Site Civil, Structural & Architectural Lead (CSLA)

OpenAI

19h • $150,000 - $300,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Lead OpenAI’s field delivery of civil works, structures, building envelope, architectural fit-out, and landscape interfaces from site preparation through completed facilities. Serve as the accountable on-site lead for civil, structural, landscape, and architectural construction, directing and overseeing general contractors, specialist contractors, and other service providers within the discipline. Apply practical subject-matter expertise and hands-on field leadership to manage contracted support and deliver safe, high-quality work to the integrated construction plan.

Report to the Site Construction Manager, who reports through applicable project-management leadership. Coordinate design interpretation and technical decisions with the responsible civil, structural, and architectural engineers. Own day-to-day discipline execution and contractor performance within the assigned site scope and delegated authority. Coordinate priorities and interfaces through the Site Construction Manager, and escalate material cost, schedule, design, and acceptance decisions to the appropriate owners.

This is a senior site delivery role suited to an experienced superintendent, supervisor, manager, or trade lead. Accountability covers an assigned discipline and site work packages. Site assignment, duration, and shared coverage depend on project phase, workload, and the staffing plan; effective on-site coverage is required during critical activities.

Requirements

• Typically 8–10 years of civil, structural, or architectural construction experience, including substantial data center or comparable complex industrial site delivery and responsibility for contractors or multiple work packages; equivalent depth of practical delivery experience will be considered.
• Ability to read and coordinate civil, structural, and architectural drawings, specifications, surveys, and relevant geotechnical information, recognizing impacts on grading, drainage, earthworks, foundations, underground services, and building construction.
• Experience translating approved designs into buildable field packages, sequencing, temporary-work interfaces, and inspection hold points; assessing utility conflicts, equipment access, and phased handover before releasing work.
• Experience reviewing RFIs, submittals, and field changes, coordinating design decisions with the engineer of record, and verifying approved changes in the field while preserving clear design responsibility.
• Practical knowledge of inspection and acceptance evidence for civil works, concrete, steel, building envelope, and architectural completion, including nonconformance resolution, punch lists, and as-built records.
• Ability to coordinate construction with permitting conditions, environmental constraints, and authorities having jurisdiction through responsible engineering and EHS teams.
• Demonstrated ability to lead contractors and service providers through changing site conditions, set clear deliverables and acceptance criteria, and resolve performance gaps across organizations without relying on direct reporting authority.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including maintaining accurate field records and action and decision logs, and explaining technical risks, schedule impacts, and recovery options to site leadership, engineers, and delivery partners.
• Sound judgment when information is incomplete: identify assumptions, prerequisites, and interfaces; determine what work can proceed within approved authority; and escalate unresolved risks before they affect safety, quality, or delivery.
• Relevant trade, apprenticeship, technical, or degree-based preparation, or equivalent practical experience. Demonstrated field leadership and subject-matter competence are central to this site role.

Responsibilities

• Direct and coordinate general contractors, civil and structural trades, architectural contractors, and specialist service providers against approved design, construction schedule, and quality requirements.
• Oversee earthworks, grading, drainage, underground interfaces, foundations, concrete, structural steel, building envelope, and architectural completion; coordinate landscape and external works.
• Review constructability, work sequencing, contractor work plans, RFIs, submittals, and proposed changes; obtain design decisions from responsible engineers and track field implementation.
• Coordinate building and underground interfaces with mechanical, electrical, and network leads and hardware deployment teams, protecting access, equipment routes, and installation readiness.
• Inspect work with quality teams, track nonconformances and punch lists, and verify contractor closeout, as-built records, and turnover readiness.
• Set contractor deliverables and work priorities; review staffing, progress, and quality; identify constraints early; and drive recovery actions through the Site Construction Manager.
• Provide concise progress and risk reporting, evaluate field impacts of proposed changes, and maintain accountable handoffs between construction partners and OpenAI teams.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed