Development Counsel - Jupiter Power

Jupiter Power is an energy infrastructure company focused on the development, construction, and operation of energy storage assets in wholesale electricity markets. Formed in 2017, the company is a national leader in energy storage deployment, utilizing its proprietary dispatch optimization applications to support both merchant and contracted structures. Backed by BlackRock’s Diversified Infrastructure business, Jupiter Power has a strategic and established portfolio of 787.5/1375 MW of utility-scale energy storage projects operating or in construction in the U.S., with a leading pipeline of over 11,000 MW in active development. 

Jupiter Power is looking to grow its legal team with the addition of a Development Counsel. The Development Counsel will report to the General Counsel and will provide legal guidance on real estate and project development matters. 

 
Responsibilities 

• Analyze and advise in-house clients regarding a variety of matters related to real estate, project development, permitting, interconnection, project siting, regulatory, and related matters. 

• Collaborate with, and advise, cross-functional teams to ensure legal compliance and risk management including the company’s development, finance, construction, market operations and asset management departments related to the development and construction of battery storage projects. 

• Prepare and negotiate a wide variety of real estate documents required for the development and construction of battery energy storage projects, including options, purchase and sale agreements, leases, easements, subordination agreements, surface waivers and other real estate documents. 

• Prepare and negotiate interconnection agreements, permits, regulatory documents and other contract related to the development and construction projects. 

• Support title-related activities, including reviewing title documents, resolving title issues, negotiating title insurance policies, and related matters. 

• Assess risk at all stages of project development and support communications regarding those risks to in-house and external stakeholders; develop and implement solutions for mitigating and managing risk. 

• Support finance efforts including acquisitions and divestitures, tax credit monetization, debt, and equity investments. 

• Advise on tax credit matters related to the development and construction of battery energy storage projects. 

• Advise and work on other areas of legal matters as needed. 

• Hire and manage outside legal counsel and billings. 

• Advise and negotiate garden variety ordinary course contracts. 

• All other duties as required. 

Jupiter seeks individuals eager to develop their core professional knowledge, learn new areas of the business and take on additional responsibilities within Jupiter’s dynamic team. Secondary responsibilities will be tailored to individual candidate backgrounds as well as company priorities. 

 
Preferred Skills, Knowledge and Abilities: 

• Proven ability to solve problems and identify practical solutions. 

• Experience in supervision and management of paralegals, real estate specialists, and administrative assistants. 

• Experience identifying and addressing curative items needed for renewable energy project development and working with third-party utilities, banks, and other parties on, e.g., crossing agreements, SNDAs, or other curative items. 

• Expertise working with title companies and surveyors to ensure projects advance through title processes in accordance with required timelines. 

• Project siting experience and familiarity a plus. 

• Demonstrated experience in project management and working on project teams. 

• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously through to completion. 

• Ability to identify and assess business opportunities and threats. 

• Excellent communication skills. 

• Motivated self-starter with strong organizational and time-management skills. 

• Proven experience delivering time-pressured projects on-time and on-quality. 

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint). 

• Ability to work in a small team. 

Requirements

• Bachelors and JD from an accredited law school and membership in at least one state bar association. 

• 5+ years’ legal experience in real estate and project development 

• 2+ years of in-house experience preferred 

• Experience in large-scale project development in the renewable energy or energy storage industry preferred. 

• Comfortable with ambiguity and making business decisions with limited information. 

• Eager to wear multiple hats depending on business need and project priorities. 

• High comfort level with small teams & organizations, with the curiosity and enthusiasm to innovate and formulate new ideas and to bring the best out of co-workers. 

• Must be able to take ownership and initiative, in order to be to be effective within a highly motivated, fast-moving team. 

• Will often require work outside of normal business hours.   

Physical requirements and environment: 

• This role is office-based with limited travel required.  Candidates must be able to work out of a Jupiter Power office a minimum of three days per week.  Candidates will be required to sit or stand for extended periods of time, and must be able to lift up to ten pounds repetitively. Compensation and benefits offered will be commensurate with the experience and qualifications of the candidate. The location for the role is Austin, Texas or in Chicago, Illinois. Jupiter Power LLC is an equal opportunity employer that prioritizes diversity of experience and background. 

Benefits

Candidates will be required to pass a pre-employment background investigation and may be subject to drug tests as a condition of employment.