Project Development Associate

About CycloKinetics:

CycloKinetics, is advancing the next generation of high-performance propellants for aerospace and defense. Our highly innovative technology allows us to harness existing energy from biomass and convert it to superior performance fuels and propellants across aviation, aerospace, and defense applications.

We are a team of engineers, scientists, and operators driven by performance, innovation, and national security impact focused on building scalable, domestic energy solutions that power the future of propulsion. CycloKinetics is based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Job Summary:

The Project Developer Associate supports the advancement of capital projects from concept through final investment decision (FID). The role combines technical, commercial, and regulatory workstreams, including site selection, feasibility, stage-gate documentation, financial modeling, and stakeholder coordination, across multiple projects. This role will report directly to the SVP of Capital Projects and will help shape the overall project pipeline.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities:

Support project development workplans through FEL 1–3, preparing gate packages and decision materials for investment committee and leadership review.

Conduct site screening and selection analyses (feedstock and offtake logistics, utilities, permitting, community considerations, and infrastructure access).

Build and maintain project financial models, including capital cost, operating cost, sensitivities, and returns, in coordination with finance.

Support capital cost estimating and benchmarking, and manage engineering consultant and FEED contractor deliverables.

Track and support permitting, environmental review, and regulatory workstreams.

Assist in structuring commercial arrangements: feedstock supply, offtake, EPC/EPCM contracting strategy, joint ventures, and partner agreements.

Prepare applications and supporting documentation for government funding and financing programs (e.g., DOE programs, OTAs, DFC, and export credit or multilateral structures).

Conduct market, policy, and incentive analyses, including tax credits and regulatory mechanisms relevant to project economics.

Maintain the project risk register, assumptions log, and development tracker.

Coordinate with legal, finance, engineering, and external advisors, and support data-room preparation for lenders and investors.

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in engineering, construction management, or a related field (or equivalent experience).

4-7 years of scheduling experience on capital projects in industrial, energy, chemical, or infrastructure settings.

Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Project or Primavera P6, including baselines, calendars, relationships, and resource loading.

Working knowledge of enterprise scheduling concepts: multi-project environments, EPS/OBS structures, portfolio roll-ups, and cross-project resource management.

Working knowledge of CPM scheduling, earned value management, and progress measurement.

Experience reviewing contractor schedules on EPC or EPCM execution.

Strong Excel skills and the ability to communicate schedule drivers clearly to non-specialists.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with enterprise scheduling platforms (P6 EPPM, Primavera Cloud, or similar) and portfolio reporting.
• Experience on government projects (e.g., DOE, DoD, or other federal or state-funded programs), including familiarity with IMS deliverables, EVMS (ANSI/EIA-748), and schedule quality assessments such as the DCMA 14-point check
• PSP (AACE) or PMI-SP certification, or in progress.
• Experience with schedule risk tools (Oracle Primavera Risk Analysis, Acumen, or similar).
• Experience with projects in synthetic and renewable fuels, power generation, oil & gas, process facilities, or defense-adjacent infrastructure.
• Exposure to stage-gate/FEL frameworks and projects with grant, loan, or government-funded milestone reporting.
• Familiarity with Power BI or similar reporting tools.
• Willingness to travel to project sites or to support government reporting requirements 25%.
• Physical Demands: Physical requirements may include lifting and/or moving items weighing up to fifty (50) pounds, bending, standing, reaching, climbing, walking, and prolonged sitting may be required. Must have safe work habits and perform all duties in accordance with company safety policies. Personal protective equipment is provided by the company, and its use is mandatory.

Genera l:

This position is based in Salt Lake City, Utah, with work performed on-site. CycloKinetics is an At-Will, VEVRAA, Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, E-Verify, and Drug Free Workplace. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background verification and drug screens.