Development Lead, Ground Charging Infrastructure

Zipline; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 163,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity compensation

Annual bonus

Sales incentives

Medical insurance

Job summary

Zipline is seeking a Development Manager Lead to drive the strategy and execution of ground infrastructure enabling autonomous operations. You will oversee a portfolio from site evaluation through permitting and construction readiness, partnering with Engineering, Construction, Government Affairs, Legal, Operations, Real Estate, and external stakeholders.

As a senior technical leader, you will mentor Development Managers, shape permitting strategy, and manage AHJ and utility coordination.

Qualifications

• 8-15+ years leading land or infrastructure development projects from due diligence through permitting and construction readiness in complex sectors.
• Proven track record delivering multiple concurrent programs.
• Strong technical and business decision-making in civil/utility infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and execution of a portfolio of ground infrastructure projects from site identification through permitting and construction readiness.
• Provide technical leadership and strategic guidance for site due diligence, feasibility, design, permitting, and utility coordination.
• Develop and standardize development processes, permitting strategies, design standards, and best practices to improve scalability and execution.
• Mentor Development Managers and guide project teams to ensure consistent execution.
• Oversee due diligence activities: land surveys, title review, easement verification, environmental and geotechnical studies, regulatory assessments.
• Build relationships with AHJs, utility providers, consultants, and external partners and lead negotiations with regulatory agencies.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Executive communication

Regulatory navigation

Technical leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Risk mitigation

Team mentoring

Job description

About Zipline

Zipline is the world’s largest and most experienced drone delivery service. We are on a mission to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine and essential goods anytime, anywhere. We design, build, and operate the world’s largest autonomous logistics system, delivering critical supplies quickly and reliably. Today, Zipline operates on four continents, makes a delivery somewhere in the world every 30 seconds, and has completed millions of deliveries to date, including blood, vaccines, medical supplies, food, and retail products.

Our customers include the world’s largest and most prominent healthcare systems, governments, retailers, restaurants and global businesses who rely on us to save lives, reduce emissions, increase economic opportunity, and provide delivery from point A to point B as fast as possible. The drone is only 15% of what we’ve built to enable seamless, reliable, global operations.

Our system strengthens supply chains, reduces congestion, and gives people time back. With more than 140 million commercial autonomous miles safely flown, Zipline is redefining access to healthcare, consumer products, and food across the globe.

We operate at a global scale and are looking for practical problem solvers who thrive on real-world challenges and rapid growth. Our team is motivated by building systems that have a direct, meaningful impact on people’s lives and by scaling the future of logistics. We are seeking people who sculpt from first principles, enjoy facing adversity, and can do the impossible at record breaking speeds.

About You and The Role

Zipline is looking for a Development Manager Lead to lead the strategy and execution of ground system infrastructure that enables the next generation of autonomous operations. In this role, you will oversee a portfolio of infrastructure development projects, guiding them from early site evaluation through permitting and construction readiness while helping shape the processes, standards, and partnerships that enable Zipline to scale.

As a senior technical leader, you will partner closely with Engineering, Construction, Government Affairs, Legal, Operations, Real Estate, and external stakeholders to deliver reliable, scalable infrastructure. You will provide leadership on complex development challenges, mentor Development Managers, and serve as a trusted advisor on permitting strategy, utility coordination, and regulatory engagement.

This is a highly cross-functional role that requires deep technical expertise, sound business judgment, and exceptional stakeholder management. You'll build strong relationships with Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs), utility providers, consultants, and landowners while navigating complex regulatory environments to advance projects efficiently and responsibly.

What You'll Do

• Lead the development and execution of a portfolio of ground infrastructure projects from site identification through permitting and construction readiness.
• Provide technical leadership and strategic guidance for site due diligence, feasibility assessments, site design, permitting, and utility coordination.
• Develop and standardize development processes, permitting strategies, design standards, and best practices to improve scalability and execution across projects.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to Development Managers, fostering their growth and ensuring consistent project execution.
• Oversee complex site due diligence activities, including land surveys, title review, easement verification, environmental studies, geotechnical investigations, and regulatory assessments.
• Review and guide multidisciplinary design packages to ensure constructability, operational requirements, regulatory compliance, and cost objectives are met.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs), utility providers, consultants, and key external stakeholders.
• Lead negotiations with regulatory agencies and utility providers to resolve complex permitting and infrastructure challenges.
• Partner cross-functionally with Engineering, Construction, Government Affairs, Legal, Operations, and Supply Chain to align development priorities and remove execution roadblocks.
• Identify portfolio-level risks and develop mitigation strategies to maintain project schedules, budgets, and business objectives.
• Communicate project status, risks, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership and executive stakeholders.
• Drive continuous improvement across the development organization through lessons learned, process optimization, and technical excellence.

What You'll Bring

• 8-15+ years of experience leading land or infrastructure development projects from due diligence through permitting and construction readiness in industries such as autonomous aviation, EV charging infrastructure, energy, telecommunications, commercial development, or other complex infrastructure sectors.
• Proven experience leading multiple concurrent projects or infrastructure portfolios with demonstrated success delivering complex development programs.
• Strong technical expertise in civil, structural, electrical, or utility infrastructure development, with the ability to make sound engineering and business decisions.
• Extensive experience navigating entitlement, permitting, environmental review, and utility service processes with regulatory agencies and utility providers.
• Demonstrated success leading negotiations with AHJs, utility companies, consultants, and external partners.
• Experience mentoring, coaching, or leading technical teams and developing high-performing organizations.
• Exceptional project management, organizational, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong executive communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence decisions across technical and non-technical audiences.
• A collaborative leadership style with a bias for action, sound judgment, and a passion for building infrastructure that enables innovative technologies.
• Ability to travel approximately 25% of the time, as required by business needs.

What Else You Need To Know

The starting cash range for this role is $163,000 - 250,000. Please note that this is a target, starting cash range for a candidate who meets the minimum qualifications for this role. The final cash pay for this role will depend on a variety of factors, including a specific candidate's experience, qualifications, skills, working location, and projected impact.

• equity compensation
• discretionary annual or performance bonuses
• sales incentives
• benefits such as medical, dental and vision insurance
• paid time off

and more.

Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws or our own sensibilities.

We value diversity at Zipline and welcome applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Zipline ’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.