At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead product strategy for groundbreaking electronic materials and drive innovation in science.
- Company: Join Lila Sciences, a pioneer in Scientific Superintelligence™.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, equity options, flexible time off, and comprehensive health benefits.
- Other info: Dynamic startup culture focused on collaboration and groundbreaking advancements.
- Why this job: Shape the future of technology and make a real impact in scientific discovery.
- Qualifications: PhD or MS in relevant fields with strong leadership and product management experience.
Your Impact at LILA
Lila Sciences is hiring a (Senior) Director, Product, Electronic Materials: a strategic, cross‑functional product leader who shapes the vision, roadmap, and execution for platforms that accelerate the discovery and development of new electronic materials (e.g., superconductors, semiconductors, magnets, photonics). Reporting to the Head of Physical Science Product, you will lead product strategy and delivery across capabilities at the intersection of condensed‑matter physics, simulation and physics based modeling, device performance, lab automation, data and ML, and scientific intelligence.
This role requires strong leadership, crisp prioritization, and the ability to translate complex physical phenomena into clear product direction and measurable outcomes for internal teams, partners, and customers. You will be deeply customer‑facing, serving as a trusted technical and product voice with prospects and partners, shaping proposals, driving commercial conversations, and closing deals that bring Lila's electronic‑materials platform to market. We are hiring a product‑focused materials scientist or condensed‑matter physicist fluent in component and device design, not an electrical engineer whose focus is circuit or system‑level design divorced from the underlying materials.
What You’ll Be Building
- Set the long‑term product vision, roadmap, and portfolio priorities for Lila's electronic‑materials portfolio, spanning superconductors, semiconductors, magnetic materials, and photonics.
- Translate frontier materials‑physics capability into commercial electronic‑materials programs, defining target product profiles (TPPs) across synthesis, fabrication, characterization, and device integration for partners in semiconductors, quantum computing, aerospace and defense, telecommunications, and energy.
- Drive product execution from concept to launch across materials science, simulation, automation, data engineering, and ML.
- Represent product to executives, scientific leaders, partners, and customers as the senior external voice for the domain.
- Own commercial outcomes end‑to‑end: opportunity shaping, proposal development, deal closure, and revenue for the domain.
- Define success metrics and milestones (technical, product, commercial) and report progress clearly to leadership.
What You’ll Need to Succeed
- MS, PhD, or equivalent experience in condensed‑matter physics, materials science, or electrical engineering, with genuine fluency across fundamental science (band structure and semiconductor physics, superconductivity theory, magnetism, and nonlinear/quantum optics), characterization (XRD, XPS, AFM, Hall‑effect and four‑point transport measurements, SQUID/VSM magnetometry, and photoluminescence/optical spectroscopy), and manufacturing (thin‑film deposition, epitaxy, lithography, cleanroom processing, device architectures, and packaging).
- A track record of translating materials physics from fundamental science to commercialized electronic‑materials products.
- 7+ years of product leadership (PM, Group PM, Product Lead) building and launching complex technical products: materials systems, devices, scientific software or hardware, simulation platforms, data products, or ML‑enabled systems.
- Deep understanding of materials and device R&D workflows: experimental iteration, instrumentation, data quality, and scale‑up constraints.
- Strong executive communication: clear storytelling and decisions legible to technical and non‑technical audiences.
- Highly collaborative leadership style, with the ability to influence across research, engineering, operations, and commercial teams.
- Output‑ and impact‑focused, driven by delivered results against mission and program goals.
Bonus Points For
- A track record defining and executing TPPs and product strategies for scientific platforms (software, hardware and workflows), not just standalone applications.
- Experience building products at the intersection of LLMs / agentic systems and materials or device R&D workflows, with a point of view on where these tools actually change throughput and decision quality in the lab (materials discovery, device design, process optimization).
- Direct experience with external partners or customers in electronics‑intensive sectors (semiconductors, quantum computing, aerospace and defense, telecommunications, energy).
Compensation
We offer competitive base compensation with bonus potential and generous early‑stage equity. Your final offer will reflect your background, expertise, and expected impact.
U.S. Benefits
Full‑time U.S. employees receive a comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer‑paid life and disability insurance; flexible time off with generous company‑wide holidays; paid parental leave; an educational assistance program; commuter benefits, including bike share memberships for office‑based employees; and a company subsidized lunch program.
International Benefits
Full‑time employees outside the U.S. receive a comprehensive benefits program tailored to their region. USD salary ranges apply only to U.S.-based positions; international salaries are set to local market.
