Head of Site Selection & Land Use Development

What to Expect

As a Head of Site Selection and Land Use Development, you will own the end-to-end land function for assigned projects — from site identification, evaluation for fitness for use, ownership research and title examination through negotiation, agreement execution, curative, due diligence, and site-ready rights. You will work side-by-side with legal, engineering, project management, construction, and operations teams in a high-velocity environment where title integrity, deal quality, and landowner relationships are non-negotiable. This is a field-and-desk role for a licensed, highly experienced real estate and land use professional who thrives in complex ownership and surface issues, enjoys solving multi-party access problems, and wants to move projects from prospect to construction-ready faster than industry norms.

What You’ll Do

• Identification of sites appropriate for the desired end use. Initial evaluation for alignment of development timelines
• Own in-house and third-party land work across assigned projects, including site control, lease and easement acquisition, title, curative, and deal close
• Examine abstracts, runsheets, deeds, probate, surveys, and chain of title; determine ownership and encumbrances; and issue land status in coordination with counsel
• Negotiate purchase agreements, leases, surface use agreements, rights-of-way, easements, licenses, damage settlements, and related contracts with landowners and counterparties
• Drive fieldwork and courthouse research to ensure schedule adherence, escalating title, access, and surface issues to management
• Plan acquisition logistics, communicate plans to involved parties, and track options, agreements, and deliverables through execution
• Coordinate on-site activities, including landowner meetings, survey and staking support, construction coordination, and third-party land contractor oversight
• Lead due diligence on acquisitions, dispositions, and project sites; identify defects, quantify risk, and close curative before construction or closing
• Enforce quality on land files, GIS ownership, and agreement records; resolve field issues; and prioritize decision-making for site control and project turnover
• Maintain professional, ethical landowner relationships; organize job files; ensure compliance with applicable land, environmental, and company HSE requirements; and provide progress reports

What You’ll Bring

• Minimum 10 years of site development and land acquisition, right-of-way, or real estate land experience on large-scale projects
• Active professional land credential required (e.g., IRWA SR/WA or equivalent senior right-of-way designation, and/or a current real estate broker or salesperson license in the state(s) of work)
• Proven experience as a senior or lead site acquisition and land use development professional including being responsible for acquisition, title, curative, and due diligence — not limited to land tech or clerical support
• Deep working knowledge of real estate and land use development including evaluation of utilities, real property title, easements, rights-of-way, surface rights, and applicable recording and land-use requirements
• Ability to work in a high-performance, cross-functional organization with tight project timelines
• Bachelor’s degree in required with concentration in Business, Engineering or Architecture a plus, or equivalent experience
• Strong written and verbal communication, negotiation, and landowner-facing skills; proficiency in Microsoft Office, land/document management systems, and GIS mapping tools; valid driver’s license and ability to travel to project sites as required

Compensation and Benefits

Along with competitive pay, as a full-time Tesla employee, you are eligible for the following benefits at day 1 of hire:

• Medical plans > plan options with $0 payroll deduction
• Family-building, fertility, adoption and surrogacy benefits
• Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans, both have options with a $0 paycheck contribution
• Company Paid (Health Savings Accounts) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High-Deductible medical plan with HSA
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• 401(k) with employer match, Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and other financial benefits
• Company paid Basic Life, AD&D
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance (90 day waiting period)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary positions, Accrued hours for Hourly positions), and Paid Holidays
• Back-up childcare and parenting support resources
• Voluntary benefits to include: critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident insurance, theft & legal services, and pet insurance
• Weight Loss and Tobacco Cessation Programs
• Tesla Babies program
• Commuter benefits
• Employee discounts and perks program