Senior Power Engineer

Fervo Energy Co.; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Fervo Energy is seeking a Senior Power Engineer to lead electrical design and optimization of geothermal power plants. You will own power delivery systems from 13.8 kV through 500 kV and mentor engineers while collaborating with process, reservoir, and drilling teams.

You will drive standardization, perform first-principles analyses, and ensure safety and constructability in fast-paced capital projects, reporting to the GRID Manager.

Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering or related discipline.
• 8+ years of electrical engineering in large capital projects.
• Proven track record leading and developing high-performing engineering teams.
• Deep expertise in power delivery, transmission, distribution, and substations.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the electrical technical lead on major capital projects.
• Own specifications, design, and analysis of electrical systems for power generation and surface facilities.
• Lead the electrical design of transmission and substation systems from 13.8 kV through 500 kV.
• Drive first-principles tradeoff analysis across power delivery systems to optimize plant performance.
• Identify opportunities to simplify and accelerate designs while maintaining technical excellence.
• Support procurement efforts relating to electrical scopes of power plant designs (GSU transformers, UAT, SST, substations, breakers, buswork, batteries).
• Familiar with IEEE, ANSI, NEC, NESC, NERC, and NFPA standards; apply as needed.
• Support interconnection team as needed.

Skills

Leadership

Power systems design

Team mentoring

Stakeholder communication

Project management

Education

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

Tools

Power transformers

High-voltage circuit breakers

Disconnect switches

Instrument transformers

Protective relays

Station service equipment

Job description

Fervo is working to build the most cost-effective, repeatable geothermal power plants in the world.

Fervo is working to build the most cost-effective, repeatable geothermal power plants in the world. Joining Fervo's GRID engineering team means solving frontier technical problems with immediate, real-world impact, accelerating the clean energy transition and reinventing how infrastructure is built

We are seeking senior engineers who are excited by Fervo's mission, the opportunity to drive meaningful, impactful innovation, and the prospect of maintaining extreme ownership of the cost and constructability implications of their designs, knowing that each decision they make impacts the speed and scale of Fervo's mission.

Description

As aSenior Power Engineer,you will be a technical leader in the design and optimization of Fervo's innovative power plants. You will apply 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 of its plants, you will play a key role in driving standardization and efficiency improvements across projects. You will report to the Power Engineering Manager (GRID Manager).

Responsibilities

Technical and Execution Leadership

• Serve as the electrical technical lead on major capital projects.
• Own specifications, design, and analysis of electrical systems for power generation and surface facilities (power delivery, systems, transmission, distribution, substations, etc.)
• Lead the electrical design of transmission and substation systems from 13.8 kV through 500 kV: Station service power distribution; One-line diagrams; Protection and control drawings; AC/DC schematics; Equipment layouts; Gen-tie transmission lines
• Drive first-principles tradeoff analysis across power delivery systems to optimize plant performance
• Identify opportunities to simplify and accelerate designs while maintaining technical excellence
• Inform and support procurement efforts relating to electrical scopes of power plant designs: Generator Step-Up (GSU) Transformers; Unit Auxiliary Transformers (UAT); Station Service Transformers (SST); HV and MV Substations; Generator circuit breakers (GCB); High-voltage breakers (AIS & GIS); Disconnect switches; Buswork; Reactive power equipment; Metering equipment; Station batteries and DC systems
• Familiar with relevant codes, standards, and industry best practices. Ability to think critically about when and how to apply or modify best practices to meet bottom line objectives.
• Support Fervo's interconnection team as needed

Team and Culture

• Recruit, coach, and develop a world-class team of electrical engineers
• Instill a culture of extreme ownership - where engineers own cost, safety, and constructability, not just design Encourage rapid iteration, bias for speed, and resilience under pressure
• Foster collaboration across disciplines (process, electrical, reservoir, drilling) and with external partners

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering or related discipline.
• 8+ years of experience in electrical engineering in large capital projects.
• Proven track record leading and developing high-performing engineering teams.
• Deep expertise in power delivery and systems, transmission, distribution, and substations.
• Strong communication and leadership skills; ability to translate technical complexity into clear decisions.
• Strong knowledge of substations from 13.8 kV through 500 kV.
• Experience specifying:
  • Large power transformers
  • High-voltage circuit breakers
  • Disconnect switches
  • Instrument transformers
  • Protective relays
  • Station service equipment
• Experience working with utilities or transmission owners.
• Strong understanding of IEEE, ANSI, NEC, NESC, NERC, and NFPA standards.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• A systems thinker who understands both engineering detail and the broader project lifecycle.
• Comfortable working with utilities, OEMs, EPC contractors, and internal stakeholders.
• Able to make sound engineering decisions with limited oversight.
• Passionate about improving engineering standards and developing best practices.
• Excited to solve complex technical challenges in support of the energy transition.

Location

Fervo Energy is headquartered in Houston, TX. This position requires regular in-office presence at our Houston office, with eligibility to participate in the Company's hybrid work policy. Travel to field and project sites may be required as operational needs dictate.

Success Profile

• Builds clear, well-organized designs, specifications, and documentation that a reviewer, teammate, or backup owner can follow easily.
• Owns work end-to-end — including cost, safety, and constructability — follows through to resolution, and escalates blockers early.
• Communicates with clear action items, deadlines, and business context across engineering disciplines and external partners.
• Uses technology, analysis tools, and automation thoughtfully while validating outputs and underlying assumptions.
• Develops repeatable standards, best practices, and mentorship so the engineering organization can scale sustainably.

Fervo Energy commercializes technology to own, develop, and operate geothermal assets as the dispatchable foundation to a 100% clean energy future. As a 24/7, reliable clean energy resource, geothermal energy has a major role to play in the future electric grid and Fervo Energy’s key innovations bring a full suite of modern technology to make geothermal cost competitive. Fervo’s innovations include technologies such as advanced computational models, horizontal drilling, and distributed fiber optic sensing that we have developed with partners including Schlumberger, ARPA-E, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. Fervo is supported through Cyclotron Road, the Department of Energy, Stanford University, and Breakthrough Energy Ventures.

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 and veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws. It also prohibits unlawful discrimination based on the perception that anyone has any of those characteristics or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics.