Manager, Pipeline Engineering — Power and Energy

Nscale • Houston, TX

2h • $150,000 - $240,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Nscale is hiring a Manager, Pipeline Engineering to own the engineering of natural gas transmission pipelines serving its power-generation campuses, from upstream interconnect to plant fence. The role is part of the Power and Energy technology organization and supports behind-the-meter generation colocated with data center campuses. These large-diameter pipelines supply generation fleets and use line pack as operating inventory to buffer nominations against engine demand. The position owns pipeline design and delivery, including hydraulic design, controls philosophy, construction, and the engineering basis for future lines.

This is a hands-on technical leadership role requiring minimal oversight. The manager serves as the owner's technical authority, establishes the pipeline design basis and its relationship to downstream engine demand, swing, and availability commitments, and technically manages engineering firms, construction contractors, and interfaces with upstream pipeline operators. The role also works closely with generation engineering and commissioning teams and is responsible for resolving design and operating questions that arise from variable demand.

The position develops engineering standards and reference designs, coordinates with permitting, land, and commercial teams, and grows Nscale's internal pipeline engineering capability as the portfolio scales. The role is based in Houston, Texas; remote work may be considered within the United States, with regular travel to project sites, vendor facilities, and construction spreads, typically 25% and higher during construction and commissioning campaigns.

Requirements

• 12+ years of natural gas pipeline engineering experience across design, construction, and operations, including significant lead or owner's-engineer experience on transmission systems.
• Deep hydraulic engineering capability, including transient modeling of gas transmission systems and translating modeling results into design and operating decisions.
• Strong process engineering skills, including inventory-based system behavior, regulation and overpressure protection design, control philosophy development, and process safety methods such as HAZOP.
• Working fluency with 49 CFR Part 192 and ASME B31.8, including MAOP determination, class location, and interfaces with plant piping under B31.1 or B31.3.
• Hands-on experience with measurement and regulation stations, major interstate pipeline interconnects, and nominations and transportation mechanics.
• Experience taking pipeline scopes through construction, hydrotest, and first gas on major projects, and comfort working in the field when systems misbehave.
• Proven ability to direct engineering consultants and construction contractors and make technically defensible decisions under schedule pressure.
• Ability to run a scope with minimal oversight, establish its basis and pace, and escalate with solutions.
• 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.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly to project sites, vendor facilities, and construction spreads; travel is typically 25% and may be higher during construction and commissioning campaigns.

Nice To Haves

• PE license.

Responsibilities

• Own pipeline design bases, including hydraulic design, MAOP and pressure regime, line-pack and inventory strategy, routing and sizing philosophy, and expansion provisions.
• Perform and direct steady-state and transient hydraulic modeling, maintaining models as engineering assets for evaluating inventory swing, line-pack survival time, ramp response, and curtailment scenarios.
• Demonstrate how pipeline design supports engine-fleet demand and turndown, campus availability requirements, and the nominations-versus-consumption balance governing system pressure.
• Evaluate gas storage and supply-resilience options, including line-pack utilization, interconnect diversity, and cross-connections between lines.
• Own overpressure protection philosophy, including regulation, monitor, slam-shut, and relief selection.
• Define control philosophy at interconnects, letdown stations, and plant interfaces, including pressure-versus-flow control, coordination with upstream operators, measurement, and SCADA provisions.
• Lead and support HAZOPs and design reviews, close out actions, and manage changes through design and construction.
• Engineer pipeline interfaces with plant fuel-gas systems, coordinating conditioning, letdown, and protection philosophies.
• Own design compliance with 49 CFR Part 192 and applicable ASME B31 codes, including jurisdictional pipeline and plant-piping code boundaries.
• Establish material, welding, and construction specifications; class-location and MAOP documentation; and traceable, verifiable, and complete records.
• Develop the basis for integrity management, including baseline assessment planning, pigging and inspection provisions, and mainline valve philosophy and availability analysis.
• Support commissioning and first gas through purge and pack planning, measurement and control system energization, and readiness reviews.
• Set design bases for engineering consultants, review and challenge deliverables, and integrate their work.
• Direct construction contractors on technical matters, including specification compliance, field queries, deviation dispositions, and as-built reconciliation.
• Own technical interfaces with upstream pipeline operators and interconnect counterparties, including metering-station design, control coordination, nominations behavior, and technical operating-agreement exhibits.
• Hold third parties to disciplined engineering, testing, and documentation standards.
• Develop Nscale engineering standards, specifications, and reference designs for gas pipelines.
• Coordinate with generation engineering, permitting and land teams, and commercial teams on fuel-gas requirements, routing and regulatory strategy, and gas supply and transportation arrangements.
• Grow internal pipeline engineering capability by directing specialist consultants and building a small team as the portfolio scales.
• Communicate pipeline and process risks and readiness clearly to project leadership and executives.

Benefits

• Highly competitive US compensation package consisting of base salary, bonus, and equity.
• Performance reviews every 12 months.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match.
• Generous paid time off and US federal holidays.
• Flexible workplace with autonomy.
• Potential eligibility for bonus, equity, and/or commission programs.
• Potential benefits package including flexible paid time off, parental leave, and retirement plan participation.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager