Project Development Manager

About Halo Materials

Halo Materials is a venture-backed advanced materials company pioneering novel technologies to produce domestic, cost-competitive graphite for advanced energy and manufacturing supply chains. Headquartered in New Mexico, home to world-class national laboratories and a fast-growing deep tech ecosystem, we are building a scalable, lower-emissions process to produce high-performance graphite critical to the batteries that power grid storage, EVs, AI datacenters, drones, and consumer electronics.

Our leadership team brings decades of experience building and scaling hard tech companies across energy, mobility, and advanced materials, with backgrounds at Tesla, Cruise, Pajarito Powder, and DOE-funded startups, including multiple ventures that have been successfully acquired. The founders care deeply about building technology that strengthens energy systems and domestic manufacturing, while cultivating a high-functioning, supportive team culture.

Backed by Roadrunner Venture Studios, Halo combines ambitious research and engineering with the operational support, capital access, and long-term vision needed to grow both the company and the people inside it.

About the Role:
Halo Materials is seeking a Project Development Manager to work closely with our CEO to lead the development and delivery of our first commercial-scale reactor, followed by a pilot plant.

This role requires a key operational leader that sits at the intersection of engineering, construction, R&D, and executive leadership. You will manage external EPC partners, ensure technical integrity during scale-up, and serve as a critical bridge between our internal R&D team and external development stakeholders. You’ll bring structure and accountability while preserving the speed and ambition of a startup environment.

This is a hands-on operational leadership position for someone who thrives in ambiguity, proactively creates structure and process out of white space, and collaboratively works with internal and external partners to solve problems and deliver projects on time and under budget.

Key Responsibilities

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Lead and manage an external EPC team through design, construction, and commissioning of a commercial reactor.

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Serve as the internal accountability function by rigorously vetting design decisions and ensuring alignment with technical and operational goals.

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Act as the primary interface between Halo’s technical teams and external engineering and development partners.

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Source, evaluate, and diligence sites for lab expansion and pilot installations.

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Identify and assess equipment vendors, balancing cost, quality, schedule, and technical performance.

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Oversee permitting, compliance reporting, and environmental health & safety (EHS) considerations.

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Drive cross-functional alignment across executives, engineers, contractors, and regulatory stakeholders.

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Balance structured project governance with startup agility.

Qualifications

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10+ years of experience managing infrastructure or industrial development projects.

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Proven leadership of complex, multi-stakeholder projects involving industrial process scale-up.

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Strong technical literacy across civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering disciplines.

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Experience with permitting, regulatory compliance, and EHS frameworks.

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Demonstrated success working closely with C-level leaders and managing competing priorities in fast-paced environments.

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Exceptional organizational, analytical, and strategic thinking skills.

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Ability to move fluidly between detailed tactical execution and high-level planning.

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Clear and confident communication skills across technical and non-technical audiences.

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A pragmatic mindset that balances rigorous safety and engineering standards with entrepreneurial urgency.

Nice to Have:

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Experience in adjacent industries where similar high-temperature, catalytic, carbon, or materials growth processes are used — such as petrochemicals, advanced ceramics, specialty chemicals, battery materials, semiconductors, metallurgy, or industrial gas processing.

What We Look For (Beyond the Resume)

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A track record of execution — how you design experiments, make decisions with imperfect data, and drive results matters as much as where you’ve worked.

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Ownership mentality with high accountability and curiosity.

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Entrepreneurial speed balanced with technical discipline.

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Grit, resilience, and an ability to turn ambiguity into actionable next steps.

Why Join Halo Materials?

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Strengthen Energy & Supply Chains - Work on advanced materials that directly impact batteries, energy systems, and U.S. manufacturing resilience.

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Scale Breakthrough Graphite Technology - Help scale a breakthrough graphite technology from lab experimentation to real commercial production.

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Rigorous Science, Startup Velocity - Join a mission-driven team that values rigorous science, fast execution, and taking care of its people.

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Technical Ownership & Autonomy - Take meaningful ownership in a technically ambitious environment where your contributions shape the direction of the company.

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Competitive pay, full benefits, and equity - Competitive compensation, strong benefits, and the opportunity to grow quickly inside a serious deep tech venture backed by experienced builders.

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Some of our Benefits:

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An independent role with a supportive and flexible work environment

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Time for self-development, research, training, conferences, or certification schemes

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Full range of competitive benefits including a health care stipend and equity in a fast-growing startup