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Project Development Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

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Project Development information

See Illinois salary details

$41.7K

$91.6K

$137.6K

How much do project development jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 27, 2026, the average yearly pay for project development in Illinois is $91,612.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $74,100.00 and $105,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is project development?

Project development is the process of planning, organizing, and managing resources to bring a specific project from an initial idea to successful completion. This involves defining project goals, creating detailed plans, securing funding, coordinating teams, and monitoring progress throughout the project lifecycle. Effective project development ensures that objectives are met on time, within budget, and to the desired quality standards. Professionals in this field often work in industries such as construction, energy, technology, and nonprofit sectors.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in project development, and why are they important?

A successful career in Project Development requires strong project management skills, analytical abilities, and a relevant degree such as business, engineering, or construction management. Familiarity with project management software (like MS Project or Asana), budgeting tools, and sometimes certifications like PMP or Prince2 are highly valued. Excellent communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills enable professionals to coordinate teams and drive projects forward. These competencies are crucial for ensuring projects are completed on time, within scope, and to stakeholder satisfaction.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals in project development, and how can they be addressed?

Professionals in Project Development often encounter challenges such as aligning diverse stakeholder interests, managing shifting project requirements, and ensuring timely resource allocation. These obstacles can be addressed by maintaining clear communication channels, implementing regular project check-ins, and utilizing effective project management tools. Building strong relationships across departments and fostering a transparent team culture also help in navigating complex project landscapes and achieving successful outcomes.

What is the difference between Project Development vs Project Management?

AspectProject DevelopmentProject Management
Primary FocusPlanning and creating project concepts, designs, and initial phasesExecuting, monitoring, and closing projects to meet objectives
Required SkillsDesign, technical knowledge, planningLeadership, organization, communication
Work EnvironmentDesign teams, engineering, R&DProject teams, client interactions, coordination
CertificationsDepends on industry; often technical or design certificationsPMP, CAPM, or similar project management certifications

While project development focuses on creating and designing project concepts, project management involves overseeing the execution and delivery of those projects. Both roles are essential and often collaborate closely, but they emphasize different stages of the project lifecycle.

What does a project development do?

A project development professional plans, coordinates, and manages the process of creating new projects or products, ensuring they meet objectives, budgets, and deadlines. They often work with cross-functional teams, utilize project management tools, and require strong organizational and communication skills.

What are the most commonly searched types of Project Development jobs in Illinois?

The most popular types of Project Development jobs in Illinois are:

What are popular job titles related to Project Development jobs in Illinois?

For Project Development jobs in Illinois, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Project Development jobs in Illinois look for?

The top searched job categories for Project Development jobs in Illinois are:

Project Development jobs near you
Infographic showing various Project Development job openings in Illinois as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 78% Full Time, 19% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $91,612 per year, or $44 per hour.

Project Development Manager

Chicago, IL • Hybrid

Scale Microgrid Solutions
11 - 50 employees
Learn more about Scale Microgrid Solutionsexternal

Full-time

Medical, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 26 days ago

Job description

This is a senior individual contributor role with strategic oversight responsibility for leading full lifecycle development of on-site power generation and infrastructure projects to support speed-to-power for hyperscale data centers.

You will originate land opportunities, secure site control, manage interconnection strategy, oversee permitting and commercial structuring, and drive projects to notice to proceed and financial close. This role owns outcomes: it requires strong market knowledge, commercial discipline, regulatory awareness, on-the-ground expertise, and the ability to coordinate internal and external stakeholders without directly managing large teams.

This role will report to our VP, Development - Data Centers, and can be a hybrid role based in Ridgewood, NJ, NYC, Chicago, or West Palm Beach, FL offices.

Key responsibilities will include:

Project Origination & Strategy

  • Identify and originate development opportunities to develop, own, and operate on-site energy infrastructure to support hyperscale data center loads
  • Evaluate capacity, energy, and ancillary service market fundamentals.
  • Develop market entry strategies aligned with ISO planning cycles.
  • Lead site selection and land control strategy.
  • Assess transmission constraints and nodal pricing dynamics.

 

Development Execution

  • Oversee environmental and permitting strategy in coordination with environmental leadership.
  • Lead interconnection application strategy and coordinate directly with ISOs, utilities, and transmission owners.
  • Manage consultant teams, including engineering, environmental, and transmission advisors.
  • Develop and maintain integrated development schedules and budgets
  • Identify and mitigate fatal flaw risks.
  • Drive projects toward financial close and construction readiness.

 

Strategic Oversight

  • Provide executive-level reporting on development pipeline status.
  • Present risk matrices and exposure analysis to leadership.
  • Advise on portfolio strategy and expansion regions.
  • Support the evaluation of joint ventures and M&A opportunities

 

Work Environment

  • Office-based role with travel to projects as required.
  • Fast-paced development environment with shifting regulatory and market dynamics.
The Ideal Candidate:

Required

  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Finance, Economics, Energy Systems, or related field.
  • 8+ years of experience in power project development within organized wholesale markets.
  • Experience developing natural gas generation or utility-scale energy assets.
  • Proven ability to independently drive projects from early-stage to advanced development.
  • Strong commercial negotiation skills.
  • Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

 

Preferred

  • Experience with gas-fired generation paired with large data center loads.
  • Advanced financial modeling capabilities.
  • Experience in structuring tax equity or infrastructure capital partnerships.
  • MBA or advanced degree.

 

Leadership Competencies

  • Strategic thinker with strong market intuition.
  • High ownership mindset.
  • Comfortable operating with limited direction.
  • Strong risk evaluator.
  • Skilled at balancing technical, regulatory, and commercial variables.
  • Executive presence with the ability to influence without authority.
This is a great opportunity to have a long-term impact on a fast-paced, private equity-backed growth business. Some of the core virtues embraced by Scales' employees include:
       Do the Right Thing
       Act Like an Owner
       Hustle
       Demand Results
       Go Together
       Evolve or Disappear
 
We offer a competitive compensation package and a comprehensive benefits program including medical benefits, paid vacation and holidays, and 401K matching.
 

About Scale Microgrids
Scale is redefining resilience, with advanced microgrids that go beyond traditional backup power solutions to give businesses the power to adapt and thrive amid all of today's growing energy challenges. As a vertically-integrated provider of turnkey advanced microgrid systems, Scale combines project design, engineering, and execution expertise with microgrid-as-a-service financing to offer our customers systems that are optimized to deliver maximum value from day one while ensuring ultra-reliable operations and fast time-to-power.
 
Scale is backed by EQT, a firm with ~$250B in assets, bringing a depth of experience, resources, and capital that will enable Scale to continue pursuing our vision of powering the world with distributed energy. The investment enables Scale to own and operate billions of dollars in distributed generation assets.  To learn more about Scale Microgrids, please visit https://www.scalemicrogrids.com.
 

About EQT
EQT is a leading purpose-driven global investment organization with EUR 246 billion in total assets under management, divided into two business segments: Private Capital and Real Assets. EQT owns portfolio companies and assets in Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Americas and supports them in achieving sustainable growth, operational excellence, and market leadership. To learn more about EQT, please visit https://eqtgroup.com.
 

Scale strives to attract and retain a workforce that reflects the composition of our customer base and communities. We are committed to providing a work environment that provides everyone with equal access and opportunity to contribute and drive meaningful outcomes.  We encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply and will consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
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