Chief Operating Officer

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  • Production
  • FullTime
  • Shift

ENERGY AMERICA (EA)

JOB DESCRIPTION — CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER (COO), MANUFACTURING — TEXAS 10GW GIGAFACTORY

Location: Texas (Primary)

Reports To: Executive Leadership Team, Energy America & Centauri Renewable Corporation

Divisional Alignment: Energy America Manufacturing, Centauri Labs (R&D), Ganymede Utilities (EPC), EA Solar (Distribution)

Classification: Executive Leadership — Full Time

  1. ROLE SUMMARY

The Chief Operating Officer — Manufacturing will lead all operational aspects of Energy America’s 10GW solar cell, solar module, and advanced BESS manufacturing campus in Texas.

This role is responsible for:

• End-to-end factory operations

• Workforce expansion (1,500–2,500 employees)

• Performance, yield, reliability, and safety

• Domestic content & FEOC compliance

• Integration of NASA-licensed solar cell technology (via Centauri)

• Large-scale expansion from 5GW → 10GW → future growth

This is a critical leadership role shaping Energy America’s position as a global manufacturing leader.

  1. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Operational Leadership

• Direct all day-to-day operations for EA’s solar cell, module, and BESS production lines.

• Develop and enforce world-class operational procedures, KPIs, and manufacturing excellence frameworks.

• Ensure a highly disciplined operations culture across all shifts.

B. Production Performance & Throughput

• Deliver high-volume output to meet 5GW → 10GW scaling milestones.

• Improve production yield, uptime, cycle time, and output quality.

• Oversee production planning, shift management, and factory scheduling.

C. NASA Technology & Centauri Integration

• Support integration of Centauri’s NASA-licensed Selenium Interlayer Solar Cell into commercial EA production lines.

• Maintain TRL 6 → TRL 9 commercialization progress.

• Coordinate with Centauri engineering teams and NASA technology visibility requirements.

D. Quality, Certification & Reliability

• Ensure all EA products meet:

• UL 61730

• IEC 61215/61701

• CSA & CEC standards

• NASA-driven reliability expectations

• Oversee reliability labs, environmental chambers, performance testing, and failure-mode analysis.

E. Workforce Development & Leadership

• Build, train, and oversee a workforce of 1,500–2,500 technicians, engineers, and operators.

• Implement advanced manufacturing training programs with Texas education partners.

• Oversee organizational structure, shift design, and performance management.

F. Automation, Digital Factory & AI Integration

• Deploy robotics, AGVs, MES systems, and digital manufacturing tools.

• Use AI-enabled systems (via Centauri) for predictive maintenance, yield optimization, and process analytics.

G. Supply Chain & Domestic Content Compliance

• Work closely with EA’s supply chain leadership to ensure FEOC-free sourcing.

• Ensure EA maintains compliance with IRS 45X and domestic content thresholds.

• Oversee inventory, warehousing, and materials management operations.

H. Safety, Environment & Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure OSHA, EPA, Texas environmental permits, and internal safety standards are rigorously maintained.

• Promote a safety-first culture across all manufacturing operations.

I. Financial Oversight

• Manage OpEx, cost-reduction programs, cost-per-watt metrics, and operating budgets in coordination with the finance team.

J. Cross-Division Coordination

• Collaborate with:

• Ganymede Utilities for EPC and infrastructure

• Centauri Labs for R&D integration

• EA Solar for market distribution

• Corporate leadership for strategic and operational planning

  1. QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing, or related field required.

• Master’s degree or MBA preferred.

Experience

• 12–20 years in high-volume factory operations.

• Deep experience in solar, semiconductor, battery, or comparable advanced manufacturing facilities.

• Direct leadership of 500 production personnel.

• Prior experience in large multi-shift, multi-line facilities strongly preferred.

• Familiarity with federal programs (DOE, NASA, DoD) is a plus.

  1. KEY SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

• Executive operational leadership

• High-volume manufacturing expertise

• Strong yield and throughput optimization abilities

• Experience with automation, robotics, and digital manufacturing

• Strong analytical and financial skills

• Ability to scale operations rapidly

• Strong communication and multi-level leadership skills

• Experience with compliance, safety, and quality systems

• Mission-oriented, disciplined, and solutions-driven mindset

  1. KPIs (MEASUREMENT METRICS)

• Achievement of 5GW/10GW production targets

• Module and cell yield percentage

• Line uptime and operational efficiency

• Safety performance (TRIR, LTIR, etc.)

• Cost-per-watt improvements

• Hiring and workforce readiness milestones

• Domestic content compliance

• Integration milestones for NASA-derived technologies

• Commissioning timeline adherence

  1. ROLE IMPACT

The COO of Manufacturing will directly determine Energy America’s capability to:

✔ Produce U.S.-made solar and BESS products at global scale

✔ Commercialize NASA-derived solar cell technology

✔ Meet domestic content and FEOC compliance targets

✔ Achieve global manufacturing leadership

✔ Supply utility-scale, commercial, residential, and export markets