Who are we?

Sidewalk Labs is an Alphabet company tackling the challenges of urban growth. Our vision for cities is rooted in a cross-disciplinary approach that is reflected in our team, composed of experts from real estate, government, finance, technology, engineering and more. Since its founding in 2015, Sidewalk Labs has evolved into an organization of over 100 employees based primarily in New York and Toronto.

We are currently designing a new kind of mixed-use, complete community on Toronto’s waterfront in partnership with the tripartite agency Waterfront Toronto and the local community. This joint effort, called Sidewalk Toronto, will combine forward-thinking urban design and new digital technology to create a people-centered neighborhood that achieves precedent-setting levels of sustainability, affordability, mobility, and economic opportunity.

Over time we anticipate expanding those innovations beyond the borders of Toronto, to cities around the world. We are working to achieve something unprecedented — help us build it!

What is the opportunity?

Our vision for cities—delivery of a higher quality urban living experience with unprecedented sustainability at greater affordability—is impossible without disrupting the way buildings are designed and constructed. We believe this disruption is possible through a combination of off-site construction, the use of mass timber, modularization, and digitization.

Today, there are no companies or teams that can provide this solution “off the shelf.” However, there are experienced players with whom we have created or are creating close partnerships. In our position at the nexus of real estate, technology, and innovation, we have the key to unlock the investment in this innovation—a significant development pipeline—as well as an array of innovations in materials and more.

What is the role?

We are looking to turn that opportunity into a real business, and are hiring this role to build it. We are looking for a commercial person with the entrepreneurial spirit, drive, and experience to design, launch, and scale this new venture, ultimately together with others that have complementary skills.

To deliver this leap forward, it will take relevant experience in at least two of the following three areas: i) real estate finance and development; ii) vertical construction; and iii) factory production/automation, in each case with a strong bent toward new methods and technologies. If the individual lacks relevant experience in one area, he or she will need the ability to identify complementary partners while also working quickly to develop independent views.

Our objective is to provide support for this person to structure this venture, build a pipeline, and become a senior leader within this self-sustaining business in the next eighteen months or less.

We genuinely believe in the opportunity to change the way buildings are built. There is no proven, at-scale model yet. If you have the pieces and can put them together with us, this should be a compelling opportunity to change the game.

What You Will Achieve

Within 3 months you will have...

• Come up to speed, taken the lead for the workstream and coordinated effectively with all stakeholders.
• Created an initial business plan, initially for the Ontario factory, and eventually for a broader business.
• Managed the team of partners and consultants to optimize a factory layout, determine the scope of production items with the Buildings team, size the throughput, size a capital investment, validate savings potential, and prove out an adequate return on investment for the venture.
• Created financial models to support the above (or direct a more junior resource to do so).

Within 6 months you will have...

• Refined the initial business plan into a comprehensive and detailed plan
• Designed, sourced, structured, negotiated, and agreed the right partnerships to implement the plan.
• Identified what organization (structure, headcount, etc.) is needed to stand up the business, and have a view as to the type of people who can fill those needs.
• Worked with the Head of Corporate Development and others to secure Sidewalk and Alphabet approvals and funding.

After 12 months you will...

• Have completed all steps required so that the creation of the first factory is underway, with a go-live in reach in the following 6-9 months.
• At this point, you will probably transition into a leadership role with the new business (likely as a spin out).

What We Expect

There are different backgrounds that can enable you to be successful in accomplishing the above. Direct experience is compelling, yet we believe we can also provide support for an entrepreneurial and commercial person from an adjacent field. We believe the following will be the most essential:

You are capable of structuring and building a fabrication business, quickly.

• Demonstrated significant commercial success showing you have the judgment, skills, and experience to build a successful business, and take the right risks.
• Effective builder of relationships. It is critical that you establish productive commercial partnerships and align closely with all stakeholders.
• Nuanced understanding of the problem you’re solving, e.g. through experience in the real estate or construction business, or as a client or supplier to them.

Able to manage the operational, technical, and production-relevant aspects effectively.

• Interest and expertise at the nexus of real estate, construction, automation, manufacturing, and digital technologies. Direct experience is valuable, but rare and not required.
• We expect that no one person can cover all aspects. We care about your ability to recognize and remedy gaps before they become an issue.

You are motivated in this pre-structured, semi-entrepreneurial role and highly effective at using it as a launch pad.

• Experience taking a venture from concept to running operation, working through all the stages and ambiguities along the way.
• Senior enough to have knowledge, insights, relationships, and credibility—but willing to roll up your sleeves to do the work required.

The community of the future is a place for everyone, and Sidewalk Labs is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We encourage individuals from underrepresented groups to apply. All employment is based on merit and business needs.

We are very excited to hear from you.