Director, Memphis Power Plant Operations

Job description

SpaceXAI’s mission is to create AI systems that can accurately understand the universe and aid humanity in its pursuit of knowledge. Our team is small, highly motivated, and focused on engineering excellence. This organization is for individuals who appreciate challenging themselves and thrive on curiosity. We operate with a flat organizational structure. All employees are expected to be hands-on and to contribute directly to the company’s mission. Leadership is given to those who show initiative and consistently deliver excellence. Work ethic and strong prioritization skills are important. All employees are expected to have strong communication skills. They should be able to concisely and accurately share knowledge with their teammates. ABOUT THE ROLE: The Director, Memphis Power Plant Operations provides strategic and operational leadership for the gas turbine power generation facility supporting SpaceXAI's Colossus data center campus in Memphis, Tennessee. This role oversees all plant operations, maintenance, commissioning, and continued construction/expansion of the dedicated power plant, with full ownership of delivering reliable, high-availability electrical power to the Colossus AI training clusters. The position is responsible for driving operational excellence, ensuring 24/7 power reliability and quality, safety, environmental compliance, and leading cross-functional teams to achieve aggressive scale-up, availability, cost, and schedule objectives in a high-growth, fast-paced environment. RESPONSIBILITIES: Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Memphis gas turbine power plant, including 24/7 operations, maintenance, commissioning, and ongoing construction and capacity expansion Own end-to-end delivery of electrical power to the Colossus data center sites, ensuring industry-leading reliability, availability, power quality, and redundancy Lead multidisciplinary teams of operators, maintenance technicians, engineers, contractors, and support staff in a 24/7 operational and construction environment Oversee plant performance, commissioning, testing, and seamless integration with data center electrical infrastructure and load Develop and execute comprehensive operations and maintenance strategies, including preventative/predictive maintenance, outage planning, hot gas path management, and OEM coordination for gas turbines, generators, balance of plant, and high-voltage electrical systems Manage concurrent construction, equipment installation, civil works, and phased capacity expansions while maintaining safe, reliable operation of the existing plant Ensure full compliance with environmental, safety, and regulatory requirements, including air permits, emissions controls, TDEC, EPA, OSHA, and local authorities Partner closely with xAI data center operations, engineering, fuel suppliers, OEMs, utilities, and regulatory agencies Formulate and execute operating budgets, fuel management, O&M, capital projects, and annual operating plans Drive continuous improvement in plant availability, heat rate, emissions, cost, safety metrics, and operational processes Establish and promote a culture of uncompromising safety, accountability, operational excellence, rapid execution, and collaboration Serve as the site leader and primary representative to the Memphis community, regulators, and stakeholders Recruit, develop, coach, and retain high-performing talent; manage staffing, resource allocation, and contractor oversight for both operations and construction BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, electrical, or other engineering discipline 8+ years of experience in power generation operations, plant management, or related industrial or aerospace operations 5+ years of leadership experience managing teams of operators, technicians, and engineers Experience operating or managing gas turbine power plants (simple cycle or combined cycle)&