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Energy America

Chief Operating Officer

Energy America, Houston, Texas, United States, 77246

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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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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