Decarbonizing the energy sector is an urgent challenge and geothermal energy is poised to play a central role. We are expanding our team to help make this vision a reality. Fervo Energy has developed technology to make geothermal power scalable and cost-effective. Join us and work alongside world-class engineers, researchers, investors, and developers in making geothermal a key pillar of our climate-friendly energy future.

Description

The Well Permitting Specialist is part of Fervo’s Land team and will be responsible for overseeing the acquisition, maintenance, and compliance of all necessary permits for drilling at Fervo Energy’s geothermal power development projects throughout the western US.  This role involves working closely with federal, state, and local regulatory agencies, as well as coordinating with internal stakeholders to ensure Fervo projects comply with all relevant laws and regulations. The Well Permitting Specialist will develop a well permitting plan, compile lists of necessary permits, create and maintain a permitting schedule, ensure permits are up to date, and coordinate with project management and other cross-functional teams to ensure all necessary permits for geothermal well drilling are acquired and complied with.

Strong communication and project management skills are required, as this position will be expected to present permitting initiatives to Fervo leadership.  The Well Permitting Specialist will report to the Director of Land.

Responsibilities

• Work directly with the Site Permitting Manager to develop and execute a strategic well drilling permitting plan, including timelines and milestones, to ensure timely acquisition of all necessary well permits
• Research, identify, and compile a comprehensive list of permits required for drilling geothermal wells at the federal, state, and local levels of each development project
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including geologists, engineers, legal counsel, land and environmental specialists to gather necessary information and address any permitting challenges
• Prepare and submit well drilling permit applications, ensuring accuracy and completeness of all required documentation
• Liaise with geothermal well regulatory agencies, attend meetings, present project details, and advocating for timely processing of permit applications
• Work with Fervo field personnel and drilling contractors to ensure that drilling operations comply with permitting requirements
• Monitor changes in regulations and requirements and adjust Fervo’s well permitting strategies accordingly to ensure ongoing compliance
• Maintain up-to-date records of all well permit applications, approvals, and related correspondence
• Provide regular updates to project stakeholders on the status of permitting activities, potential issues, and progress toward milestones
• Assist in the preparation of budgets and cost estimates related to permitting activities
• Support stakeholder engagement and community outreach activities

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher concentrating on Hydrogeology, Civil Engineering, Well Design, Drilling and Completions or other Engineering, Law, Natural Resource Management, Planning, Environmental Science, or a related subject matter
• 2+ years experience with well drilling permits for geothermal or oil-and-gas energy development projects
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple permitting activities simultaneously
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills for effective collaboration with internal stakeholders and external regulatory agencies
• Detail-oriented mindset and ability to analyze complex technical documentation
• Problem-solving skills to address permitting challenges and optimize strategies
• Self-starter mindset with the ability to multi-task, managing large complex projects and milestones within schedules
• Passion for responsible permitting, renewable energy, and environmental sustainability
• Ability to travel to field operations
• Preferred: Strong understanding of federal and state geothermal well drilling permitting regulations, processes, and requirements (i.e. NEPA, water rights, etc)
• Preferred: Proficiency in project management software and Microsoft Office Suite
• Preferred: Experience using ESRI GIS suite of software (ArcMap, ArcGIS Pro, ArcOnline, etc)