Site Acquisition SME

Jacobs; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 155,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) plan

Unlimited PPTO

Stock purchase program

Job summary

Jacobs is a leader in engineering and scientific discovery, seeking a Site Acquisition SME to provide strategic leadership for a large communications infrastructure program. The role oversees site access, entitlements, permitting, and stakeholder negotiations across a broad portfolio of sites, coordinating with legal and environmental specialists to ensure compliance and timely delivery.

The ideal candidate will bring 15+ years of site acquisition experience, strong negotiation skills, and the

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 15+ years in site acquisition or related programs.
• Experience negotiating site access agreements with public agencies.
• Proven ability to manage multi-site infrastructure programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead authority on site access agreements, rights of entry, permits, and related documents.
• Negotiate with property owners and public agencies to secure access rights.
• Advise leadership on entitlement strategy and compliance risks.
• Direct review and administration of SAAs, ROEs, and related documents.
• Coordinate with environmental/technical SMEs to meet regulatory requirements.
• Lead co-location application reviews from initiation to entitlement approval.
• Develop and maintain tracking systems for deadlines, permits, and documentation.
• Prepare executive briefings and decision-support materials.
• Work with legal counsel to finalize terms.
• Provide guidance to project teams on entitlement processes and compliance.
• Deliver weekly executive status reports.

Skills

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Executive communication

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Your impact

Jacobs is seeking a highly experienced Site Acquisition Subject Matter Expert (SME) to provide strategic leadership and oversight for a complex communications infrastructure program. This role serves as the technical authority for site access agreements, rights of entry, entitlements, permitting, compliance management, and stakeholder negotiations across a large portfolio of active communications sites.

You’ll be responsible for

• Serving as the program's lead authority on site access agreements, rights of entry, permits, entitlements, and property-related requirements.
• Leading negotiations with property owners, public agencies, regulatory authorities, and other stakeholders to secure and maintain site access rights.
• Advising program leadership on entitlement strategy, contractual obligations, compliance risks, and dispute resolution.
• Directing the review, execution, amendment, renewal, and administration of Site Access Agreements (SAAs), Rights of Entry (ROEs), and related documents.
• Coordinating with environmental and technical SMEs to identify regulatory, environmental, and jurisdictional requirements and develop strategies to achieve compliance across the program.
• Leading co-location application reviews from initiation through agreement execution and entitlement approval.
• Developing and maintaining program-level tracking systems for agreement compliance, renewals, critical deadlines, permits, and documentation.
• Preparing executive briefings, Board materials, recommendations, and decision support documents.
• Working directly with legal counsel to negotiate and finalize agreement terms and conditions.
• Providing leadership and guidance to project teams regarding site access requirements, entitlement processes, and regulatory compliance.
• Serving as the primary point of contact for complex site access issues and escalated stakeholder concerns.
• Delivering weekly executive-level status reports on critical site acquisition, entitlement, permitting, and compliance activities.

Here’s what you’ll need

• Bachelor's degree and 15+ years of experience in site acquisition, telecommunications, infrastructure, public works, utilities, or related programs.
• Proven experience supporting large-scale communications infrastructure or public-sector programs.
• Extensive experience negotiating and administering site access agreements, rights of entry, easements, leases, permits, and entitlement documents.
• Proven experience working directly with public agencies, executive leadership, legal counsel, regulatory authorities, and property owners.
• Demonstrated expertise managing complex, multi-site infrastructure programs.
• Strong understanding of permitting, entitlement, environmental compliance, and jurisdictional approval processes.
• Exceptional negotiation, presentation, stakeholder management, and executive communication skills.

Ideally, you’ll also have

• Experience presenting recommendations to executive leadership, governing boards, and senior stakeholders.
• Knowledge of communications site deployment, public safety communications systems, or telecommunications infrastructure.
• Previous experience serving as a recognized SME or advisor for major infrastructure programs.

Bring your curiosity, passion for innovation, and commitment to collaboration. At Jacobs, we’ll support you in pursuing what inspires you so together, we can make a lasting impact on the communities we serve.

Our health and welfare benefits are designed to invest in you, and in the things you care about.

• Your health.
• Your well-being.
• Your security.
• Your future.
• Employees have access to medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance, a 401(k) plan, and the ability to purchase company stock at a discount.
• Eligible employees may also enroll in a deferred compensation plan or the Executive Deferral Plan.
• Jacobs has an unlimited U.S. Personalized Paid Time Off (PPTO) policy for full-time salaried/exempt employees, seven paid holidays, and caregiver leave.
• And certain roles may be eligible for additional rewards, including merit increases, performance discretionary bonus, and stock.

The base salary range for this position is $154,700.00 to $200,000.00. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

Job posted on September 11, 2026. This position will be open for at least 3 days.

Qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered for employment.

Onsite employees are expected to attend a Jacobs Workplace on a full-time basis, as required by the nature of their role.

Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.