{"id":3463287,"url":"https://alion.io/job/zipline-planning-development-specialist","title":"Planning & Development Specialist","company":{"id":15878,"name":"Zipline","domain":"zipline.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/zipline","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":75,"open_postings":15,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":1,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":58,"computed_at":"2026-10-31T05:58:55Z"}},"role":"Operations","role_family":"Operations","seniority":"staff","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"explicit","locations":["South San Francisco, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":150000,"max":190000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":190000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":10,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":true,"technologies":[],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-07-20T21:36:23Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-15","last_verified_at":"2026-10-31T05:25:48Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":102,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":102},"description":"About Zipline\nZipline 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. \nOur 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.\nOur 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.\nWe 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.\nAbout You and The Role \nZipline is entering a period of rapid expansion across the U.S., and we’re seeking a seasoned Planning and Development Specialist to guide our efforts in securing land use and zoning approvals for Zipline’s real estate footprint nationwide. This is not a standard, behind-the-scenes role focused on zoning interpretation and compliance. This is a highly-visible, external facing, strategic position that is central to the company's growth. It demands a confident, hands-on leader who can operate at the forefront of a dynamic, evolving regulatory landscape and drive the organization forward.\nAs part of our growing Legal team, you will partner closely with Zipline’s Operations, Real Estate, and Customer Success teams to enable the rapid and repeatable deployment of Zipline’s uncrewed aerial systems and related infrastructure across metropolitan regions. \nThis position reports to Zipline’s Deputy General Counsel and is based at our South San Francisco HQ. \nWhat You'll Do\nDevelop and execute Zipline’s strategy for securing operationally critical land use, zoning, entitlements, and permitting approvals in markets across the U.S.\nBuild and maintain relationships with municipalities - including planning directors, buildings commissioners, economic development corporations, and local staff.\nRepresent Zipline in public settings - including at public planning commission and city council hearings, community meetings, and other key stakeholder meetings - regarding land use and zoning matters.\nServe as a trusted partner within the Legal Team, interpreting, drafting, and analyzing municipal ordinances affecting Zipline’s operations and site development.\nPartner with Operations, Real Estate, and Engineering teams to ensure that jurisdictional engagement strategies align with technical and operational realities.\nWhat You'll Bring\nA strong command of land use and zoning ordinances, with experience obtaining complex or first-of-their-kind entitlements preferred.\nAt least 10 years of relevant experience, ideally including a mix of the following experience: within state or local government, as part of a land use and zoning law firm or practice group, in a corporate environment, and/or as a consultant.\nPersuasive written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage a variety of stakeholders - including planning directors and staff, city attorneys, economic development managers, and community groups - with diplomacy and credibility.\nPragmatic, business-oriented risk assessment skills, with the ability to make confident, independent judgment calls and escalate when appropriate.\nA proven track record of delivering high-stakes regulatory approvals under tight timelines, while maintaining composure and focus.\nA proactive, resourceful mindset with an eagerness to tackle novel challenges and shape scalable jurisdictional engagement strategies.\nUnwavering ethics, strong relationship-building instincts, and the ability to collaborate effectively across diverse teams.\nWhat Else You Need To Know \nAICP certification preferred\nMust be eligible to work in the United States\nThe starting cash range for this role is $150,000 - $190,000. Please note that this is a target, starting cash range for a candidate who meets the minimum qualifications for this role. The final cash pay for this role will depend on a variety of factors, including a specific candidate's experience, qualifications, skills, working location, and projected impact. The total compensation package for this role may also include: equity compensation; overtime pay; discretionary annual or performance bonuses; sales incentives; benefits such as medical, dental and vision insurance; paid time off; and more.\nZipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws or our own sensibilities.\nWe value diversity at Zipline and welcome applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech. If you like the sound of this position but are not sure if you are the perfect fit, please apply!\nVoluntary Self-Identification\nFor government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.\nAs set forth in Zipline ’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.","description_format":"text","description_chars":6417,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":10,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":null,"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity","Vision insurance"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Real Estate","Drones & UAVs","Delivery","Logistics"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-29T14:36:18Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"US","licensed_sponsor":true,"evidence":"H-1B filings in 12 months: 63 · green card filings: 13","filings_12m":63,"filings_prev_12m":47,"green_card_filings_12m":13,"median_offered_wage_usd":170658,"route":null,"cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-10-29T16:27:21+00:00","sources":["US Department of Labor: LCA disclosure data (H-1B, H-1B1, E-3)","US Department of Labor: PERM disclosure data (green cards)"],"filings_for_role_12m":0}],"liveness":{"score":20,"band":"cold","label":"Long shot","p_open":1,"p_active":0.544,"p_room":0.36,"age_days":102,"expected_fill_days":58,"reasons":["conf:0","stale_co","velocity","win:tail","crowd:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-10-31T05:58:55Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":190000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/zipline-planning-development-specialist","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/zipline-planning-development-specialist.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-31T07:52:59Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":11732,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-01T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":15878},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=15878"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fzipline-planning-development-specialist"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fzipline-planning-development-specialist"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fzipline-planning-development-specialist"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/zipline-planning-development-specialist\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fzipline-planning-development-specialist"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":3463287}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"zipline.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":3463287},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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