Mechanical Engineer
Fervo Energy
Houston, TX · $111k–$153k a year · Posted November 11, 2026
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Where Houston, TX ranks
Where Houston, TX placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #1Best cities for manufacturing and industrial jobs887 openings · of 100
- #1Best cities for energy and utilities jobs704 openings · of 27
- #1Cities hosting the most energy & utilities conferences11 conferences · of 15
- #2Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Southwest481 jobs · of 38
- #2Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Southwest1,018 openings · of 33
- #2Best all-round cities for mid-career professionals in the Southwest74 / 100 · of 15
Rankings about engineering jobs
- Best cities for software and engineering jobs #1 San Francisco (3,412 openings)
- Best cities for engineering pay after cost of living #1 San Mateo ($216k)
- Most requested AI skills in engineering jobs #1 AI tools in daily work (6.1%)
- AI tools named most often in engineering jobs #1 Claude (1.7%)
- Employers with the most engineering jobs #1 Amazon (2,992 roles)
Pay compared with the market
This listing pays about $132,000 a year. Across 154 open mechanical engineer listings that state pay, the middle half runs $108,000 to $153,500 and the median is $133,500. That is inside the middle half of those listings, 1% below the median.
Listed pay is what employers advertise, not what people are paid.
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About the job
About Fervo Energy
Fervo Energy (NASDAQ: FRVO) is a modern power company developing next-generation geothermal resources to meet the growing demand for affordable, reliable, 24/7 carbon-free energy. Our mission is to transform geothermal into America’s most dependable and affordable source of clean, around-the-clock power. By combining innovations in horizontal drilling, fiber-optic sensing, and advanced reservoir engineering, Fervo has developed a repeatable approach to building utility-scale enhanced geothermal systems. Our flagship Cape Station development in Utah is planned to deliver 500 MW of firm, carbon-free power, and we are advancing a development pipeline of more than 50 GW. Join us and work alongside world-class engineers, geoscientists, operators, project builders, and business leaders working to make geothermal a cornerstone of a more reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy future.
Position Description
Fervo is working to build the most cost-effective, repeatable geothermal power plants in the world. Joining Fervo’s GeoBlock engineering team means solving frontier technical problems with immediate real-world impact, accelerating the clean energy transition and reinventing the way infrastructure is built.
We are seeking engineers who are excited by Fervo’s mission, the opportunity to drive meaningful and impactful innovation, and the prospect of maintaining extreme ownership over the cost and constructability implications of their designs, knowing that each decision they make impacts the speed and scale of Fervo’s mission.
As a Mechanical Engineer, you will be a technical leader in the design and optimization of mechanical systems for Fervo’s innovative power plants. You will apply advanced engineering judgment and first-principles analysis to develop high-performance, cost-effective plant designs, while mentoring junior engineers and influencing cross-disciplinary decision-making. As Fervo transitions from first-of-a-kind projects to scaling deployment of its plants, you will play a key role in driving standardization and efficiency improvements across projects. You will report to the Mechanical Engineering Manager.
Heat exchangers and thermal systems sit at the core of Fervo’s plant performance. In this role, you will lead the design, vendor management and optimization of heat exchange equipment, where small gains in approach temperature, pressure drop, and fouling resistance translate directly into plant output and cost.
Responsibilities
Technical and Execution Leadership
Own 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
Identify opportunities to simplify, accelerate, and standardize mechanical designs while maintaining technical excellence and reliability
Inform and support procurement efforts relating to mechanical equipment, systems, and vendor specifications for power plant designs
Lead design and performance analysis of heat exchangers (shell-and-tube, plate, and air-cooled), including sizing, rating, and optimization of heat transfer area, approach temperatures, and pressure drop
Evaluate and mitigate thermal and mechanical risks in heat exchange equipment, including fouling, scaling and corrosion from geofluids, thermal expansion, thermal stress and fatigue.
Develop heat exchanger specifications and technically evaluate vendor proposals, thermal rating sheets, and mechanical designs (TEMA, ASME Section VIII) through fabrication, factory acceptance testing, and commissioning
Build and validate thermal performance models (heat and mass balance, off-design and part-load performance, ambient temperature sensitivity) to drive plant-level optimization
Team and Culture
Demonstrate extreme ownership by taking responsibility for cost, safety, and constructability in addition to design
Work with urgency and resilience, embracing rapid iteration and maintaining high performance under pressure
Collaborate closely across disciplines (process, electrical, reservoir, drilling) as well as with external partners to drive integrated solutions
Contribute to a culture of technical excellence and accountability, modeling the values that define a world-class engineering team
Act as a mentor to junior engineers and help in their development
Qualifications
Required
B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline
3+ years of experience in mechanical engineering in large capital projects
Proven track record leading projects & design through fabrication and testing
Deep expertise in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and structural mechanics
Strong communication and leadership skills; ability to translate technical complexity into clear decisions
Hands-on experience designing, specifying, or rating heat exchangers (shell-and-tube, plate, air-cooled, or similar) for power generation, geothermal, oil and gas, or other process applications
Strong command of heat transfer fundamentals and thermal analysis, including conduction, convection, two-phase flow, and thermal stress
Familiarity with heat exchanger codes and standards (ASME Section VIII, TEMA, API 660/661) and thermal modeling tools (e.g., HTRI, Aspen EDR, Aspen HYSYS, or similar)
Experience with organic Rankine cycle (ORC) or other power cycle thermal systems is a plus
Location
Fervo Energy has offices in Houston, TX, Golden, CO, Reno, NV, Oakland, CA, and Salt Lake City, UT. This position will be eligible for some hybrid work flexibility, but regular in-office presence in the Houston, Golden, or Oakland office will be required.
Compensation
Fervo provides a comprehensive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, life, short-term and long-term disability, flexible paid time off, and paid parental leave. Additionally, Fervo offers an incentive stock options program, a bonus incentive program, and a 401(k) plan with an employer match.
Fervo Energy is providing the compensation range and general description of other compensation and benefits that the company in good faith believes it might pay and/or offer for this position based on the successful applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities in addition to internal equity and geographic location. Expected Salary: $111,000 – $153,000 based on location and experience.
Fervo Energy reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s sex or other status protected by local, state, or federal law.
Benefits & Perks
Fervo offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, financial well-being, and life outside of work. Benefits for eligible e