Development Lead, Ground Charging Infrastructure

Zipline is the world’s largest and most experienced drone delivery service. We are on a mission to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine and essential goods anytime, anywhere. We design, build, and operate the world’s largest autonomous logistics system, delivering critical supplies quickly and reliably. Today, Zipline operates on four continents, makes a delivery somewhere in the world every 30 seconds, and has completed millions of deliveries to date, including blood, vaccines, medical supplies, food, and retail products.

Our customers include the world’s largest and most prominent healthcare systems, governments, retailers, restaurants and global businesses who rely on us to save lives, reduce emissions, increase economic opportunity, and provide delivery from point A to point B as fast as possible. The drone is only 15% of what we’ve built to enable seamless, reliable, global operations.

Our system strengthens supply chains, reduces congestion, and gives people time back. With more than 140 million commercial autonomous miles safely flown, Zipline is redefining access to healthcare, consumer products, and food across the globe.

We operate at a global scale and are looking for practical problem solvers who thrive on real-world challenges and rapid growth. Our team is motivated by building systems that have a direct, meaningful impact on people’s lives and by scaling the future of logistics. We are seeking people who sculpt from first principles, enjoy facing adversity, and can do the impossible at record breaking speeds.

Zipline is looking for a Development Manager Lead to lead the strategy and execution of ground system infrastructure that enables the next generation of autonomous operations. In this role, you will oversee a portfolio of infrastructure development projects, guiding them from early site evaluation through permitting and construction readiness while helping shape the processes, standards, and partnerships that enable Zipline to scale.

As a senior technical leader, you will partner closely with Engineering, Construction, Government Affairs, Legal, Operations, Real Estate, and external stakeholders to deliver reliable, scalable infrastructure. You will provide leadership on complex development challenges, mentor Development Managers, and serve as a trusted advisor on permitting strategy, utility coordination, and regulatory engagement.

This is a highly cross-functional role that requires deep technical expertise, sound business judgment, and exceptional stakeholder management. You'll build strong relationships with Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs), utility providers, consultants, and landowners while navigating complex regulatory environments to advance projects efficiently and responsibly.

• Lead the development and execution of a portfolio of ground infrastructure projects from site identification through permitting and construction readiness.

• Provide technical leadership and strategic guidance for site due diligence, feasibility assessments, site design, permitting, and utility coordination.

• Develop and standardize development processes, permitting strategies, design standards, and best practices to improve scalability and execution across projects.

• Mentor and provide technical guidance to Development Managers, fostering their growth and ensuring consistent project execution.

• Oversee complex site due diligence activities, including land