Head of Permitting
Zanskar
Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Posted on Oct 4, 2025
Role Overview
Title: Permitting Manager
Hours: Full-time; Salaried
Location: Salt Lake City, UT (preferred), potential for hybrid
Benefits Eligible: Yes
Manager: Ryan McGraw
Mission – Why we exist and why we need you
Geothermal energy is the most abundant renewable energy source in the world. However, historically it’s been hard to find and expensive to develop. At Zanskar, we’re using better technology to find and develop new geothermal resources in order to make geothermal a cost-effective and vital contributor to a carbon-free energy future. We are revolutionizing the exploration process, setting new industry standards for discovery rates and finding new prospects at an unprecedented scale.The growing development team at Zanskar is advancing a multi-gigawatt portfolio of firm, carbon-free energy projects, and the time has come to kickoff key permitting efforts. In close coordination with the teams at Zanskar and expert third-party consultants, you’ll be working with Federal, State, and local agencies across the western US to prepare applications and ultimately obtain critical discretionary permits to allow Zanskar to begin construction on a vast pipeline of geothermal energy projects.
Outcomes - Problems you’ll solve
Success in this role includes strategizing and deploying a defensible permitting strategy that ultimately provides financeable discretionary approvals to develop, construct, and operate new geothermal projects on both public and private lands across the west. This requires creative thinking, engagement and partnership with internal and external subject matter experts, and top-notch communication skills across a wide range of project stakeholders.
Competencies – What we’re looking for
- The ideal candidate should demonstrate:
- Excellent problem-solving skills
- Strong project management, team leadership and technical writing/communications skills
- Entrepreneurial and collaborative spirit with team-player mentality and ability to lead cross-functionally
- A high degree of business acumen and experience with stakeholder engagement, particularly within the energy industry
- Ability to effectively engage directly with federal, state, and local jurisdictions with authority and community leaders
- Robust regulatory and agency expertise, including demonstrable success working through NEPA and county-level permitting requirements, in the western United States
- Ability to work internally and with third-party consultants to avoid, minimize, and mitigate potential community impacts with the goal of accelerating construction of new geothermal energy projects while minimizing community impacts.
- All candidates require:
- BS in related field; Masters in a relevant subject area a plus
- 5+ years of relevant experience in; environmental consulting, in-house energy development, permitting experience, and/or agency employment in the western United States.
- Experience permitting utility-scale energy projects in coordination with regulatory agencies
Location and Benefits
- The position is based out of our headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah
- Benefits include:
- Paid holidays
- 18 days PTO + PTO accrual increase based on tenureMedical, dental & vision coverage
- 401k
- Stock options
- Growth opportunities at a company with a direct impact in displacing carbon emissions
Equal Opportunity Employer
Zanskar is an equal-opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practice laws.