Geothermal Well Permitting Lead — Strategy & Compliance

Fervo Energy Company; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Fervo Energy Company seeks a Well Permitting Manager to lead permitting across exploration, appraisal, development, and commercial geothermal wells. You will manage a small team, coordinate schedules with Drilling, Completions, Construction, and Land teams, and serve as the regulatory liaison.

You will develop strategies, ensure permit compliance, and drive continuous improvement of permitting programs while balancing aggressive project timelines with environmental stewardship and safety.

Qualifications

• Engineering, Geology, Environmental Science, Natural Resources, Planning, or a related technical discipline.
• 8+ years of permitting or regulatory experience supporting energy, mining, oil & gas, geothermal, or other large infrastructure projects.
• 3+ years of team management experience.
• Demonstrated experience preparing and obtaining drilling permits from state and/or federal regulatory agencies.
• Strong understanding of geothermal drilling operations and well development.
• Excellent organizational, communication, project management, and stakeholder coordination skills.
• Self-starter capable of managing multiple complex projects simultaneously.
• Commitment to environmental stewardship, regulatory excellence, and responsible energy development.
• Ability to travel approximately 25% to project sites throughout the western United States.

Responsibilities

• Develop permitting strategies that support exploration, appraisal, injection, monitoring, production, and commercial geothermal well development.
• Prepare and submit complete and accurate drilling permit applications to state and federal agencies.
• Coordinate permit sequencing with project schedules, drilling programs, and construction milestones.
• Identify permitting risks and develop mitigation strategies to minimize impacts to project schedules.
• Maintain a comprehensive permitting schedule and forecast for active and future drilling programs.
• Coordinate regulatory agency meetings and technical reviews, respond to agency requests for additional information, and negotiate permit conditions where appropriate.
• Maintain positive working relationships with regulatory personnel.
• Review technical information related to drilling programs and well development.
• Ensure drilling operations comply with permit conditions and regulatory requirements, and manage permit amendments as drilling programs evolve.
• Develop systems to track permit obligations, reporting deadlines, inspections, and regulatory commitments.
• Coordinate responses to agency inspections and compliance reviews.
• Support internal compliance audits and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Manage permitting consultants and technical contractors and review consultant work products for regulatory compliance.
• Manage consultant budgets and schedules.
• Develop internal guidance documents and best practices.
• Provide regulatory training to project teams.
• Maintain complete regulatory records for all well permits.
• Develop standardized permitting templates and procedures.

Skills

Regulatory experience

Project management

Stakeholder coordination

Communication

Travel readiness

Education

Engineering, Geology, Environmental Science

Tools

Permitting software

Job description

Fervo Energy Company seeks a Well Permitting Manager to lead permitting across exploration, appraisal, development, and commercial geothermal wells. You will manage a small team, coordinate schedules with Drilling, Completions, Construction, and Land teams, and serve as the regulatory liaison.

You will develop strategies, ensure permit compliance, and drive continuous improvement of permitting programs while balancing aggressive project timelines with environmental stewardship and safety.