Site Acquisition Manager

Zipline•South San Francisco, CA

2d•$120,000 - $160,000•Onsite

About The Position

As a Site Acquisition Manager based in South San Francisco, you will be responsible for rolling out our systems in targeted metros in North America, and paving the way, imagining how the UAV world meets the built environment - not just for Zipline but for our customers and the industry as a whole. You will own the entire development process from site identification, negotiations, contract execution, through permitting, approvals, and construction across numerous metros. You will work closely with the Real Estate Development, Legal, Government Affairs and Legal Land Use teams to build strong relationships with key stakeholders and secure the necessary approvals to expand our network. You will also be working with the Sales, Customer Success, Engineering and Operations teams to tackle all the technical challenges we face head-on to get our customer’s sites operational as quickly as possible. You will have to be technically savvy, able to develop relationships with, independent commercial property owners, stakeholders and c-suite executives of institutional owned commercial properties, internal stakeholders, city officials, corporate partners, customers, suppliers and contractors. This position is based out of our regional office in South San Francisco and is an in-person local based role.

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.
Strong understanding of zoning laws, building codes, and regulatory processes related to site development.
Proven ability to manage entitlements, permitting and real estate development projects in collaboration with customers’ Real Estate and Construction teams.
Proficiency in construction and design software such as Smartsheet, Bluebeam, (Revit / AutoCAD a bonus) and ability to review drawings and plans.
Ability to interface with government officials, permitting agencies, and community stakeholders to advocate for and secure project approvals.
Strong candidates should have excellent communications skills and experience presenting at public meetings.
The individual will be based at Zipline's regional office in South San Francisco and will be expected to travel out of state up to 50% of the time to support Zipline’s expansion.
Must be eligible to work in the US.

Nice To Haves

Bonus: Professional Engineering (Civil) License in the State of Texas or Arizona and ability to stamp drawings.
Bonus: Experience working in aviation, logistics, or autonomous vehicle infrastructure.
Exceptional candidates should have entrepreneurial, self-starter mindset.

Responsibilities

Real Estate Search & Site Acquisition: Support scouting & site selection, negotiations, contract execution, feasibility studies, and risk assessments, ensuring compliance with local land-use, zoning, and aviation regulations.
Identify and mitigate preconstruction and construction risks, including permitting challenges, environmental constraints, and site-specific infrastructure limitations.
Work with engineering teams to develop site plans and drawings necessary for permit submission.
Land Use Approvals & City Permitting: Engage with city planners, zoning officials, and building departments to streamline permitting processes.
Local outreach and maintain relationships with city officials to secure approval for drone operations across municipalities.
Partner with Government Affairs to advocate for and navigate regulatory frameworks that impact site development.
Represent Zipline in public forums, including Planning & Zoning commissions and City Council meetings, advocating for site approvals.
Ensure all documents (drawings, legal descriptions, site-specific renderings) are complete and aligned with jurisdictional requirements.
Engage directly with municipal permitting departments to expedite approvals and resolve any blockers.
Pre-Construction: Provide support throughout the building permit application process, ensuring that all required documentation is complete, accurate, and submitted in a timely manner.
Collaborate with external consultants to develop and refine drawings for submission to city authorities, while maintaining compliance with local codes and regulations.
Prepare and review conceptual cost estimates, presenting findings to internal stakeholders and incorporating feedback to align on budgetary expectations.
Assist with buy-out efforts and contractor coordination, engaging vendors as needed and ensuring all agreements and scopes are clearly defined ahead of hand-off to the Construction Team.
Cross-Functional Coordination: Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders (deal owners, feasibility leads, engineering) to ensure alignment between regulatory and technical requirements.
Participate in internal site selection and review meetings to flag risks and maintain permitting readiness.
Provide policy and permitting input during early-stage feasibility and deal review.