VP plant

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.