Data Center Site Selection & Development Director

Metric DCX; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation package

Job summary

Metric DCX is building an AI infrastructure platform and is seeking a ground-level Site Selection & Development Director to identify and secure sites behind an ambitious capacity roadmap.

The role covers both third-party capacity and first-party greenfield development, including site selection, land acquisition, utility engagement, zoning, entitlements and negotiations, with relocation support for Palo Alto.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience across data center site selection, land acquisition or infrastructure development.
• Hyperscale or major developer/operator experience is particularly relevant.
• Willing to be permanently based in Palo Alto; relocation package available.

Responsibilities

• Site selection and land acquisition.
• Utility engagement and power diligence.
• Zoning, entitlements and permitting.
• Powered shell, BTS and colo opportunities.
• Negotiating land purchases, leases and incentives.
• Taking sites from initial screening through diligence, negotiation and approval.
• Working across energy, construction, design, legal and finance.

Skills

Site selection

Land acquisition

Infrastructure development

Stakeholder coordination

Job description

I’m supporting a newly formed AI infrastructure platform with the build-out of its data center development & Site Selection function.

The business is backed by one of the world’s largest infrastructure investors and partnered with one of the world’s leading technology companies, with significant capital committed to building large-scale AI compute infrastructure across the US.

We’re looking for an experienced ground level Site Selection & Development Director to help identify and secure the sites behind an ambitious capacity roadmap.

The role will cover both third-party capacity and first-party greenfield development, including:

• Site selection and land acquisition
• Utility engagement and power diligence
• Zoning, entitlements and permitting
• Powered shell, BTS and colo opportunities
• Negotiating land purchases, leases and incentives
• Taking sites from initial screening through diligence, negotiation and approval
• Working across energy, construction, design, legal and finance

We’re ideally looking for 10+ years' experience across data center site selection, land acquisition or infrastructure development, with hyperscale or major developer/operator experience particularly relevant.

This is a chance to join at a very early stage and play a key role in building the physical infrastructure behind a major new AI platform.

Candidates must be willing to be permanently based in Palo Alto. For those relocating, a comprehensive relocation package is available, alongside a highly competitive compensation package reflecting the seniority and significance of the opportunity.