Scientist" at Heart: You are driven by solving real‑world customer problems and building a business, not just by pure research.
* Downstream Application Focus: You understand how these materials are used. You have experience with or insights into the design, manufacturing, or integration of high‑performance powders into end‑use components.
* Path‑to‑Market Experience: You have a practical understanding of product validation pathways, from an in‑house lab test to full‑scale customer qualification.
* Extensive Network: You are well‑networked across the advanced materials value‑chain from academia to manufacturing and end‑users.
Why Join Layrr?
* Co‑Founder Impact & Equity: This is a ground‑floor opportunity to be a true architect of the company's direction. You will join with a significant equity stake, aligning you with the long‑term success of the vision.
* A Culture of Invention & Collaboration: Join a team that values openness, humility, and is driven by data. We're a no‑ego environment focused on "infinite invention" and solving hard problems together.
* Solve Critical Problems: You will be at the forefront of solving major supply‑chain and performance challenges in the multi‑billion dollar markets.
* Build the Future: You will be creating the manufacturing engine that turns novel material designs into physical reality, starting with a proven, large‑scale platform.
* Focused Mission: Join a company with a clear beachhead and strategy.
Right to Work
Please note: all applicants must have the pre‑existing and verifiable right to work in the UK. Layrr is not a licensed Home Office sponsor and is unable to sponsor a visa for this role at this time.
How to Apply
To submit a formal application, please click Apply and complete the form, uploading your CV and cover letter.
Additional Details
* Seniority level: Executive
* Employment type: Full‑time
* Job function: Information Technology
* Industries: Manufacturing
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