Head of Engineering

Fermi Inc•Dallas, GA

About The Position

Fermi America™ is pioneering the world's largest next-generation private HyperGrid™ campus, Project Matador, in the Texas Panhandle. This campus is designed to deliver up to 17 gigawatts of power to hyperscale artificial intelligence data centers, integrating natural gas generation, solar PV, battery energy storage systems (BESS), grid interconnection, and a nuclear power program. The Head of Engineering is a critical leadership role responsible for the engineering standards, design basis, and technical decisions for the program from conceptual design through commissioning and handover. This role involves directing, reviewing, and approving the work of contracted engineering partners and EPC contractors across a multi-technology portfolio. The Head of Engineering will build and lead a corporate engineering organization of Principal discipline engineers, own the Engineering Management System, and lead technical interfaces with various stakeholders. The group is capable of performing design work directly but primarily functions as owner-side technical leadership for partners executing the work.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or higher in Engineering.
15+ years of progressive engineering experience in the power generation or energy infrastructure sector, with at least 7 years in a senior engineering leadership role.
Deep technical expertise in combined-cycle gas turbine power plants and in high-voltage transmission and substations, with working knowledge of battery energy storage systems and data center power infrastructure.
Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary engineering organizations on major capital projects ($500M+ CAPEX).
Strong track record of managing EPC contractor engineering deliverables, Owner's Engineer functions, and OEM technical interfaces.
Owner-side experience directing multiple concurrent engineering partners and EPC contractors on a single program, including technical authority over their deliverables.
Professional Engineer (PE) license in Texas or ability to obtain reciprocal licensure.
Experience with transmission service provider interconnection engineering, including large load interconnection studies with a utility such as SPS/Xcel, NERC reliability standards, and US power system codes (IEEE, ANSI, NFPA, NEC).

Nice To Haves

Experience with nuclear power engineering, NRC licensing processes, or advanced nuclear technology development (SMR, Gen IV).
Experience with utility-scale solar PV engineering and grid integration.
Familiarity with NERC CIP cybersecurity standards for operational technology and industrial control systems.
Experience with behind-the-meter private grid design and multi-technology hybrid power system integration.
MBA or major project leadership qualification (e.g., PMP, APM PMQ).
Experience working on first-of-a-kind or gigawatt-scale energy infrastructure programs in the United States.

Responsibilities

Define and own the engineering strategy for Project Matador, ensuring technical coherence across gas-fired generation, high-voltage transmission, data center power, BESS, and future solar PV and nuclear systems.
Establish and enforce engineering standards, codes of practice, design criteria, and design verification requirements across all disciplines.
Lead the engineering organization structure, resource planning, and capability development to support the phased delivery of up to 17 GW of generation capacity.
Provide technical vision and leadership to the COO, executive leadership, and Board on engineering risk, innovation, and delivery strategy.
Champion a safety-by-design culture, embedding HSSE requirements into all engineering deliverables from concept through commissioning.
Provide owner technical direction and oversight of the combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) program engineered by Fermi America's EPC and engineering partners.
Direct and approve battery energy storage system (BESS) sizing and integration engineering performed by Fermi America's engineering partners.
Review and approve FEED and detailed engineering packages, technical specifications, equipment datasheets, and vendor drawings from EPC contractors and OEMs.
Provide engineering support to Procurement and Commissioning for factory acceptance testing (FAT) and resolution of technical punch list items.
Direct and approve the engineering of the campus's high-voltage transmission and distribution infrastructure, including substations, switching stations, overhead lines, underground cables, and protection and control systems.
Direct grid interconnection engineering, including system impact studies, protection coordination, power flow analysis, and interconnection technical deliverables.
Set the electrical design basis for the campus grid interface to data center power infrastructure and provide engineering review.
Ensure grid and power system engineering complies with NERC reliability standards, interconnection requirements, and applicable codes.
Own the design basis and architecture of the campus-wide Distributed Control System (DCS), SCADA, and Energy Management System (EMS) architecture.
Lead the development of control system philosophies, cause-and-effect matrices, alarm management strategies, and cybersecurity frameworks for operational technology (OT).
Direct the digital twin strategy for generation asset monitoring, predictive maintenance, and operational optimization.
Ensure seamless integration of all generation technologies into the campus EMS/SCADA platform.
Oversee civil and structural engineering for all generation facilities, campus utilities, substations, transmission structures, data center foundations, and site-wide infrastructure.
Direct geotechnical, environmental, and hydrological engineering studies and ensure findings are incorporated into design standards.
Manage the engineering interface with Site Infrastructure, Construction, HSSE and Permitting, and Data Center Delivery to ensure designs are constructable, cost-effective, and permit-compliant.
Serve as the senior engineering interface for Fermi America's nuclear program, working with technology vendors, the NRC, and specialist consultants.
Plan the internal nuclear engineering capability required to support pre-licensing, design certification, and later construction and operations phases.
Direct owner oversight of utility-scale solar PV engineering when that phase is initiated.
Lead the technical review and approval of EPC contractor and engineering partner deliverables.
Perform the Owner's Engineer function, acting as Fermi America's technical authority in disputes, claims, and technical variation assessments.
Maintain technical interfaces with key OEM partners for gas generation, solar module and inverter suppliers, BESS manufacturers, and nuclear technology vendors.
Oversee engineering sign-off as required on construction completion, pre-commissioning, commissioning, and performance testing milestones.
Provide engineering support to Fermi America's HSSE and Permitting organization for federal, state, and local permitting.
Ensure engineering deliverables support permit applications, environmental impact assessments, and grid code compliance documentation.
Liaise with regulatory agencies at the technical level and represent Fermi America's engineering position in regulatory proceedings.
Establish and maintain the Engineering Management System, including design review and verification processes, management of change (MOC), and document control.
Own engineering risk registers and lead technical risk workshops at key project milestones.
Define and enforce engineering standards for all disciplines, ensuring alignment with applicable US codes and international standards.
Lead lessons-learned processes and drive continuous improvement in engineering performance across the program.