Highland Electric Fleets

Project Development Associate I

United States full-time Mid $75,000 - $90,000
full-time Mid level Technology & IT Salary listed Curated
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About the role

About Us

Highland Electric Fleets’ mission is to make electric fleets accessible and affordable for all, enabling communities to realize the benefits of cleaner, quieter and healthier fleets. Highland is North America’s leading provider of Electrification-as-a-Service (EaaS). Founded in 2019, Highland partners with school districts, municipalities, and fleet operators to make the transition to electric fleets simple and affordable.
Highland proudly serves as the Official Electric School Bus Provider of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Team USA. From pioneering vehicle-to-grid technology to managing some of the nation’s largest electric school bus fleets, Highland delivers reliable, cost-effective solutions that support local communities and drive the future of transportation.
Job Summary:
The Project Development Associate I will deliver fully developed and planned projects in preparation for customer contract execution. This role works closely with Senior Associates and the commercial team to document customer needs and Highland commitments, helping to advance deals by acting as a junior site development resource. The Associate I will collaborate with Legal, Finance, and Market Development to help ensure projects meet underwriting requirements, and will assist in managing external engineers and consultants to finalize site designs for handoff to the Customer Success and Project Execution teams.
Over time, the selected candidate will grow into a more autonomous role, taking on these project development responsibilities with increasing independence.
This position reports to the Manager, Project Development and is based remotely in California, with an expectation of approximately 20% travel.
Responsibilities:

Support Senior Associates and Managers in establishing fleet electrification scopes of work for
projects in development, including project timelines, budgets, and equipment selection.

Work with engineering teams to develop designs for complex EV charging depot projects,
including solar and battery storage components.

Contribute to estimating engineering, construction, and interconnection costs for use in project
budgets.

Coordinate the project site diligence process, including identifying real estate, zoning,
permitting, and other development restrictions.

Help define project permitting requirements and support the preparation of related project
engineering deliverables.

Assist in identifying utility requirements, filing new service requests, and communicating with
utility representatives to define utility-related timelines and budgets.

Assist in managing projects through the design and engineering phases, including tracking
schedules, budgets, and subcontractor deliverables.

Support the handoff to the project implementation team upon customer contract execution.

Contribute to work scoping methodology and documentation improvement initiatives.

Qualifications:

Required

Bachelor's degree or 4+ years of directly related professional experience.

Preferred

Experience working with electric utilities (e.g., interconnection, new service requests).

Exposure to electric vehicle charging, renewable energy, or related clean energy technologies.

Experience in electrical engineering, construction, or infrastructure project development.

Experience working with permitting authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) or similar regulatorybodies.

Project management experience in engineering and/or construction environments.

What You Can Expect from Highland:

Competitive base salary and performance-based bonus program

A supportive, highly collaborative, team-oriented environment

Ability to work with bright, innovative, and forward-thinking colleagues

Health, Vision, and Dental coverage for employees & their dependents

Generous Paid Time Off

401(k) program and company match

Highland Electric Fleets provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Highland Electric Fleets complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
Originally posted on Himalayas

Interview prep

Walk in with sharper answers.

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Mid
Technology & IT Finance Project Management Writing Project Development Mid level

Likely questions

  1. Tell us about work you have done that is close to the Project Development Associate I role.
  2. How would you approach your first 30 days at Highland Electric Fleets?
  3. Which of Finance, Project Management and Writing have you used recently, and what did it help you achieve?
  4. Describe a time you solved a problem without waiting to be told exactly what to do.
  5. How do you handle busy days, changing priorities, or pressure at work?

Prepare before the call

  • A recent example that proves your experience with Finance, Project Management and Writing.
  • One short story with a problem, your action, and the result.
  • Two examples that show the strengths listed on your CV.
  • A clear reason why this role and company interest you.
  • Your availability, preferred work style, and salary expectations.

Ask them

  • What would success look like in the first 90 days?
  • What are the main problems this hire should help solve?
  • How does the team give feedback and measure good work?
  • What does a normal working week look like for this role?
Practice line

I am interested in the Project Development Associate I role because I can bring practical experience in Finance, Project Management and Writing, learn the team quickly, and contribute to the outcomes Highland Electric Fleets needs from this hire.

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