Career Path of a Director of Development at GridStor
Matthew's career trajectory reveals a pivot from environmental consulting, where they gained "first exposure to real estate development," to the renewable energy sector. This transition, facilitated by an MBA from UCLA Anderson and internships at SunPower and a battery manufacturing company, led to project development roles at Cypress Creek Renewables and LS Power Renewables, culminating in Matthew's current position as Director of Development at GridStor, a Goldman Sachs venture.
Environmental Science, Renewable Energy, Project Development, Business School, Career Pivoting
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Matthew Gilliland
Director of Development
GridStor
UC Santa Barbara
UCLA Anderson MBA
Environmental & Related Sciences
Energy & Utilities
Operations and Project Management
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. His career path demonstrates the value of internships in exploring different career options. He started with internships in politics and environmental advocacy, then transitioned to one in the energy sector (Pacific Gas and Electric), ultimately leading to his current role.
2. Matthew's experience highlights the potential for career changes and pivots. After working as an environmental consultant, he pursued an MBA to transition into the renewable energy industry, showcasing adaptability and proactive career management.
3. His career progression from project developer to director demonstrates growth within the renewable energy and energy storage sector. This illustrates the career advancement opportunities within this field and the possibility of moving up within a company or changing companies to progress one's career.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college, any internships, or jobs you had before your career role?
I began my career in environmental science and consulting. My undergraduate degree at UC Santa Barbara was in environmental studies. For a long time, I thought I wanted to go into politics or government.
So I did some internships in advocacy, with a Congresswoman's office, and with the Environmental Protection Agency in Washington D.C., all during college. My last internship was with Pacific Gas and Electric, a utility in the San Francisco Bay Area.
I ultimately worked as an environmental consultant in the Bay Area, doing environmental impact studies under CEQA and NEPA laws, and other endangered species permitting work for land use development. This is really where I got my first exposure to real estate and land development. I did that for four years before realizing I wanted to make a change.
I was really interested in the renewable energy industry and the growth in solar and wind farms, but wasn't sure how to make the switch. So I decided to apply to business school, ending up at UCLA Anderson's full-time program. During my time there, I really focused on getting into the energy industry.
I was very active in the energy club. I did an academic internship at a battery manufacturing company and a summer internship at a solar development company called SunPower in the Bay Area. Ultimately, I got a job as a project developer at Cypress Creek Renewables, my first experience as a project manager leading the development of utility-scale renewable projects.
I worked there for a few years before getting into the battery energy storage business, which is what I'm doing today. I've been in this business for four years as a project developer and now director; it's essentially the same work. I was with LS Power and Renewables for a couple of years before joining Gridstore, a new business formed in 2022 by Goldman Sachs, where I'm working today.