About LILA
Lila Sciences is building Scientific Superintelligence™ to solve humankind's greatest challenges. We believe science is the most inspiring frontier for AI. Rather than hard‑coding expert knowledge into tools, LILA builds systems that can learn for themselves.
LILA combines advanced AI models with proprietary AI Science Factory™ instruments into an operating system for science that executes the entire scientific method autonomously, accelerating discovery at unprecedented speed, scale, and impact across medicine, materials, and energy. Learn more at www.lila.ai.
Guided by our core values of truth, trust, curiosity, grit, and velocity, we move with startup speed while tackling problems of historic importance. If this sounds like an environment you'd love to work in, even if you don't meet every qualification listed above, we encourage you to apply.
We’re All In
Lila Sciences is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. Information you provide during your application process will be handled in accordance with our Candidate Privacy Policy.
(Senior) Director, Product, Electronic Materials in Cambridge employer: Lilasciences
At Lila Sciences, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture. As a Senior Principal or Principal Software Engineer in our AI Lab Execution System team, you will have the opportunity to lead cutting-edge projects that directly impact scientific discovery while enjoying comprehensive benefits, flexible time off, and a commitment to employee growth through mentorship and educational assistance. Join us in a dynamic environment where your contributions will shape the future of AI in science, all while working alongside passionate professionals dedicated to solving humanity's greatest challenges.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land (Senior) Director, Product, Electronic Materials in Cambridge
✨Join Product Management Meetups
Get involved in local product management meetups or workshops. These events are perfect for meeting industry folks, sharing ideas, and staying updated on trends. Plus, you never know who might be hiring—it's a fantastic way to make connections that could lead to a job at places like Lilasciences!
✨Show Off Your Product Sense
Create case studies or mini-projects showcasing your product management skills, and share them on platforms like Medium or LinkedIn. This not only puts your skills on display but also boosts your visibility in the product community. Imagine how impressed the hiring team at Lilasciences would be by your initiative!
✨Utilise Online Communities
Dive into online product management communities like Product Coalition or Mind the Product. Engage in discussions, ask questions, and share your insights. These platforms are goldmines for networking and finding hidden job opportunities—many companies often scout talent from within these circles.
✨Leverage Your University Network
If you’ve recently graduated or are still in uni, tap into your alumni network for connections in product management. Many universities have their own job boards and affinity resources to help graduates land roles. Don't forget to keep an eye out for job openings at Lilasciences through your school's career services!
We think you need these skills to ace (Senior) Director, Product, Electronic Materials in Cambridge
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Product Passion:When applying for a product management role like (Senior) Director, Product, Electronic Materials, let your passion for developing products shine through in your cover letter. Share specific examples of products you've managed, how you solved user needs, and any successful outcomes you've achieved. This is your chance to showcase your understanding of the product lifecycle!
Highlight Your Cross-Functional Skills:Product management isn't just about understanding the product; it’s about collaborating with different teams! Make sure to emphasise your experience working with developers, designers, and marketers. Use your CV to showcase your ability to bridge gaps between these areas, and include relevant experiences that demonstrate your communication and leadership skills!
Include Your Metrics and Achievements:In a full-time product management application, data speaks volumes! Quantify your achievements wherever possible. Did you increase user retention by a certain percentage? Launch a product ahead of schedule? Include these metrics in your CV to paint a picture of your impact and effectiveness in previous roles.
Tailor Your CV to the Role:Make sure your CV is tailored for the (Senior) Director, Product, Electronic Materials position at Lilasciences. Use keywords from the job description and ensure your relevant experiences are front and centre. Highlight any certifications or relevant training you’ve completed that will make you stand out as a strong candidate for the role. And remember, we’re excited to see your application on our website!
How to prepare for a job interview at Lilasciences
✨Understand the Product Life Cycle
As a product management candidate, we need to get our head around the complete product life cycle. Be prepared to discuss real-world examples of how you’ve managed product development from ideation to launch. Bring specific insights on tools like JIRA or Trello that can help streamline these processes.
✨Showcase Your Cross-Functional Skills
Product management is all about collaboration. We should be ready to highlight how we’ve worked across teams—think marketing, engineering, and design. Prepare to discuss scenarios where you had to mediate differing opinions and how you got everyone on board with a shared vision.
✨Prepare for Case Studies
In a full-time role, we can expect to encounter case study questions during our interviews. Practise solving hypothetical product problems on the spot, such as prioritising features for a new app or improving user engagement metrics. This will show our analytical thinking and decision-making skills.
✨Know Your Metrics
Let’s face it, numbers are our best friends in product management. We should prepare to discuss key performance indicators (KPIs) and how we've used analytics to inform product decisions. Dive into examples where data has driven our strategy for improvements or justified product changes.
