Sr. Director - Environmental Lawyer
At Bloom Energy, our vision for a world powered by clean, reliable, and affordable energy is more than just a dream-we’re making it reality.
For over two decades, we’ve been at the forefront of the global energy transition, pioneering solutions that empower critical industries to thrive in a rapidly digitizing, energy-intensive world. From revolutionizing power for AI-driven data centers to ensuring resilience for hospitals, electric grids, manufacturing facilities, and utilities, our solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and solid oxide electrolyzer (SOEC) technologies are redefining what’s possible by delivering energy abundance for all. With more than 30,000 fuel cell modules deployed worldwide, we are the trusted partner for Fortune 100 companies and innovators alike. Our cutting-edge solutions enable unparalleled “time-to-power” capabilities, reliability, and sustainability, ensuring our customers remain ahead in a world where soaring energy demand and intensifying energy scarcity are rapidly becoming the new norm.
At Bloom, we thrive on collaboration, bold thinking, and relentless innovation. We believe that, together, we can create a brighter, more sustainable future while tackling the most pressing challenges of the 21st century.
Bloom Energy is the leading force in transforming the way energy is generated and delivered. We are driving toward the parallel goals of growing a dynamic and forward-thinking company while creating a positive impact on our environment. Our mission is to make clean, reliable energy affordable globally. Our company is filled with smart and innovative thinkers and doers, and we never stop striving to improve our technology, to expand and improve our company performance, and to develop and support the many talented employees that serve our mission!
We are looking for a Director/Senior Director, Environmental Law to join our team in San Jose, California in one of today’s most exciting technologies. This is a fully on-site, in office role.
Reporting to the Vice President, Environmental and Regulatory Law, this role will serve as a strategic legal advisor for environmental, land use, health and safety, sustainability, and regulatory matters that are critical to Bloom’s continued growth. The Director/Senior Director will provide practical, business-oriented counsel across project development, operations, manufacturing, service, policy, commercial, and compliance functions. This position will be expected to lead in complex and ambiguous regulatory environments, develop creative and compliant paths forward, manage outside counsel where appropriate, and interface with federal, state, and local agencies to advance Bloom projects and support scalable business execution. The ideal candidate will have deep environmental law experience, strong judgment, excellent leadership and communication skills, and a demonstrated ability to partner cross-functionally with business teams to solve complex problems.
Role and Responsibilities:
- Provide strategic legal advice and practical business counseling on environmental, land use, health and safety, sustainability, and regulatory matters impacting Bloom’s operations, projects, products, and services.
- Support project development strategy and execution, including environmental review, permitting, due diligence, entitlement, and dispute-resolution matters.
- Advise internal stakeholders on compliance obligations under federal, state, local, and international environmental and related regulatory programs, including air, water, waste, hazardous materials, occupational safety, climate, and sustainability requirements.
- Interface with and advocate before regulatory agencies, including environmental, energy, public utility, occupational safety, and local land use authorities, to advance company objectives and resolve compliance or permitting issues.
- Partner closely with Sales, Finance, Engineering, Service, Operations, Quality, Policy, Commercial, and Legal teams to identify risk, develop practical mitigation strategies, and deliver compliant, workable business solutions.
- Provide legal support for environmental and land use disputes, administrative proceedings, negotiations, and litigation strategy, including matters involving CEQA, NEPA, air quality, water quality, waste, hazardous substances, and related state law analogs.
- Review, draft, and negotiate environmental, sustainability, compliance, and risk-allocation language in commercial agreements, customer contracts, project documents, real estate documents, and transaction materials.
- Monitor and assess emerging environmental, climate, energy, ESG, and sustainability laws and regulations; translate developments into business risks, opportunities, and recommended actions for senior leadership.
- Manage outside counsel and consultants efficiently, including developing matter strategy, budgets, workplans, and internal alignment.
- Advise on corporate sustainability, environmental justice, ESG due diligence, climate strategy, disclosures, reporting, and customer-facing sustainability commitments.
- Other duties as assigned.
Skills and Experience:
- Juris Doctor from an accredited law school and active membership in good standing with at least one state bar; California bar admission preferred.
- 10+ years of relevant environmental, land use, regulatory, compliance, permitting, litigation, and/or project development experience; in-house experience preferred.
- Deep knowledge of environmental and land use laws and regulatory programs, including CAA, CWA, RCRA, CERCLA, CEQA, NEPA, OSHA-related requirements, climate and air programs, hazardous materials, and state and local analogs.
- Demonstrated experience counseling business teams in highly regulated operating environments, preferably involving manufacturing, energy, infrastructure, transportation, industrial facilities, service operations, or emerging technologies.
- Experience interfacing with federal, state, and local regulatory agencies and developing successful permitting, compliance, enforcement-resolution, and advocacy strategies.
- Ability to lead in ambiguity, exercise sound judgment, learn quickly, and design practical, compliant solutions in a dynamic and evolving regulatory environment.
- Strong project management skills, including the ability to coordinate cross-functional teams, outside counsel, consultants, agency stakeholders, and business leaders to drive matters to resolution.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex legal and technical issues into clear business risks and recommendations for senior management.
- Experience supporting sustainability, ESG, environmental justice, climate, corporate disclosure, and emerging environmental policy matters is strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated ability to build credibility and effective working relationships across Legal, Operations, Service, Engineering, Sales, Finance, Policy, Quality, and executive leadership.
- Adheres to and promotes an appropriate set of core values and ethical conduct consistent with all laws and regulations.
- Maintains confidentiality of work-related information and materials.
- Some domestic and international travel required.
About Bloom Energy:
Bloom Energy’s mission is to make clean, reliable energy affordable for everyone in the world. The company’s product, the Bloom Energy Server, delivers highly reliable and resilient, always-on electric power that is clean, cost-effective, and ideal for microgrid applications. Bloom’s customers include many Fortune 100 companies and leaders in manufacturing, data centers, healthcare, retail, higher education, utilities, and other industries. For more information, visit www.bloomenergy.com
Bloom Energy is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. We are committed to compliance with all applicable laws providing equal employment opportunities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, protected veteran status, or on the basis of disability. Bloom Energy makes reasonable accommodations, consistent with applicable laws, for the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified applicant or employee with a disability, who can perform the essential job functions, unless undue hardship would result.
Bloom Energy is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The total compensation for this position includes standard company benefits and is based on various factors including, but not limited to, relevant skills and experience.