Energy Tech and Sustainability Lead

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Develop and oversee OpenAI’s strategy for infrastructure sustainability, focusing on power, data center expansion, emerging energy technologies, and associated site-readiness initiatives.

• Assess innovative energy solutions, including clean firm power, advanced storage systems, grid flexibility, low-carbon backup power, heat reuse, water-related energy efficiency, and other scalable technologies as applicable.

• Discover pilot projects and deployment pathways that can transition promising energy technologies from conception to viable commercial execution.

• Convert technical alternatives into clear implications regarding reliability, cost, schedule, carbon footprint, regulatory factors, and operational aspects for infrastructure decision-making.

• Collaborate with teams in energy regulation, policy, procurement, engineering, deployment, finance, legal affairs, and site readiness to align technological and sustainability decisions with project requirements.

• Work closely with OpenAI’s central sustainability function to ensure that infrastructure-specific goals, metrics, reporting, and commitments remain coherent.

• Monitor external market trends, policy changes, utility developments, and technological advancements that could influence OpenAI’s capacity to establish resilient, low-carbon infrastructure.

• Create repeatable evaluation frameworks, partnership criteria, and execution playbooks for sustainability and emerging energy technology projects.

⛳️ Requirements

• Over 15 years of experience in energy technology, infrastructure sustainability, clean energy procurement, power market dynamics, data center energy strategy, utility programs, or similar positions.

• Deep understanding of power systems, low-carbon energy, grid limitations, infrastructure reliability, and the practical needs for large-scale deployment.

• Experience in evaluating emerging technologies, structuring pilot programs, or advancing early-stage solutions towards commercial implementation.

• Capability to harmonize sustainability goals with reliability, cost, scheduling, regulatory, and operational limitations.

• Demonstrated cross-functional leadership across technical, commercial, policy, and executive stakeholders.

• Strong analytical abilities, exceptional written communication skills, and proficiency in creating executive summaries.

🏝️ 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 matching.

• Paid parental leave (up to 24 weeks for birth parents and 20 weeks for non-birthing parents), along with 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, in addition to 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 mandated by applicable state or local law).

• Mental health and wellness support.

• Employer-funded basic life and disability coverage.

• Annual learning and development stipend to support your professional growth.

• Daily meals in our offices, along with meal delivery credits as eligible.

• Relocation assistance for eligible employees.

• Additional taxable fringe benefits, such as matching charitable donations and wellness stipends, may also be available.