Senior Mechanical Systems Engineer

Fervo Energy • Oakland, CA

2d • $111,000 - $160,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Mechanical Systems Engineer will provide technical leadership in designing and optimizing mechanical systems for Fervo Energy power plants. The role uses advanced engineering judgment and first-principles analysis to develop high-performance, cost-effective designs, mentor junior engineers, and influence cross-disciplinary decisions. As Fervo scales deployment beyond first-of-a-kind projects, this engineer will help drive standardization and efficiency improvements across projects. The position reports to the Mechanical Engineering Manager.

Fervo uses Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) power plants to convert heat to electricity. Core equipment includes air-cooled condensers, shell-and-tube heat exchangers, feed pumps, pressure vessels, and connecting piping and cabling. This equipment is a major driver of plant construction cost, footprint, and thermal performance, making product-oriented design especially valuable.

Requirements

• B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
• At least 6 years of mechanical engineering experience in large capital projects.
• Proven track record leading projects and taking designs through fabrication and testing.
• Expertise in piping and structural systems, including CAD design, analysis, drawings, and fabrication or construction support.
• Strong communication and leadership skills, including the ability to translate technical complexity into clear decisions.

Nice To Haves

• R&D mechanical engineering design experience.

Responsibilities

• Own the specification generation, design, and analysis of mechanical systems, components, and equipment for power generation and surface facilities.
• Drive first-principles tradeoff analysis across mechanical and thermal systems to optimize plant performance and system requirements against cost and construction and deployment speed.
• Support the internally owned design and direction of power plant layouts, including high-level trade studies of piping, electrical, steel, and other commodities.
• Lead large-scale CAD design and own surface facilities designs, ensuring the bill of materials reflects what is actually being built.
• Identify opportunities to simplify, accelerate, and standardize mechanical designs while maintaining technical excellence and reliability.
• Inform and support procurement efforts for mechanical equipment, systems, and vendor specifications.
• Take responsibility for cost, safety, constructability, design, and requirements; work with urgency and resilience, embracing rapid iteration and maintaining high performance under pressure.
• Collaborate across process, electrical, reservoir, and drilling disciplines, as well as with external partners, to develop integrated solutions.
• Contribute to a culture of technical excellence and accountability, model the values of a world-class engineering team, and mentor junior engineers.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision plan options.
• Employer-paid basic life insurance and short-term and long-term disability coverage.
• 401(k) plan with an employer match of up to 6%.
• Flexible paid time off and paid parental leave.
• Family-building, fertility, hormonal health, pregnancy, postpartum, and parenting support through Carrot.
• Dependent care flexible spending account for eligible child and elder care expenses.
• Annual Lifestyle Spending Account for eligible wellness expenses, including fitness, financial planning, pet insurance, and pet care.
• Employee ownership opportunities through an Employee Stock Purchase Program, stock option grants, and bonus opportunities for eligible roles.

What This Job Offers

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