Development & Permitting Project Manager

About Zipline 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. About You and The Role As a Development & Permitting Project Manager, you will be responsible for driving the expansion of our network - defining how autonomous aerial logistics integrates into the built environment at scale. You are the single-threaded owner of development outcomes from site identification through entitlements, permitting and approvals across multiple metros, often simultaneously and under real deadlines. We are looking for someone who takes ownership seriously - someone organized, highly detail-oriented, and consistent in follow-through. You are a self-starter who can operate independently, make decisions with incomplete information, and drive outcomes without constant direction. The work will be ambiguous at times; the expectation is that you bring structure and clarity to it. This role sits at the intersection of site acquisition, real estate development, land use, aviation, and regulatory strategy. You will work closely with government affairs and legal land use to unlock jurisdictions that have never approved infrastructure like ours before. The playbook is being written - and you will help create it. Success requires sound judgment, persistence, and the ability to move projects forward in environments that are ambiguous, slow-moving, or resistant. You will partner closely with engineering and operations to solve technical and site-specific challenges and ensure projects are executable - not just approvable. You should be comfortable going deep on drawings, constraints, and tradeoffs while still maintaining forward momentum. This is an in-person position based out of our regional office in metro. Candidates must be local to the area and bring existing, credible relationships with AHJs and permitting authorities. This is not a role where you build your network from scratch. What You'll Do Real Estate Search & Site Development: 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. Land Use Approvals & City Permitting: Build and maintain strong working relationships with planners, zoning officials, and build