Director of Software Engineering

Fervo Energy; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 269,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

401(k) plan with company match

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Fervo Energy is seeking a Director of Software Engineering to build and lead the software organization responsible for our internal application layer and AI-enabled capabilities. Reporting to the CTO, this leader will own architecture, roadmap, and delivery for software products supporting Fervo’s rapidly scaling business.

This role blends engineering leadership with product-minded building across energy infrastructure, data, and AI, working closely with stakeholders to ship durable, high-impact

Qualifications

• 8+ years of software engineering experience.
• 3+ years in a technical leadership or engineering management role.
• Experience building and deploying production full-stack or backend applications in cloud environments.
• Strong backend engineering fundamentals, including modern programming languages, API design, authentication & authorization, and production-grade integration design.
• Experience deploying AI, machine learning, or automation-enabled features into production.
• Demonstrated ability to lead engineering teams, manage technical roadmaps, and make prioritization tradeoffs.

Responsibilities

• Own the internal application architecture and define patterns, services, integrations, deployments, observability, and security.
• Build business-facing software products that translate data into clearer workflows and dashboards.
• Work forward-deployed with drilling engineers and operators to prototype and ship MVPs.
• Lead a product-oriented engineering model aligning with business stakeholders.
• Build and lead a team of full-stack and backend engineers and product managers.

Skills

Software engineering

Engineering leadership

Cloud environments

AI/ML deployment

Product leadership

Job description

Fervo Energy (NASDAQ: FRVO) is a modern power company developing next-generation geothermal resources to meet the growing demand for affordable, reliable, 24/7 carbon-free energy. Our mission is to transform geothermal into America’s most dependable and affordable source of clean, around-the-clock power. By combining innovations in horizontal drilling, fiber-optic sensing, and advanced reservoir engineering, Fervo has developed a repeatable approach to building utility-scale enhanced geothermal systems. Our flagship Cape Station development in Utah is planned to deliver 500 MW of firm, carbon-free power, and we are advancing a development pipeline of more than 50 GW. Join us and work alongside world-class engineers, geoscientists, operators, project builders, and business leaders working to make geothermal a cornerstone of a more reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy future.

Position Description

Fervo is hiring a Director of Software Engineering to build and lead the software organization responsible for our internal application layer. Reporting directly to the CTO, this leader will own the architecture, roadmap, and delivery model for software products that support Fervo’s rapidly scaling business.

This is an opportunity to build production software at the intersection of energy infrastructure, industrial operations, data, and AI. The systems you build will help teams across Fervo improve workflows, connect information, and make more informed decisions as the company grows.

The ideal candidate is both an engineering leader and a product-minded builder: someone who can work closely with internal stakeholders, understand complex business and operational needs, and lead a team that ships durable, high-impact software.

Responsibilities

Own the internal application architecture. Define and maintain the architecture for Fervo-built applications, including application patterns, service boundaries, integrations, deployment models, observability, and application-level security. Partner closely with data, IT, cybersecurity, and business stakeholders to ensure Fervo’s software ecosystem is scalable, secure, maintainable, and built to evolve with the company.

Build business-facing software products. Lead the development of internal applications that translate data and operational context into clearer workflows, better visibility, and more effective decision-making. These may include workflow tools, reporting systems, dashboards, automation capabilities, and AI-enabled applications.

Work forward-deployed with operational teams. Embed directly with drilling engineers, wellfield operators, power plant technicians, and commercial leads to understand their workflows and pain points. Rapidly prototype and ship MVPs into live production environments, iterate with real users, and bring operational learnings back to the core engineering and data platform teams.

Lead a product-oriented engineering model. Build a software team that works closely with stakeholders across the business to translate ambiguous needs into deployed software. Balance embedded discovery with centralized architecture and engineering discipline so that Fervo’s software ecosystem compounds over time.

