You will be the primary owner of direct AHJ engagement — developing, negotiating, and executing the entitlement and permit strategy and mitigating approval risk — while also leading land development: site feasibility, required infrastructure strategy, site planning, and the complex contract negotiations that unlock delivery. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker with a technical background who can independently guide and communicate AWS's vision for development in new and complex markets, manage multi-disciplinary internal and external stakeholders, and produce outcomes that support sustainable growth and are sensitive to the communities in which we expand.
A successful candidate will have a proven track record of independently delivering multiple, high-priority projects with tight timelines that require strong project management, deal negotiation, and extensive communication with partner teams, outside consultants and counsel, and authorities having jurisdiction. Candidate must be able to work in the assigned office as needed up to five days a week, with the exception of work travel 25–50% of the time.
Key job responsibilities
Lead land development efforts on new projects.
Own the end-to-end entitlement and permitting path — identify all required government/AHJ approvals (including development agreements and discretionary approvals such as CUPs, rezonings, variances, and plan amendments) and lead them to issuance, including in jurisdictions with no existing AWS presence.
Serve as the primary owner of direct AHJ engagement, cultivating local-government relationships and representing AWS in strategic approval discussions, public hearings, and escalations.
Develop, negotiate, and execute the permitting/entitlement plan across internal and external project teams; identify, mitigate, and communicate approval risk to stakeholders and leadership.
Drive and track approval delivery against plan — own approval-status reporting and timeline-predictability metrics, surface schedule variances early, and capture/hand off post-issuance permit conditions to construction teams.
Lead the broader land development effort: site feasibility, infrastructure-improvement strategy, site planning, and the complex contract negotiations that unlock delivery.
Build and manage teams of vendors, consultants, and design/development partners; work cross-functionally with Design Engineering, Legal, Economic Development, Public Policy, Construction, Capacity Planning, utility, and environmental teams to inform regional real estate strategy.
A day in the life
Each day you will interact with the different teams responsible for all aspects of the data centers, prioritizing the actions most impactful to data center capacity availability. You will coordinate communications with internal teams and consultants to plan and execute projects; analyze and develop technical AHJ approval and entitlement materials; help shape site plans and infrastructure-improvement strategy; meet virtually and in person with AHJ staff, developers, and land-use counsel to coordinate requirements and approval strategy; develop, maintain, and report on entitlement/AHJ approval schedules and timeline-predictability metrics; track open permit conditions to closure; and travel to in-person internal and external meetings, hearings, and workshops across the nation.
About the team
Why AWS?
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform. We pioneered cloud computing and never stopped innovating — that’s why customers from the most successful startups to Global 500 companies trust our robust suite of products and services to power their businesses.
Inclusive Team Culture
AWS values curiosity and connection. Our employee-led and company-sponsored affinity groups promote inclusion and empower our people to take pride in what makes us unique. Our inclusion events foster stronger, more collaborative teams. Our continual innovation is fueled by the bold ideas, fresh perspectives, and passionate voices our teams bring to everything we do.
Mentorship & Career Growth
We’re continuously raising our performance bar as we strive to become Earth’s Best Employer. That’s why you’ll find endless knowledge-sharing, mentorship and other career-advancing resources here to help you develop into a better-rounded professional.
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Real Estate, Business Administration, or a related field
6+ years of Real Estate development experience (land acquisition, due diligence, design, development, build to suit, lease)
Strong negotiation skills
Master's Degree or higher (including Juris Doctor) in Engineering, Business, Real Estate or related fields.
Experience in data center site selection, design and construction
Experience in public private partnerships.
Ability to understand and communicate high level electrical, power & cooling, fiber optics, and other technical requirements, particularly related to Internet infrastructure
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
USA, TX, Austin - 155,400.00 - 210,200.00 USD annually
USA, VA, Arlington - 155,400.00 - 210,200.00 USD annually
USA, WA, Seattle - 155,400.00 - 210,200.00 USD annually
