Well Permitting Specialist

Stanford Climate Ventures; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision plans

Employer-paid life insurance

401(k) with match

Flexible paid time off

Employee stock purchase program

Parental leave and family support

Job summary

Fervo Energy, a leading geothermal developer, is seeking a Well Permitting Specialist to secure state and federal drilling authorizations and ensure regulatory compliance across exploration to production phases.

The role requires coordinating with drilling, environmental, and land teams, managing permit amendments, and engaging with regulatory agencies. A background in engineering/geology and 4+ years in permitting is preferred.

Qualifications

• Engineering, Geology, Environmental Science, Natural Resources, Planning or related technical discipline.
• 4+ years of well permitting or regulatory experience supporting energy, mining, oil & gas, geothermal, or related infra projects.
• Proven track record of drafting and submitting drilling permits to federal and state regulators.
• Strong understanding of geothermal or oil & gas drilling operations and well development.

Responsibilities

• Support permitting strategies for exploration, appraisal, injection, monitoring, production, and commercial geothermal well development.
• Prepare and submit 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 comprehensive permitting schedules and forecasts for active and future drilling programs.

Skills

Regulatory coordination

Permitting drafting

Stakeholder management

Project scheduling

Travel readiness

Education

Engineering / Geology / Environmental Science / Natural Resources

Job description

About Fervo Energy

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 Well Permitting Specialist is part of Fervo’s Land, Environment, and Permitting team, responsible for securing permits and ensuring regulatory compliance of geothermal well drilling activities across Fervo’s exploration, appraisal, development, and commercial operations portfolio. This position is responsible for obtaining and maintaining all state and federal drilling authorizations required for geothermal wells, ensuring compliance with permit conditions throughout drilling and well completion, and interfacing between project teams and regulatory agencies.

Working closely with Drilling, Completions, Construction, Surveying, Environmental, and Land teams, the Well Permitting Specialist supports permitting strategies for aggressive project schedules while ensuring safe, compliant, and environmentally responsible geothermal development. The role oversees the complete lifecycle of well permits—from early project planning through drilling, testing, completion, production, injection, suspension, plugging, and long-term regulatory compliance.

Strong communication, organizational, and technical skills are required, as this position will regularly coordinate across internal and external stakeholders, and help drive continuous improvement of Fervo’s well permitting and compliance programs. The Well Permitting Specialist reports to the Well Permitting Manager (or designated Land, Environment, and Permitting leadership).

Responsibilities

• Support permitting strategies for exploration, appraisal, injection, monitoring, production, and commercial geothermal well development.




• Prepare and submit complete 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.




• Work with Well Permitting Manager to 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, including drilling programs, casing and cementing programs, blowout prevention (BOP) specifications, directional drilling plans, well location plats, surface use plans, and other plans / programs associated with well development.




• Ensure drilling operations comply with all permit conditions and regulatory requirements, and manage permit amendments as drilling programs evolve.




• Systemically 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.




• Maintain complete regulatory records for all well permits.




• Develop and use standardized permitting templates and procedures.

Qualifications

Required

• Engineering, Geology, Environmental Science, Natural Resources, Planning, or a related technical discipline.




• 4+ years of well permitting or regulatory experience supporting energy, mining, oil & gas, geothermal, or other related infrastructure projects.




• Proven track record of drilling permit drafting and submission to support multiple rigs across both federal and state regulators.




• Strong understanding of geothermal or oil & gas drilling operations and well development.




• Excellent organizational, communication, and stakeholder coordination skills.




• Self-starter capable of coordinating multiple complex project tasks simultaneously.




• Commitment to environmental stewardship, regulatory excellence, and responsible energy development.




• Ability to travel approximately 25% to project sites throughout the western United States.

Preferred

• Geothermal well permitting experience with the BLM (43 CFR Parts 3200–3280) and western state (particularly Utah and Nevada) geothermal regulatory agencies.

Location

Fervo Energy has offices in Houston, TX, Golden, CO, Reno, NV, Oakland, CA, and Salt Lake City, UT. Preferred locations for this position are Golden, CO or Houston, TX. Approximately 25% travel will be required to support field operations and regulatory engagement throughout the western United States.

Benefits & Perks

• 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 LTI 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.