Sr. Director - Environmental Lawyer

NextGenEnergyJobs; San Jose, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Bloom Energy seeks an experienced Environmental Counsel to provide strategic legal advice on environmental, land use, and sustainability matters. You will support project development, permitting, and regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions.

In this role you will interface with regulatory agencies, advise on disputes and litigation strategy, and draft contract language related to environmental risk and sustainability commitments. Domestic and international travel is required.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school.
• Active bar membership with at least one state bar; California bar preferred.
• 10+ years in environmental, land use, regulatory, permitting, and related fields.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic legal advice on environmental, land use, sustainability, and regulatory matters.
• Support project development strategy including environmental review, permitting, and dispute resolution.
• Advise on compliance with federal, state, local and international environmental programs.
• Interface with regulatory agencies to advance company objectives and resolve permitting issues.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify risks and develop compliant business solutions.
• Provide legal support for environmental and land use disputes, negotiations, and litigation strategy.
• Draft and negotiate environmental, sustainability, and risk-related language in contracts and documents.
• Monitor evolving environmental laws and translate developments into business risk and action plans.
• Manage outside counsel and consultants with clear strategies and budgets.
• Advise on corporate sustainability, ESG, climate strategy, and disclosures.

Skills

Juris Doctor

California bar admission

Environmental law

Regulatory compliance

CEQA/NEPA experience

Regulatory agencies interfacing

Project management

Clear communicator

Cross-functional collaboration

Travel willingness

Education

Juris Doctor from an accredited law school

Job description

• Provide strategic legal advice and practical business counseling on environmental, land use, health and safety, sustainability, and regulatory matters impacting Bloom’s operations, projects, products, and services.
• Support project development strategy and execution, including environmental review, permitting, due diligence, entitlement, and dispute-resolution matters.
• Advise internal stakeholders on compliance obligations under federal, state, local, and international environmental and related regulatory programs, including air, water, waste, hazardous materials, occupational safety, climate, and sustainability requirements.
• Interface with and advocate before regulatory agencies, including environmental, energy, public utility, occupational safety, and local land use authorities, to advance company objectives and resolve compliance or permitting issues.
• Partner closely with Sales, Finance, Engineering, Service, Operations, Quality, Policy, Commercial, and Legal teams to identify risk, develop practical mitigation strategies, and deliver compliant, workable business solutions.
• Provide legal support for environmental and land use disputes, administrative proceedings, negotiations, and litigation strategy, including matters involving CEQA, NEPA, air quality, water quality, waste, hazardous substances, and related state law analogs.
• Review, draft, and negotiate environmental, sustainability, compliance, and risk-allocation language in commercial agreements, customer contracts, project documents, real estate documents, and transaction materials.
• Monitor and assess emerging environmental, climate, energy, ESG, and sustainability laws and regulations; translate developments into business risks, opportunities, and recommended actions for senior leadership.
• Manage outside counsel and consultants efficiently, including developing matter strategy, budgets, workplans, and internal alignment.
• Advise on corporate sustainability, environmental justice, ESG due diligence, climate strategy, disclosures, reporting, and customer-facing sustainability commitments.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school and active membership in good standing with at least one state bar; California bar admission preferred.
• 10+ years of relevant environmental, land use, regulatory, compliance, permitting, litigation, and/or project development experience; in-house experience preferred.
• Deep knowledge of environmental and land use laws and regulatory programs, including CAA, CWA, RCRA, CERCLA, CEQA, NEPA, OSHA-related requirements, climate and air programs, hazardous materials, and state and local analogs.
• Demonstrated experience counseling business teams in highly regulated operating environments, preferably involving manufacturing, energy, infrastructure, transportation, industrial facilities, service operations, or emerging technologies.
• Experience interfacing with federal, state, and local regulatory agencies and developing successful permitting, compliance, enforcement-resolution, and advocacy strategies.
• Ability to lead in ambiguity, exercise sound judgment, learn quickly, and design practical, compliant solutions in a dynamic and evolving regulatory environment.
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to coordinate cross-functional teams, outside counsel, consultants, agency stakeholders, and business leaders to drive matters to resolution.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex legal and technical issues into clear business risks and recommendations for senior management.
• Experience supporting sustainability, ESG, environmental justice, climate, corporate disclosure, and emerging environmental policy matters is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to build credibility and effective working relationships across Legal, Operations, Service, Engineering, Sales, Finance, Policy, Quality, and executive leadership.
• Adheres to and promotes an appropriate set of core values and ethical conduct consistent with all laws and regulations.
• Maintains confidentiality of work-related information and materials.
• Some domestic and international travel required.
• Bloom Energy is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The total compensation for this position includes standard company benefits and is based on various factors including, but not limited to, relevant skills and experience.