Well Permitting Specialist

Fervo Energy • Reno, NV

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Well Permitting Specialist is part of Fervo Energy’s Land, Environment, and Permitting team and manages planning, permitting, and regulatory compliance for geothermal well drilling across the company’s exploration, appraisal, development, and commercial operations portfolio. The role obtains and maintains state and federal drilling authorizations, ensures compliance with permit conditions during drilling and well completion, and serves as a primary interface between project teams and regulatory agencies.

Working with Drilling, Completions, Construction, Surveying, Environmental, and Land teams, the specialist develops permitting strategies that support project schedules while ensuring safe, compliant, and environmentally responsible geothermal development. The role oversees the well-permit lifecycle from early project planning through drilling, testing, completion, production, injection, suspension, plugging, and long-term regulatory compliance. It also coordinates stakeholders, presents permitting initiatives to management, and supports continual improvement of permitting and compliance programs.

The preferred location is Reno, Nevada, with Houston, Texas, and Salt Lake City, Utah, as alternative locations. The role follows a hybrid schedule, with employees expected to work in the office three days per week, and requires approximately 25% travel to project sites throughout the western United States.

Requirements

• Degree or academic background in Engineering, Geology, Environmental Science, Natural Resources, Planning, or a related technical discipline.
• At least 8 years of permitting or regulatory experience supporting energy, mining, oil and gas, geothermal, or other large infrastructure projects.
• Demonstrated experience preparing and obtaining drilling permits from state and/or federal regulatory agencies.
• Strong understanding of geothermal drilling operations and well development.
• Excellent organizational, communication, project management, and stakeholder coordination skills.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously as a self-starter.
• Commitment to environmental stewardship, regulatory excellence, and responsible energy development.
• Ability to travel approximately 25% to project sites throughout the western United States.

Nice To Haves

• At least 3 years of team management experience.
• Geothermal well permitting experience with the BLM under 43 CFR Parts 3200–3280 and/or state geothermal regulatory agencies in Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, or New Mexico.
• Professional Engineer (PE), Professional Geologist (PG), or Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.

Responsibilities

• Develop 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.
• Maintain a comprehensive permitting schedule and forecast for active and future drilling programs.
• Coordinate regulatory agency meetings and technical reviews, respond to 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 specifications, directional drilling plans, well location plats, surface use plans, and related plans and programs.
• Ensure drilling operations comply with permit conditions and regulatory requirements, and manage permit amendments as drilling programs evolve.
• Develop systems to 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.
• Manage permitting consultants and technical contractors and review their work for technical accuracy and regulatory compliance.
• Manage consultant budgets and schedules.
• Develop internal guidance documents and best practices.
• Provide regulatory training to project teams.
• Maintain complete regulatory records for all well permits.
• Develop standardized permitting templates and procedures.

Benefits

• 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, stock option grants, and bonus opportunities for eligible roles.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed