The ideal candidate brings 15+ years of experience in real estate site selection, acquisition, and development, with 5+ years specifically focused on data center-related projects. This role requires deep expertise in navigating zoning regulations, utility partnerships, environmental constraints, and ownership structures to secure the most viable properties. The Principal will also have demonstrated success in complex negotiations, including purchase agreements, build-to-suit arrangements, and colocation deals.
At AWS, the Real Estate Principal will collaborate with internal teams, including engineering, construction, legal, and finance, to ensure the seamless delivery of land for data center projects. This role offers the unique opportunity to shape AWS’s future by identifying high-value locations that meet the rigorous power, latency, and capacity requirements of the largest cloud infrastructure in the world. You will work at the intersection of real estate strategy, development, and business growth, helping AWS meet the ever-increasing demand for cloud services globally.
In addition to managing a pipeline of strategic real estate transactions, the Principal will drive the continuous improvement of AWS’s land acquisition processes. This includes streamlining our site development process, overseeing entitlement work, and fostering relationships with developers, utility providers, and municipalities. The ideal candidate is a results-driven, strategic thinker with the ability to balance speed, quality, and cost in high-stakes real estate deals.
Key job responsibilities
Site Selection & Acquisition:
-Identify, evaluate, and secure sites that meet AWS’s data center needs, considering key factors like geographical latency, access to power and water, and zoning regulations.
-Lead the due diligence process, evaluating environmental conditions, ownership structures, and regulatory hurdles.
-Collaborate with local governments, landowners, brokers, and developers to source strategic locations and assess potential risks.
Real Estate Negotiations & Transactions:
-Develop and execute complex real estate deals, including purchases, leases, build-to-suit agreements, and colocation contracts.
-Negotiate favorable terms with developers, landlords, and municipalities to meet AWS’s operational and financial goals.
-Manage deal flow across multiple regions, ensuring timely execution while balancing risk and scalability.
Development Oversight:
-Oversee entitlement, zoning, and permitting processes to ensure smooth site delivery.
-Coordinate with engineering, design, and construction teams to align project requirements with site characteristics.
-Ensure pre-construction work, such as grading, fencing, and offsite improvements, is completed to support timely development.
Stakeholder Engagement:
-Partner with internal teams across legal, finance, construction, and operations to align real estate strategies with AWS’s long-term growth objectives.
-Build and maintain relationships with local municipalities, utility providers, and economic development agencies to support project success.
-Provide regular updates to senior leadership on site acquisition progress, risks, and market trends.
A day in the life
**Why AWS**
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform. We pioneered cloud computing and never stopped innovating — that’s why customers from the most successful startups to Global 500 companies trust our robust suite of products and services to power their businesses.
*Diverse Experiences*
Amazon values diverse experiences. Even if you do not meet all of the preferred qualifications and skills listed in the job description, we encourage candidates to apply. If your career is just starting, hasn’t followed a traditional path, or includes alternative experiences, don’t let it stop you from applying.
*Work/Life Balance*
We value work-life harmony. Achieving success at work should never come at the expense of sacrifices at home, which is why we strive for flexibility as part of our working culture. When we feel supported in the workplace and at home, there’s nothing we can’t achieve in the cloud.
*Inclusive Team Culture*
Here at AWS, it’s in our nature to learn and be curious. Our employee-led affinity groups foster a culture of inclusion that empower us to be proud of our differences. Ongoing events and learning experiences, including our Conversations on Race and Ethnicity (CORE) and AmazeCon (gender diversity) conferences, inspire us to never stop embracing our uniqueness.
*Mentorship and Career Growth*
We’re continuously raising our performance bar as we strive to become Earth’s Best Employer. That’s why you’ll find endless knowledge-sharing, mentorship and other career-advancing resources here to help you develop into a better-rounded professional.
About the team
AWS Infrastructure Services owns the design, planning, delivery, and operation of all AWS global infrastructure. In other words, we’re the people who keep the cloud running. We support all AWS data centers and all of the servers, storage, networking, power, and cooling equipment that ensure our customers have continual access to the innovation they rely on. We work on the most challenging problems, with thousands of variables impacting the supply chain — and we’re looking for talented people who want to help.
You’ll join a diverse team of software, hardware, and network engineers, supply chain specialists, security experts, operations managers, and other vital roles. You’ll collaborate with people across AWS to help us deliver the highest standards for safety and security while providing seemingly infinite capacity at the lowest possible cost for our customers. And you’ll experience an inclusive culture that welcomes bold ideas and empowers you to own them to completion.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Engineering, or related fields.
- 15+ years of experience in real-estate development experience
- 5+ years data center real estate experience
- Real Estate Development or program management experience.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Master's Degree or higher (including Juris Doctor) in Business, Finance, Economics, Engineering, or related fields.
- Understanding of and experience in the Data Center industry, including data center siting and general operations.
- Experience with successful negotiations through high-value complex deal structures and delivery of cost savings and on-time deal closures.
- Strong knowledge of alternative real estate transaction approaches, structures, and best practices, related development processes, and commercial/industrial site selection.
- Ability to understand & communicate high level electrical, power & cooling, fiber optics, and other technical requirements, particularly related to Internet infrastructure
- Meets/exceeds Amazon’s leadership principles requirements for this role
- Meets/exceeds Amazon’s functional/technical depth and complexity for this role
Amazon is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected status. For individuals with disabilities who would like to request an accommodation, please visit https://www.amazon.jobs/en/disability/us.
Amazon is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected status. For individuals with disabilities who would like to request an accommodation, please visit https://www.amazon.jobs/en/disability/us.
Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several US geographic markets. The base pay for this position ranges from $158,400/year in our lowest geographic market up to $261,900/year in our highest geographic market. Pay is based on a number of factors including market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Amazon is a total compensation company. Dependent on the position offered, equity, sign-on payments, and other forms of compensation may be provided as part of a total compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits. For more information, please visit https://www.aboutamazon.com/workplace/employee-benefits. This position will remain posted until filled. Applicants should apply via our internal or external career site.