VICE PRESIDENT OF PLANT DEVELOPMENT – TEXAS (10GW Factory Program)
Centauri Renewable Corporation – Energy America Manufacturing Division
Location: Texas (Primary), National & Global Coordination Required
Position Type: Executive Leadership – Full Time
Reports to: CEO, Centauri Renewable Corporation
Matrix Oversight: Centauri Labs, Energy America LLC, EA Solar LLC, Ganymede Utilities LLC, NASA Technology Partners
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1. ROLE SUMMARY
The Vice President of Plant Development – Texas will lead the full lifecycle development of Centauri’s flagship 10GW+ U.S. gigafactory for next-generation solar cells, modules, graphene-enhanced BESS, and advanced energy technologies including NASA-licensed Selenium Interlayer Solar Cell manufacturing (TRL-6 to TRL-9 pathway).
This leader is responsible for:
• Land acquisition & state registration
• Design, engineering, and permitting
• Construction, commissioning, and operational readiness
• Vertical integration: polysilicon → wafer → cell → module → pack storage
• Global supply-chain FEOC compliance
• Federal/state incentives, EXIM Bank alignment, NASA visibility
• Partnerships with EPC, engineering firms, equipment vendors, and state authorities
This is a mission-critical executive position directly shaping the future of America’s clean energy manufacturing ecosystem.
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2. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
A. Strategic Leadership & Program Ownership
• Develop and own the full Texas Gigafactory Master Plan (5GW→10GW scaling).
• Lead feasibility studies, financial modeling, phasing strategy, and capacity planning.
• Drive cross-division alignment with Centauri, Energy America, Ganymede Utilities, and EA Solar.
B. Land & Infrastructure Development
• Identify, evaluate, and secure suitable land in Texas (industrial, utilities-ready, >200 acres).
• Oversee geotechnical surveys, environmental reviews, zoning approvals, and site engineering.
• Manage relationships with utility providers for water, natural gas, 400–800MW power supply.
C. Factory Design, Engineering & Technology
• Lead facility architectural design, cleanroom planning, process layout, and manufacturing flow.
• Work with NASA-aligned engineering teams to integrate selenium interlayer pilot line → mass production lines.
• Oversee integration of advanced R&D spaces, AI/AGI simulation labs, and data-center power system development.
D. Capital Planning & Funding Coordination
• Support federal/state grant applications:
• IRA §45X, §48C Advanced Manufacturing Credit
• DOE LPO
• EXIM Bank financing for export-capable lines
• Build CapEx and OpEx models, vendor quotes, and multi-phase budget management.
• Coordinate with private equity, institutional LPs, and corporate finance team.
E. Construction, EPC & Commissioning
• Manage end-to-end EPC procurement, contractor selection, and construction operations.
• Ensure alignment with U.S. manufacturing standards, OSHA, and environmental regulations.
• Deliver phased commissioning: pilot → early ramp → full 10GW scale.
F. Supply Chain, Equipment, and FEOC Compliance
• Build complete raw-materials supply chain aligned with FEOC-free sourcing.
• Secure long-lead equipment: ingot furnaces, wafer cutters, PECVD, metallization lines, laminators, testers.
• Oversee U.S.-based and allied-nation sourcing for selenium, graphene, glass, frames, junction boxes, etc.
G. Corporate Governance, NASA Alignment & Reporting
• Provide quarterly updates to NASA Glenn’s Technology Transfer Office.
• Ensure proper license implementation, virtual patent marking, and IP protection.
• Maintain compliance with NASA, DOE, DoD, and federal oversight expectations.
H. Operations Readiness & Workforce Development
• Build hiring roadmap for 1,500–2,500 employees across engineering, operations, and logistics.
• Develop onboarding, safety programs, SOPs, and ISO/UL certifications.
• Work with HR on recruiting pipelines (Texas universities, trade schools, veteran workforce).
I. Stakeholder & Government Relations
• Engage Texas state authorities, economic-development boards, local governments, and utilities.
• Collaborate with federal legislators, economic agencies, and trade representatives.
• Represent company in public forums, investor meetings, and strategic partnerships.
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3. REQUIRED EXPERIENCE
• 12+ years in factory development, industrial construction, or advanced manufacturing leadership.
• Proven track record building GW-scale solar, semiconductor, battery, or related manufacturing plants.
• Experience with DOE, NASA, DoD, or federal technology programs preferred.
• Strong background in CapEx budgeting ($500M–$5B+ projects).
• Demonstrated ability to manage EPC, architects, engineers, and large technical teams.
• Deep understanding of FEOC compliance, IRA incentives, and domestic supply-chain structuring.
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4. KEY COMPETENCIES
• Visionary leadership with execution discipline
• Technical expertise in solar cell/module/BESS manufacturing
• Strong negotiation and vendor management capability
• Mastery of construction and commissioning processes
• Government relations + federal regulatory navigation
• IP protection awareness, NASA licensing compliance
• Cross-functional coordination across global teams
• Resilience, adaptability, and executive-level communication
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5. EDUCATION
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing, or related field required.
• Master’s degree or MBA preferred.
• Additional certifications in PMP, PE license, or Lean/Six Sigma are beneficial.
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6. PERFORMANCE METRICS (KPIs)
• Land secured and permits completed within timeline
• Stage-gated progress of factory construction
• CapEx compliance vs. budget
• Completion of pilot lines for selenium interlayer & graphene BESS
• IRA/DOE/NASA compliance milestones met
• FEOC-aligned supply-chain establishment
• Successful commissioning of 1st GW line
• Workforce recruitment and operational readiness
• On-time delivery of NASA quarterly review packages
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7. ROLE IMPACT
The VP of Plant Development will be the architect of America’s most advanced clean-energy manufacturing ecosystem—anchoring U.S. energy independence, NASA-certified solar innovation, and Centauri’s rise as the global leader in terrestrial and space-grade energy systems.
