Civil, Structural and Architectural Construction Lead

Location: US - Remote

Salary: $150K–$300K per year, plus equity and performance-related bonuses for eligible employees.

Company

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company developing and deploying general-purpose artificial intelligence with a focus on safety and human benefit.

What you will do

• Lead civil, structural, architectural, landscape, and building-envelope construction from site preparation through completed facilities.
• Direct general contractors, specialist contractors, civil and structural trades, architectural contractors, and service providers against approved designs, schedules, and quality requirements.
• Oversee earthworks, grading, drainage, underground interfaces, foundations, concrete, structural steel, building envelope, architectural completion, landscape, and external works.
• Review constructability, sequencing, work plans, RFIs, submittals, proposed changes, and field implementation with responsible engineers.
• Coordinate building and underground interfaces with mechanical, electrical, network, and hardware deployment teams.
• Track inspections, nonconformances, punch lists, as-built records, turnover readiness, progress, risks, staffing, constraints, and recovery actions.

Requirements

• Typically 8–10 years of civil, structural, or architectural construction experience, including substantial data center or comparable complex industrial site delivery and responsibility for contractors or multiple work packages. Equivalent practical delivery experience may be considered.
• Ability to read and coordinate civil, structural, and architectural drawings, specifications, surveys, and relevant geotechnical information, including impacts on grading, drainage, earthworks, foundations, underground services, and building construction.
• Experience translating approved designs into buildable field packages, sequencing work, coordinating temporary-work interfaces and inspection hold points, assessing utility conflicts and equipment access, and planning phased handover.
• Experience reviewing RFIs, submittals, and field changes; coordinating design decisions with the engineer of record; and verifying approved changes in the field while preserving design responsibility.
• Practical knowledge of inspection and acceptance evidence for civil works, concrete, steel, building envelope, and architectural completion, including nonconformance resolution, punch lists, and as-built records.
• Ability to coordinate construction with permitting conditions, environmental constraints, and authorities having jurisdiction through engineering and EHS teams.
• Demonstrated ability to lead contractors and service providers through changing site conditions, define deliverables and acceptance criteria, and resolve cross-organizational performance gaps without direct reporting authority.
• Strong written and verbal communication, including accurate field records, action and decision logs, and communication of technical risks, schedule impacts, and recovery options.
• Sound judgment with incomplete information: identifying assumptions, prerequisites, and interfaces; determining work that can proceed within approved authority; and escalating unresolved safety, quality, or delivery risks.
• Relevant trade, apprenticeship, technical, or degree-based preparation, or equivalent practical experience, with demonstrated field leadership and subject-matter competence.

Culture & Benefits

• US remote work arrangement with on-site coverage required during critical construction activities.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and families, with employer HSA contributions.
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match, paid parental, medical, caregiver, sick, and safe leave, flexible PTO for exempt employees, and paid company holidays.
• Mental health and wellness support, employer-paid basic life and disability coverage, and an annual learning and development stipend.
• Relocation support for eligible employees, daily office meals and eligible meal delivery credits, charitable donation matching, and wellness stipends.

Hiring process

• Additional benefit details are provided during the hiring process.
• Background checks are administered in accordance with applicable law for US-based candidates.