Manager, Reservoir Engineering Modeling

Ormat Technologies, Inc.; Reno (NV); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Ormat Technologies, Inc. in Reno seeks a Manager of Reservoir Engineering Modeling to lead a team that develops and applies long-term reservoir models for geothermal assets. The role shapes generation forecasts, development plans, and investment strategies through robust data, calibration, and uncertainty analysis.

You will drive modernization of workflows, expand AI-enabled tools, and mentor engineers while coordinating with JV partners and internal stakeholders to maximize asset value.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in reservoir, petroleum, or geothermal engineering or related field.
• Minimum 7 years of reservoir engineering experience, with strong experience in numerical modeling and forecasting.
• Experience leading technical teams and communicating complex results to stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the numerical modeling team across fields and projects.
• Develop, calibrate, and apply reservoir models for long-term forecasts.
• Establish technical standards and quality assurance for models and forecasts.
• Translate modeling results into practical reservoir management strategies.
• Support due diligence and represent Ormat with external stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership

Team mentoring

Communication

Python

MATLAB

Education

Master’s degree in reservoir, petroleum, or geothermal engineering, geoscience, or closely related discipline

Tools

Python

MATLAB

Job description

Introduction

Headquartered in Reno, NV, Ormat designs, develops, builds, owns and operates geothermal and recovered energy-based power plants in the US and worldwide. With a spotless international reputation, we’re on track to become a leading global provider of renewable energy.

We take pride in our family-oriented business building practical green energy solutions from the ground up.

Join a team that’s giving new life to the future of our planet.

Overview

The Manager, Reservoir Engineering Modeling leads Ormat’s numerical modeling team and is accountable for the development, calibration, and application of reservoir models across the Company’s operating fields, greenfield developments, and expansion projects. The team provides the long-term forecasts and reservoir strategies that underpin sustainable generation, development planning, drilling strategy, investment decisions, and portfolio growth forecasts.

The role is responsible for establishing Ormat’s technical view of long-term reservoir performance, including generation potential, development capacity, make-up well planning, and the uncertainty associated with these forecasts. The Manager ensures reservoir models are appropriately calibrated to available data, limitations and uncertainties are clearly communicated, and modeling results are translated into practical reservoir management and development strategies.

The Manager leads and develops a team of reservoir engineers and modelers and builds a center of excellence for geothermal reservoir modeling and forecasting. The role establishes technical standards, quality assurance, peer review, and consistent modeling practices across Ormat’s portfolio while advancing the use of modern computational, data-science, and AI-enabled tools.

The position may also perform technical work directly, particularly on complex or strategically important assignments, while providing technical review, coaching, and guidance to the team. The Manager supports due diligence through critical review of third-party models and independent assessment of resource potential and represents Ormat with joint venture partners and other external stakeholders on reservoir modeling and long-term resource strategy.

Responsibilities

• Maintains a safe workplace with the goal of zero incidents and ensures that team and self comply with internal policies and applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
• Leads and manages the numerical modeling team, establishing priorities, technical standards, quality expectations, and delivery schedules across operating fields, greenfield developments, and expansion projects.
• Leads, develops, and mentors the team; sets individual objectives, conducts performance reviews, develops technical capability, and works with leadership and HR on staffing and organizational development.
• Owns the development, calibration, maintenance, and application of conceptual and numerical reservoir models used to understand and forecast long-term reservoir performance.
• Establishes the long-term reservoir forecasts used to support generation planning, development strategy, make-up well planning, annual budgets, investment decisions, and portfolio forecasts.
• Develops and evaluates reservoir development and management strategies, including alternative production and injection scenarios, drilling strategies, capacity additions, and other investments intended to maximize sustainable generation and long-term asset value.
• Ensures uncertainty is appropriately quantified and communicated in reservoir forecasts and development recommendations, including the use of probabilistic analysis, sensitivities, scenarios, and decision trees where appropriate.
• Identifies the key data and technical uncertainties affecting reservoir forecasts and defines the testing, surveillance, engineering, and research required to reduce those uncertainties and improve future decisions.
• Provides reservoir engineering and modeling support throughout the exploration and development lifecycle, including long-term testing, resource capacity assessment, development drilling strategy, project development, and expansion planning.
• Provides the reservoir forecasts, assumptions, and technical inputs required for economic evaluations, project financing, asset planning, and investment decisions.
• Leads the subsurface technical exchange for new power plant developments, ensuring reservoir forecasts and resource characteristics are effectively incorporated into wellfield and power plant design to maximize sustainable generation.
• Leads or participates in technical due diligence for acquisitions, joint ventures, and other investment opportunities, including critical review of third-party conceptual and numerical models and development of an independent internal assessment of resource potential and uncertainty.
• Establishes technical assurance and peer-review standards for reservoir models and material forecasts, ensuring assumptions, limitations, alternative interpretations, and uncertainty are appropriately challenged and documented.
• Advances modeling tools, workflows, automation, data management, and technical standards, including appropriate application of modern computational, data-science, and AI-enabled methods.
• Ensures model inputs, assumptions, versions, forecasts, and outputs are appropriately documented, controlled, and accessible for future technical review and decision-making.
• Provides technical leadership and review across the team and may directly undertake complex or strategically important modeling and reservoir engineering assignments when appropriate.
• Represents Ormat in technical discussions with joint venture partners, consultants, researchers, and other external stakeholders.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license with a driving record acceptable to Ormat’s auto insurance carrier.

Other Responsibilities

• Represents Ormat at public speaking engagements in industry conferences and other forums.
• Other duties and projects as assigned by management.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in reservoir, petroleum, or geothermal engineering, geoscience, or a closely related discipline.
• Minimum 7 years of reservoir engineering experience, with significant experience in numerical reservoir modeling and forecasting. Geothermal experience is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing technical teams. Formal people‑management experience is preferred.
• Strong understanding of numerical reservoir modeling, including model development, history matching, forecasting, sensitivity analysis, and evaluation of development scenarios.
• Strong understanding of geothermal reservoir engineering, including well testing, production and injection performance, conceptual modeling, and wellbore hydraulics.
• Ability to translate reservoir models and technical data into long‑term generation forecasts, drilling requirements, development strategies, and clear business recommendations.
• Ability to evaluate model quality, challenge assumptions, identify data gaps, and clearly communicate uncertainty, probability, and model limitations.
• Working knowledge of project economics and the impact of reservoir performance, drilling requirements, and uncertainty on asset and investment decisions.
• Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or similar computational tools. Experience applying automation, data science, machine learning, or AI tools to technical workflows is preferred.
• Strong leadership, planning, and communication skills, with the ability to manage priorities across multiple assets and communicate technical recommendations to management, partners, and multidisciplinary teams.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and relevant technical and modeling applications.
• Must be able to read, write and speak English at a level which will permit the employee to accurately understand and communicate information to safely and efficiently perform the job duties. Proficiency in other languages is advantageous, especially in Spanish and Bahasa (Indonesia).

Physical Requirements

• The ability to work in an office environment and to work at a computer, and computer monitor, and use repetitive motion for long periods of time.
• Ability to safely operate 4WD light vehicles on highways and off-road safely.
• Ability to wear appropriate personal protective equipment.
• Ability to periodically lift up to 25 lbs.
• Ability to travel up to 20% of the time, including internationally.

Nearest Major Market: Reno

Nearest Secondary Market: Tahoe