Build and lead the software engineering team. Hire, manage, and grow a team of full-stack engineers, backend engineers, and product managers. Establish engineering culture, delivery practices, technical standards, and operating rhythms that allow a small, high-leverage team to move quickly while building durable systems.

Advance Fervo’s use of AI-enabled applications. Partner with technical and business leaders to identify, prioritize, and deliver practical AI-enabled software capabilities. Focus on production-grade tools that improve workflows, reduce manual effort, and support better decision-making.

Establish engineering standards for the application stack. Set the practices that support high-quality software delivery, including CI/CD, testing, code review, documentation, observability, incident response, and application security. Partner with IT and cybersecurity on identity, access management, infrastructure standards, and enterprise security requirements.

Manage vendor and integration relationships. Own technical relationships for software vendors and integration partners that support Fervo’s internal application ecosystem.

Qualifications

Required

8+ years of software engineering experience, including at least 3 years in a technical leadership or engineering management role.

Experience building and deploying production full-stack or backend applications in cloud environments.

Strong backend engineering fundamentals, including modern programming languages, API design, authentication and authorization patterns, and production-grade integration design.

Hands-on experience integrating applications with modern data platforms or enterprise systems.

Experience deploying AI, machine learning, or automation-enabled features into production environments.

Demonstrated ability to lead engineering teams, manage technical roadmaps, and make prioritization tradeoffs across competing business needs.

Strong product judgment, with a track record of scoping and shipping the simplest useful solution to a real business problem.

Ability to work with non-technical stakeholders, understand complex workflows, and translate ambiguous needs into software requirements and deployed. systems.

Success Profile

In the first year, you will have established Fervo’s software engineering function as a high-leverage partner to the business. You will have hired and developed a small team, defined the architecture for Fervo’s internal application layer, shipped production applications that improve critical workflows, and created a repeatable model for turning business needs into software products.

Longer term, your work will help Fervo build a connected, scalable software ecosystem that improves how teams access information, coordinate work, and make decisions as the company grows.

Location

Fervo Energy is headquartered in Houston, TX with offices in Oakland, CA, Golden, CO, Reno, NV, and Salt Lake City, UT. This position is an in-person role in our Oakland, CA; Golden, CO; or Houston, TX offices.

Compensation

Fervo provides a comprehensive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, life, short-term and long-term disability, flexible paid time off, and paid parental leave. Additionally, Fervo offers an incentive stock options program, a bonus incentive program, and a 401(k) plan with an employer match.

Fervo Energy is providing the compensation range and general description of other compensation and benefits that the company in good faith believes it might pay and/or offer for this position based on the successful applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities in addition to internal equity and geographic location. Expected Salary: $269,115 – $300,000 based on Colorado locality, pay in other locations may vary.

• Fervo offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, financial well-being, and life outside of work. Benefits for eligible employees include:
• Medical, dental, and vision plan options
• Employer-paid basic life insurance and short-term and long-term disability coverage
• A 401(k) plan with a dollar-for-dollar company match
• Flexible paid time off and paid parental leave
• Family-building, fertility, hormonal health, pregnancy, postpartum, and parenting support through Carrot
• A dependent care FSA for eligible child and elder care expenses
• An annual Lifestyle Spending Account for eligible wellness expenses, including fitness, financial planning, pet insurance, and pet care
• Employee ownership opportunities through Fervo’s Employee Stock Purchase Program, as well as stock option grants and bonus opportunities for eligible roles

Benefits and programs are subject to eligibility requirements and may change.

Our Workplace

Fervo Energy highly values having employees work in the office to foster collaboration and strengthen our company culture. This role follows a hybrid schedule, with team members expected to work in the office three days per week. Fervo considers this in-office schedule an essential function of the role. Your recruiter can share more information about the schedule.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Fervo Energy is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, gender, religion, marital status, registered domestic partner status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sex, genetic information, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local law. Fervo also prohibits discrimination based on the perception that an individual has any of these characteristics or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of these characteristics.