Chief of Staff (m/w/d)

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.

Lydian is growing fast and sprinting towards the deployment of its first commercial project, which will convert CO2 into jet fuel at a larger scale than any other project in the world. As we work towards this milestone and grow the team across multiple locations, the potential cost of missed context, misaligned decisions, or decisions made with insufficient data is increasing. The Chief of Staff role makes sure that cost isn't realized.

You'll partner closely with the CEO and leaders across commercial, engineering, manufacturing, project development, and finance. You'll help turn complex, ambiguous challenges into clear plans, actionable decisions, and measurable results. Your work will span commercial execution, strategic analysis, technical writing, operational effectiveness, and special projects. Over time, you'll identify and lead high-impact initiatives that help the company move faster and operate more effectively.

We're looking for someone who is analytical, highly organized, collaborative, curious, and comfortable working across technical and business topics. You enjoy learning quickly, using AI thoughtfully, and bringing structure to complex problems.

Responsibilities

Company Priorities & Operations

• Maintain visibility into company priorities, risks, and key decisions
• Keep the CEO informed through dashboards, briefings, and decision materials
• Support executive operating rhythms, including agendas, pre-reads, decisions, and follow-up
• Coordinate across teams to remove blockers, improve communication, and drive execution
• Build trust through sound judgment, discretion, and reliable follow-through

Commercial Execution

• Support strategic partnerships and commercial opportunities from outreach through execution
• Develop market research, account strategies, stakeholder maps, proposals, and meeting materials
• Track priority deals, next steps, risks, and executive involvement
• Coordinate technical, commercial, legal, finance, and project teams throughout the deal process
• Step in wherever needed to keep priorities moving

Strategy & Communication

• Analyze technical, commercial, and strategic questions and recommend next steps
• Build market, competitive, financial, and scenario analyses
• Prepare executive briefs, board materials, proposals, investor updates, and technical documents
• Create concise, evidence-based writing that clearly distinguishes facts, assumptions, and risks
• Document key decisions and rationale to improve organizational alignment

Special Projects & AI

• Lead cross-functional initiatives that don't have a natural owner
• Evaluate and implement AI tools to improve research, analysis, writing, and workflows
• Establish practical AI best practices that improve quality, accuracy, and efficiency

Qualifications

• 6+ years in operations, engineering, product, strategy, or similar roles within a leading hardware, deep tech, industrial technology, manufacturing, or energy company. Startup experience strongly preferred
• Bachelors Degree or higher required, STEM degree preferred
• Comfortable working with engineers and learning complex technical systems
• Strong analytical skills, including financial modeling, data analysis, and working with Python and Excel
• Fast learner, comfortable with diving deep into short projects and then moving on
• AI-fluent, with experience using AI to improve productivity while maintaining accuracy and sound judgment
• Excellent written communication, with the ability to simplify complex topics for decision-makers
• Self-directed, adaptable, and comfortable managing multiple priorities in a fast-moving environment
• Strong judgment, integrity, and discretion when working with confidential information
• Collaborative, dependable, and able to build trust and influence across teams regardless of title

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