Project Developer


Job Description
Reporting to the Senior Director of Business Development, the Project Developer will have significant day-to-day responsibility for the Company’s regional project development activities in the Midwest, focusing initially on a ~900+ MW pipeline of solar + storage projects. The Developer will focus initially on early-stage development, supporting the execution of real estate acquisition environmental diligence and preparing for rigorous zoning processes. The Project Developer will coordinate closely with the Lead Developer, the Senior Director of Business Development, and the broader team. As part of a small, growing company, the Developer will also contribute to overall corporate development and company culture and will be involved periodically in projects outside of day-to-day project execution such as M&A support and market research and analysis.

Responsibilities

  • Execute land acquisition strategies, including but not limited to the following responsibilities:
    • Develop relationships with landowners and local governments and represent Earthrise in community settings (various local meetings and events)
    • Help manage external land agents
    • Use landowner and community intelligence to make informed risk/reward assessments and tactical recommendations to the team
  • Execute real estate and title diligence processes and coordinate with external consultants and counsel to ensure that environmental studies and surveys are properly completed
  • Execute strategies for county and/or state zoning; represent Earthrise in community meetings and gather and analyze community input
  • Support interconnection filings and studies with internal and external engineering, regulatory, and operational specialists
  • Support platform growth by assessing renewable energy potential, opportunity, and risk in areas surrounding possible acquisitions
  • Assist with negotiation of power, REC, and capacity contracts and support project finance team members in debt and tax equity closings
  • Support ad-hoc research and analysis to advance new market and business strategies
  • Assist with the creation and implementation of internal workflow and reporting processes and tools
  • Help identify areas of need and growth within the internal team; during growth phases, help identify, recruit, and evaluate new hires


Qualifications & Skills

  • Active in utility-scale solar project development: 1-3 years, preferably with experience working in Illinois and/or the Midwest
  • Required experience in early-to-mid stages of project execution with particular strengths in site acquisition and zoning. In particular:
    • Strong grasp of real estate contract terms and conditions and ability to quickly extract key provisions from land agreements and legal documents
    • Experience conducting property research and public record analysis and using Google Earth / other basic GIS tools, and familiarity with land title and ownership principles
    • Experiencing preparing for and navigating rigorous, evidence-based project zoning processes at the county or state level
  • Strong track record of coordinating with outside consultants and service providers
  • Keen interest in building personal relationships from the ground up and working closely with a diverse range of stakeholders
  • Strong organizational, project management and problem-solving skills and the ability to structure work to meet project schedules and deadlines
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, and a proficiency in MS Office programs
  • Preferably located in Illinois / Midwest or nearby; travel expected to be required ~25-40% of the time


Benefits
Earthrise Energy offers a competitive compensation package along with strong health and wellness benefits, so our team members can take care of themselves and their loved ones. Our package includes:

  • Health and ancillary insurance benefits (including medical, dental, vision, prescription, and life insurance)
  • 401(k) with Company contribution equivalent to 3% of employee salary
  • Flexible PTO model; 10 paid company holidays


Equal Opportunity
Earthrise Energy, PBC is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medica condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.

Interested? Email your resume along with a cover note to Earthrise Energy's Human Resources.