VP of Operations

Venture-backed solar manufacturing startup commercializing heterojunction (HJT) technology in California. First plant: a1.2 GW HJT module facility in Livermore
, built on Von Ardenne coating equipment and Fraunhofer process IP. Second plant: a planned
HJT cell manufacturing facility in San Jose
. This leader will build the manufacturing organization from the ground up across both sites — hiring the team, standing up the Livermore line to full yield, and preparing the cell-plant ramp.

• End-to-end manufacturing operations for both sites: production, process engineering, quality, maintenance, EHS, planning, and materials.
• Standing up and ramping the Livermore module line to nameplate 1.2 GW at target yield, throughput, and cost.
• Building the org: hiring and developing plant managers, process/equipment engineers, and shop-floor leadership across both sites.
• Commissioning and optimizing Von Ardenne coating equipment and integrating Fraunhofer-licensed process flows into stable volume production.
• Leading the San Jose cell-plant buildout — site, equipment selection/commissioning, and ramp planning.
• Owning operational P&L: cost-per-watt, yield, OEE, scrap, safety, and on-time delivery.

• Has run, or been a top operations leader at a gigawatt-scale PV cell or module plant (or comparable high-volume, high-capex advanced-manufacturing line).
• Direct HJT experience strongly preferred; thin-film / vacuum-deposition (PVD, PECVD, TCO sputtering) experience is the key adjacent qualification.
• Proven zero-to-one or major ramp: took a new line from equipment install through commissioning to stable, high-yield volume production.
• Built and led large manufacturing organizations (full staff) and hired the leadership underneath them.

• Comfortable working with European equipment OEMs and process partners.

• Experience across BOTH cell and module manufacturing (the two-site profile).
• Startup / first-of-kind plant experience; comfort with ambiguity and capital-project timelines.
• California / Bay Area manufacturing footprint knowledge (permitting, labor market, EHS).
• Ability to interface with German-speaking teams is a plus.

• Location:
  
  On-site, Livermore, CA (with regular presence in San Jose). Bay Area based or relocating.
• Timeline:
  Priority hire; target offer within weeks