Counsel, Land Use

The role

You will lead efforts to secure and maintain land use and zoning approvals for customer sites and charging infrastructure nationwide. You will partner with operations, real estate, and customer success teams to enable deployment of uncrewed aerial systems.

What you will do

• Develop and execute strategy for securing land use, zoning, and permitting approvals in key U.S. markets.
• Interpret, draft, and analyze municipal ordinances affecting operations and site development.
• Build and maintain relationships with municipalities, planning and zoning commissions, city councils, and local staff.
• Support community engagement efforts and represent Zipline in public hearings and stakeholder meetings.
• Address and resolve complex property law matters including easements, boundary lines, and access rights.
• Partner with Operations, Real Estate, and Engineering teams to align legal strategies with technical realities.
• Serve as a trusted advisor within the Legal Team for novel or urgent state and local legal issues.

Required qualifications

• Strong command of U.S. land use, zoning, and municipal law.
• Experience obtaining complex or first-of-their-kind regulatory approvals.
• At least 5 years of relevant legal practice.
• Persuasive written and verbal communication skills.
• Pragmatic, business-oriented risk assessment skills.
• Proven track record of delivering high-stakes regulatory approvals under tight timelines.
• Proactive, resourceful mindset.
• Unwavering ethics and strong relationship-building instincts.
• JD Degree required.
• Member in good standing of at least one U.S. state bar.
• Must be eligible to work in the United States.

Nice to have

• Ideally including a mix of law firm and in-house experience

Benefits

• Equity compensation
• Overtime pay
• Discretionary annual or performance bonuses
• Sales incentives
• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Paid time off

About the company

Zipline is the world’s largest and most experienced drone delivery service. They operate an autonomous logistics system to deliver food, medicine, and essential goods globally.