Director - Site Development

OpenKrill; United States; On-site; USD 125,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary range $125,000-$230,000

Comprehensive health benefits

Employee equity stock options

20 days PTO

Job summary

Thea Energy is seeking a Director - Site Development to lead the critical process of identifying and securing locations for its fusion systems. You will collaborate with leadership, finance & operations, and engineers to ensure site readiness and regulatory compliance.

Ideal candidates bring 10+ years in site development or first-of-a-kind projects, a track record of securing incentives, and strong stakeholder communication in a fast-paced, capital-intensive environment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in site selection or related first-of-a-kind project development.
• Proven track record securing state/local incentives.
• Experience navigating zoning, term sheets, and incentive contracts with counsel.
• Experience with capital-intensive infrastructure projects.
• Structured, process-driven with execution mindset.
• Excellent communication in public-facing negotiations.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced startup environment.
• Travel up to 50%.

Responsibilities

• Define and manage site selection criteria.
• Lead negotiations for incentives, tax credits, and grants.
• Liaise with state/local governments to navigate permits and regulatory frameworks.
• Lead local stakeholder outreach to build community relationships.
• Identify and manage risks related to land use and environmental impact assessments.
• Align the siting process with technical requirements and stakeholders.
• Establish and maintain schedule and cost baselines for siting and construction.

Skills

Site selection

Stakeholder negotiations

Regulatory navigation

Infrastructure development

Cross-functional collaboration

Public speaking

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher in a technical/legal/policy field

Job description

About Thea Energy:

Thea Energy is leveraging recent breakthroughs in stellarator physics and engineering to create a faster and simpler approach to commercializing fusion energy. The company is reinventing the stellarator using computer-controlled arrays of planar coils thereby replacing the intricate, complex modular magnets required in all other stellarator architectures. Thea Energy is on a mission to create a limitless source of zero emission energy for a sustainable future.

Position Overview:

Thea Energy is seeking an execution-oriented Director - Site Development to lead the complex process of identifying, evaluating, and securing the location for the Company's upcoming fusion systems. This candidate will interact with Company leadership, finance & operations, and technical teams, and external stakeholders. The Director - Site Development will lead the site selection processes for the Company's core operations and integrated fusion systems and will be responsible for securing competitive state and local incentive packages, navigating regulatory frameworks, and establishing strong community partnerships. Your efforts will directly contribute to the organization's success by aligning technical requirements with community and government support.

Key Responsibility Areas:

• Define and manage technical and resource-based site selection criteria.
• Identify, evaluate, and lead negotiations for state and local incentive packages, tax credits, and infrastructure grants.
• Serve as the primary liaison with state and local governments to navigate regulatory frameworks and permitting processes.
• Lead local stakeholder outreach to build community relationships and secure the local stakeholder trust required for a first-of-a-kind fusion energy project.
• Proactively identify and manage risks related to land use, zoning, and environmental impact assessments.
• Align the siting process with technical requirements and company stakeholders to ensure site readiness and compatibility.
• Establish and maintain schedule and cost baselines for siting, incentives, land acquisition, and construction phases.

Ideal Experience & Skillsets:

• 10+ years of relevant work experience driving site selection, first of a kind construction project development, or government affairs within deep tech, energy, hardware, or aerospace.
• Proven track record of successfully negotiating and securing complex state and local incentive packages or non-dilutive government funding.
• Comfort interfacing with legal and regulatory frameworks; able to effectively partner with counsel to navigate zoning ordinances, term sheets, and incentive contracts.
• Experience with complex and capital intensive infrastructure development cycles.
• Highly structured and process-driven, with a speed and execution mindset and the ability to manage competing priorities across internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills, particularly in public-facing or sensitive negotiation settings.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic startup environment.
• Bachelor's degree or greater in a relevant technical, legal, or policy field.
• This role will require up to 50% travel.

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Company Benefits:

• Salary range $125,000-$230,000
• Comprehensive health benefits (e.g. medical/dental/vision)
• Employee equity stock options
• 20 days PTO

Diversity and Inclusion:

Thea Energy is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a company of diverse backgrounds. By creating a diverse environment, we will bring new ideas and approaches to solving some of the world’s hardest (and most important) problems. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, family or marital status, age, disability, veteran’s status, or other characteristic protected by applicable laws and regulations.