Senior Mechanical Systems Engineer

Fervo Energy; Oakland, Houston (CA, TX); Hybrid; USD 111,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

Life insurance

401(k) with match

Flexible PTO

Parental leave

Employee stock options

Job summary

Fervo Energy is seeking a Senior Mechanical Systems Engineer to lead the design and optimization of mechanical systems for geothermal power plants. You will apply first-principles analysis, mentor junior engineers, and drive standardization as the company scales projects from first-of-a-kind to large deployments.

The role focuses on piping, structural systems, CAD design, and BOM ownership, with cross-disciplinary collaboration across process, electrical, reservoir, and drilling teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 6+ years of mechanical engineering experience on large capital projects.
• Proven track record delivering through fabrication and testing.

Responsibilities

• Own specification generation, design, and analysis of mechanical systems and equipment for power generation and surface facilities.
• Drive first-principles tradeoff analysis across mechanical and thermal systems to optimize plant performance and cost.
• Support plant layout with high-level trade studies for piping, electrical, steel, etc.
• Lead large-scale CAD design and BOM ownership for surface facilities.
• Identify opportunities to standardize mechanical designs while ensuring reliability.
• Support procurement for mechanical equipment and vendor specifications.
• Own cost, safety, and constructability considerations with urgency and resilience.
• Collaborate across process, electrical, reservoir, drilling teams and external partners.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to a culture of technical excellence.

Skills

Mechanical design

Piping design

Structural design

CAD drafting

Leadership

Communication

Education

BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

CAD software

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

The Senior Mechanical Systems Engineer will be a technical leader in the design and optimization of mechanical systems for Fervo’s power plants. This role applies advanced engineering judgment and first-principles analysis to develop high-performance, cost-effective plant designs, while mentoring junior engineers and influencing cross-disciplinary decision-making. As Fervo transitions from first-of-a-kind projects to scaling deployment, the role will play a key part in driving standardization and efficiency improvements across projects. This position will report to the Mechanical Engineering Manager.

Fervo deploys an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) power plant to convert heat to electricity. At the heart of the plant is heat transfer and fluid handling equipment, including the air-cooled condenser, shell-and-tube heat exchangers, feed pumps, pressure vessels, and the piping and cabling that connect them. This equipment is the biggest driver of power plant construction cost, footprint, and thermal performance, which makes it the place where designing a product instead of a project pays off the most.

Responsibilities

Specification and Design: Own specification generation, design, and analysis of mechanical systems, components, and equipment for power generation and surface facilities.

Tradeoff Analysis: Drive first-principles tradeoff analysis across mechanical and thermal systems to optimize plant performance and system requirements against cost and speed of construction and deployment.

Plant Layout: Support the internally owned design and direction of the power plant layout, including high-level trade studies of each individual commodity (piping, electrical, steel, etc.) to inform layout.

CAD Design and BOM Ownership: Lead large-scale CAD design and ownership of the surface facilities to ensure the BOM structure reflects the ground reality of what is being built.

Standardization: Identify opportunities to simplify, accelerate, and standardize mechanical designs while maintaining technical excellence and reliability.

Procurement Support: Inform and support procurement efforts for mechanical equipment, systems, and vendor specifications for equipment designs.

Extreme Ownership: Take responsibility for cost, safety, and constructability in addition to design and requirements. Work with urgency and resilience, embracing rapid iteration and maintaining high performance under pressure.

Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Collaborate closely across disciplines (process, electrical, reservoir, drilling) as well as with external partners to drive integrated solutions.

Culture and Mentorship: Contribute to a culture of technical excellence and accountability, modeling the values that define a world-class engineering team. Act as a mentor to junior engineers and help in their development.

Qualifications

Required

B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline

6+ years of experience in mechanical engineering in large capital projects

Proven track record leading projects and design through fabrication and testing

Expertise in design of piping and structural systems covering CAD design, analysis, drawings, and fabrication/construction support

Strong communication and leadership skills; ability to translate technical complexity into clear decisions

Preferred

R&D mechanical engineering design experience is a strong plus

Location

Fervo Energy has offices in Houston, TX; Golden, CO; Reno, NV; Oakland, CA; and Salt Lake City, UT. This position is eligible for some hybrid work flexibility, but regular in-office presence at the Oakland, California office will be required.

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: $111,000 – $160,000 based on location and experience.

Fervo Energy reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s sex or other status protected by local, state, or federal law.

• 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 up to 6% 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.