Development & Permitting Project Manager

Zipline•South San Francisco, CA

6h•Onsite

About The Position

Zipline is the world’s largest and most experienced drone delivery service, on a mission to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine and essential goods anytime, anywhere. They design, build, and operate the world’s largest autonomous logistics system, making millions of deliveries across four continents. Their system strengthens supply chains, reduces congestion, and gives people time back, with over 140 million commercial autonomous miles safely flown. Zipline seeks practical problem solvers who thrive on real-world challenges and rapid growth, motivated by building systems with a direct, meaningful impact on people’s lives. As a Development & Permitting Project Manager, you will be responsible for driving the expansion of Zipline's network by defining how autonomous aerial logistics integrates into the built environment at scale. This role is the single-threaded owner of development outcomes from site identification through entitlements, permitting, and approvals across multiple metros, often simultaneously and under real deadlines. The ideal candidate is organized, highly detail-oriented, consistent in follow-through, and a self-starter who can operate independently, make decisions with incomplete information, and drive outcomes without constant direction. The work will be ambiguous, and the expectation is to bring structure and clarity. This position sits at the intersection of site acquisition, real estate development, land use, aviation, and regulatory strategy, working closely with government affairs and legal land use to unlock new jurisdictions. Success requires sound judgment, persistence, and the ability to move projects forward in ambiguous, slow-moving, or resistant environments. You will partner closely with engineering and operations to solve technical and site-specific challenges and ensure projects are executable, not just approvable. Comfort with deep dives into drawings, constraints, and tradeoffs while maintaining forward momentum is essential. This is an in-person position based out of a regional office in a metro area, requiring candidates to be local and bring existing, credible relationships with AHJs and permitting authorities.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Civil, Mechanical, Industrial, Electrical, Others), Real Estate, Development, or Construction Management.
5+ years of experience in Real Estate Development, Permitting, Urban Planning, Civil Engineering, and/or Public-Private Project Development, with a track record of delivering projects from concept through approvals.
Strong understanding of zoning laws, building codes, and regulatory processes, with the ability to navigate them independently.
Proven experience managing entitlements, permitting, and development projects in coordination with real estate and construction teams.
Proficiency in tools such as Smartsheet and Bluebeam.
Ability to work effectively with government officials, permitting agencies, and community stakeholders to secure approvals.
Strong communication skills, including experience presenting in public meetings or similar forums.
Established local relationships with AHJs and permitting authorities that can be leveraged immediately.
Willingness to travel up to 50% across the state to support expansion efforts.
Must be eligible to work in the US.

Nice To Haves

Professional Engineering (Civil) License in the State of Texas, Florida, Arizona, Georgia or California and ability to stamp drawings.
Proficiency in Revit / AutoCAD.
Experience in aviation, logistics, or other highly regulated infrastructure environments.

Responsibilities

Support site selection, feasibility, and risk assessment end-to-end, ensuring alignment with zoning, land use, and aviation constraints.
Identify risks early and drive mitigation plans across permitting, environmental, and infrastructure considerations before they impact timelines.
Partner with engineering to translate site constraints into clear design requirements and ensure permit-ready drawings.
Build and maintain strong working relationships with planners, zoning officials, and building departments to move projects forward efficiently.
Lead permitting efforts across multiple metros, including navigating novel regulatory pathways for drone operations.
Partner with government affairs to navigate and, where necessary, help shape regulatory approaches.
Represent Zipline in public forums (Planning & Zoning, City Council), communicating clearly and effectively to secure approvals.
Ensure all submittals are complete, accurate, and aligned with jurisdictional requirements - high attention to detail is critical.
Actively manage permitting timelines by engaging directly with departments, resolving issues, and escalating when appropriate.
Support the building permit process from submission through approval, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and timeliness.
Work with external consultants to produce high-quality, compliant drawings and documentation.
Support contractor engagement and scope definition to ensure a smooth transition to the construction team.
Collaborate with site acquisition, engineering, regulatory, legal land use and operations teams to ensure alignment across development and execution.
Surface risks early and propose practical solutions to keep projects moving.
Provide clear input on permitting and policy considerations during site selection and deal review.