VP, Project Development
What you’ll do
As a VP, Project Development, you will own everything that sits between site selection and construction. This is not a permitting coordination role — it is full-stack site delivery. You will be embedded with a development team and local jurisdictions to take end-to-end ownership of getting each site shovel-ready as fast as possible.
This role is ideal for someone who thrives under real schedule pressure, builds relationships with agencies and utilities before they are needed, and thinks in terms of parallel workstreams and creative problem solving rather than sequential checklists.
Where you’ll work
We are an in-office culture — velocity matters when you're building physical infrastructure, and the best decisions happen in the room. This role is ideally based in our San Francisco, Long Beach, or Houston offices, with full-time onsite expectations outside of bi-weekly WFH Fridays.
That said, we will make exceptions for truly exceptional talent if you live outside one of our hubs. If you're the right person for this role, we'll have a conversation about what works.
Responsibilities
Entitlements & Permitting
Build agency relationships before they are needed — not when you are already on the clock
Drive zoning, land use approvals, conditional use permits, and variances through local and state agencies
Identify and pursue parallel regulatory pathways to compress overall approval timelines
Own permit schedule risk and communicate it clearly to development leadership
Collaborate with Engineering and Construction teams to ensure the most efficient path to shovel-readiness
Utility & Infrastructure Coordination
Lead negotiations with power providers, water districts, and telecom utilities
Coordinate with civil, structural, and electrical engineers to produce complete and accurate permit packages
Environmental & Due Diligence
Manage Phase I/II environmental assessments, wetlands determinations, and other site constraints
Engage environmental consultants and coordinate agency approvals through to clearance
Stakeholder & Community Engagement
Represent Giga Energy at public hearings, neighborhood meetings, and agency presentations
Build community relationships that support current and future projects
Process & Schedule Management
Create and maintain detailed development schedules tracking every entitlement, utility, and permit milestone
Track critical path items, escalate risks early, and proactively solve problems before they impact delivery
Requirements
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Planning, Construction Management, or related field
10+ years delivering complex, multi-agency development or infrastructure projects, bonus points for experience in Energy or Data Center development
Demonstrated experience managing entitlements, permitting, and utility coordination simultaneously
Strong technical literacy — able to hold substantive conversations with civil, electrical, and structural engineers
Exceptional relationship-building skills with government agencies, utilities, and community stakeholders
Experience creating and managing detailed project schedules and critical path dependencies
Comfortable operating in fast-paced, ambiguous environments with shifting priorities
Bonus Points
Background in hyperscale data center or other large-scale industrial development
Experience in oil & gas, LNG, or petrochemical — industries that drive large capital projects through permitting under real schedule pressure
Track record compressing development timelines through creative regulatory strategies
Previous experience on the owner's side of development
Knowledge of utility interconnection processes and power provider negotiations
Benefits
Subsidized health, dental, and vision insurance
Equity (options) in a rapidly growing startup
401(k) with 4% employer match
Unlimited PTO
Parental leave
Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA)
Commuter benefits
Monthly team onsites where all offices come in–person to collaborate