Manager, Pipeline Engineering — Power and Energy

Nscale•Houston, TX

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Nscale is seeking a Manager, Pipeline Engineering to lead the engineering of natural gas transmission pipelines for its generation campuses. This role involves owning the design basis, hydraulic design, controls philosophy, and construction management for large-diameter gas transmission pipelines that supply Nscale's behind-the-meter generation facilities. The position requires a strong understanding of process engineering principles, pipeline integrity, and regulatory compliance (49 CFR Part 192, ASME B31.8). The Manager will technically manage third-party engineering firms and construction contractors, ensuring designs meet Nscale's specific demands, which can fluctuate with AI workloads. This is a hands-on technical leadership role focused on ensuring reliable gas supply for gigawatt-scale compute operations. The role also involves developing Nscale's internal engineering standards and potentially growing a pipeline engineering team.

Requirements

12+ years of natural gas pipeline engineering experience across design, construction, and operations.
Significant time in a lead or owner's engineer role on transmission systems.
Deep hydraulic engineering capability, including transient modeling of gas transmission systems.
Strong process engineering instincts, including comfort with inventory-based system behavior, regulation and overpressure protection design, control philosophy development, and process safety methods like HAZOP.
Working fluency with 49 CFR Part 192 and ASME B31.8, including MAOP determination, class location, and code interfaces with plant piping.
Hands-on experience with measurement and regulation stations, interconnects with major interstate pipelines, and commercial mechanics of nominations and transportation.
Experience taking pipeline scopes through construction, hydrotest, and first gas on major projects.
Proven ability to direct engineering consultants and construction contractors.
Ability to make technically defensible decisions under schedule pressure.
Demonstrated ability to run a scope with minimal oversight: establishing the basis, setting the pace, and escalating with solutions.
Proven ability to build standards, processes, and small teams in a fast-scaling environment.
Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Chemical, or Civil Engineering or a related field.
Willing and able to travel to project sites, vendor facilities, and construction spreads regularly (typically 25%, higher during construction and commissioning campaigns).

Nice To Haves

PE license preferred.

Responsibilities

Own the design basis for Nscale's gas transmission pipelines, including hydraulic design, MAOP, pressure regime, line pack strategy, routing, sizing, and expansion provisions.
Perform and direct steady-state and transient hydraulic modeling of pipeline systems to analyze inventory swing, ramp response, and curtailment scenarios.
Demonstrate how the pipeline design basis supports downstream commitments, such as engine fleet demand, campus availability, and nominations-versus-consumption balance.
Evaluate gas storage and supply resilience options, including line pack utilization and interconnect strategies.
Own the overpressure protection philosophy, including regulation, monitor, slam-shut, and relief valve selection.
Define the control philosophy at interconnects, letdown stations, and plant interfaces, including measurement and SCADA provisions.
Apply process safety discipline by leading and supporting HAZOPs and design reviews, and managing change.
Engineer the interface into plant fuel gas systems, coordinating conditioning, letdown, and protection philosophies.
Ensure compliance of pipeline designs with 49 CFR Part 192 and applicable ASME B31 codes.
Establish material, welding, and construction specifications, class location and MAOP documentation.
Lay the foundation for integrity management, including baseline assessment planning, pigging and inspection provisions, and mainline valve philosophy.
Support commissioning and first gas activities, including purge and pack planning and readiness reviews.
Technically manage engineering consultants and construction contractors, reviewing deliverables, challenging designs, and resolving field issues.
Own the technical interface with upstream pipeline operators and interconnect counterparties.
Develop Nscale's engineering standards, specifications, and reference designs for gas pipelines.
Coordinate with generation engineering, permitting, land, and commercial teams.
Grow internal pipeline engineering capability.
Communicate complex pipeline and process issues clearly to leadership.