Environmental Lead

Compensation

$226K – $285K • Offers Equity

The base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. If the role is non-exempt, overtime pay will be provided consistent with applicable laws. In addition to the salary range listed above, total compensation also includes generous equity, performance-related bonus(es) for eligible employees, and the following benefits.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your family, with employer contributions to Health Savings Accounts
• Pre-tax accounts for Health FSA, Dependent Care FSA, and commuter expenses (parking and transit)
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match
• Paid parental leave (up to 24 weeks for birth parents and 20 weeks for non-birthing parents), plus paid medical and caregiver leave (up to 8 weeks)
• Paid time off: flexible PTO for exempt employees and up to 15 days annually for non-exempt employees
• 13+ paid company holidays, and multiple paid coordinated company office closures throughout the year for focus and recharge, plus paid sick or safe time (1 hour per 30 hours worked, or more, as required by applicable state or local law)
• Mental health and wellness support
• Employer-paid basic life and disability coverage
• Annual learning and development stipend to fuel your professional growth
• Daily meals in our offices, and meal delivery credits as eligible
• Relocation support for eligible employees
• Additional taxable fringe benefits, such as charitable donation matching and wellness stipends, may also be provided.

About OpenAI

OpenAI is building the world’s most advanced AI infrastructure platform. Through the Industrial program, we are developing a global portfolio of next-generation data center campuses that integrate power, land, water, fiber, and community systems into resilient, long-term AI infrastructure.

About the Role

The Environmental & Community Stewardship Lead owns how OpenAI evaluates, governs, and delivers environmental and community performance across its global data center portfolio.

This role sets OpenAI’s environmental standards, oversees third-party developers and consultants, leads early-stage environmental risk screening, and ensures projects meet both regulatory requirements and OpenAI’s long-term stewardship commitments. The role plays a central part in determining which sites OpenAI advances, how they are permitted, and how they are received by host communities.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and deliver community-aligned environmental programs that improve permitting outcomes, strengthen local trust, and provide high-impact, cost-effective benefits to host communities.
• Lead environmental diligence and risk assessment across prospective sites, including wetlands, water supply, floodplains, endangered species, cultural resources, stormwater, air, noise, and construction impacts, translating findings into commercial, schedule, and development decisions.
• Manage site-level environmental investigations and liability review, including Phase I / Phase II ESAs, noise studies, archaeological and cultural-resource reviews, and brownfield or acquired-property environmental liability assessment where relevant.
• Establish and enforce OpenAI’s environmental and community standards across land developers, utilities, EPCs, and joint-venture partners, including auditing third-party studies, mitigation plans, and construction practices to ensure alignment with OpenAI’s long-term operating model.
• Lead environmental and permitting strategies across federal, state, and local agencies, including NEPA, USACE Section 404, state wetlands, stormwater, air, water, and waste, sequencing approvals to support development schedules and operations.
• Oversee environmental compliance during construction and early operations, including stormwater (SWPPP), spill prevention (SPCC), hazardous materials, PFAS, and related field programs.
• Partner closely with internal teams across site selection, power, engineering, and community affairs to integrate environmental and community considerations into every stage of project development.

Qualifications:

• 8+ years of experience in environmental permitting, infrastructure development, energy, or large-scale project delivery, with hands-on experience navigating complex federal and state regulatory frameworks.
• Managed environmental consultants, developers, and regulators on politically visible, multi-stakeholder projects and are comfortable setting standards, holding partners accountable, and making difficult calls when risks are too high.
• Understand how environmental risk translates into financial, schedule, and reputational risk, and you know how to design mitigation strategies that are practical, cost-effective, and credible with both regulators and communities.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguous, fast-moving environments and can balance long-term stewardship with the need to deliver large-scale infrastructure on aggressive timelines.