Senior Drilling Engineer (Group)

Ad Terra Group; Genf; On-site; CHF 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Ad Terra Group in Geneva, Switzerland is seeking a Senior Drilling Engineer to own well design and drilling execution for the group. You will design wells end-to-end and supervise operations, both on site and remotely, while driving the group's AI-driven drilling transformation.

The role requires 15+ years of drilling experience, strong knowledge of carbonate reservoirs, international project track record, and a degree in engineering with IWCF/IADC certification; fluency in English is essential

Qualifications

• 15+ years of drilling engineering experience, office design and wellsite exposure.
• Proven experience drilling carbonate reservoirs.
• International track record across basins and operators, onshore/offshore preferred.
• Fluent English; French and German are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Support the group's AI transformation in drilling: data-driven well planning, real-time monitoring, performance analytics and digital tools across all projects.
• Design wells end to end, from Basis of Design to casing, cementing, trajectories, mud, completion, workover and well testing.
• Prepare drilling programs, AFEs and schedules; build the business case with each OpCo.
• Lead rig and service-contractor selection, run tendering processes and evaluate drilling contracts.
• Supervise operations on site when needed and act as the group's technical authority on drilling.
• Own drilling risk: well control, HSE, induced seismicity, aquifer protection, lost circulation, pore pressure, wellbore stability.
• Prepare technical files for permits and regulators in Europe, North America and APAC.
• Contribute to consulting mandates and build the group's drilling standards.

Skills

Fluent English

Tendering processes

Education

Engineering degree + IWCF/IADC

Job description

Senior Drilling Engineer (Group)

The role

Ad Terra Group is hiring a Senior Drilling Engineer, based in Geneva, to own well design and drilling execution for the whole group. This is an in‑house role serving all our companies: drilling is a core competence we want to fully integrate, given the number of wells planned over the coming years.

You will deliver drilling engineering to our operating companies — deep geothermal and lithium brines first, as well as natural helium and native hydrogen — and to Ad Terra's third‑party consulting clients.

You will also help drive the group's AI transformation in drilling, bringing data and digital tools into how wells are planned, drilled and reviewed.

The role is designed to grow with the group's drilling activity, with scope to take on broader technical leadership over time.

About Ad Terra Group

Ad Terra Group is a Geneva-based multi-resource energy platform — the E&P platform for energy, metals and critical elements. Its wells follow a conventional E&P approach, but also require dedicated expertise in new drilling technologies.

Company Resource What you would support

SGE - Swiss Geo Energy Deep geothermal Lead drilling engineering on Swiss projects, starting with the Éclépens pilot

LiCAN Resources Lithium and bromine from brines Well design and drilling for brine extraction programs

45-8 Energy Natural helium and native hydrogen Support and peer review alongside the in‑house drilling team

Ad Terra Consulting Third‑party mandates Drilling expertise on client projects, including international O&G work

Key responsibilities

• Support the group's AI transformation in drilling: data-driven well planning, real‑time monitoring, performance analytics and digital tools across all projects.
• Design wells end to end, from the Basis of Design (BOD) to casing and cementing programs, trajectories, mud, completion, workover and well testing design, materials for corrosive brines and H₂/He, and well integrity through to plugging and abandonment (P&A).
• Prepare drilling programs, cost estimates (AFEs) and schedules; build the business case with each OpCo.
• Lead rig and service‑contractor selection, run tendering processes and carry out the technical evaluation of drilling contracts, contract strategy and insurance.
• Supervise operations on site when needed and remotely otherwise; act as the group's technical authority on drilling.
• Own drilling risk: well control, HSE, induced seismicity, aquifer protection, lost circulation, pore pressure, wellbore stability in fractured and karstified formations.
• Prepare technical files for permits and regulators in Europe, North America and APAC.
• Contribute to consulting mandates: reviews, audits, drilling plans and expert opinions for clients.
• Build the group's drilling standards and lessons‑learned base, and mentor junior engineers.

Profile and experience

• At least 15 years of drilling engineering experience, mostly in oil and gas, with both office design and wellsite exposure.
• Proven experience drilling carbonate reservoirs.
• Proven experience in fractured formations: losses, stability, and the drilling and completion choices they drive.
• International track record across several basins and operators, onshore and preferably offshore.
• Strong knowledge of the drilling contractor and well‑services market, and of tendering processes.
• Deep, high‑temperature or high‑pressure wells, hard‑rock drilling and advanced technologies (e.g. MPD) are a strong plus; geothermal, helium or hydrogen experience is welcome but not required.
• Degree in petroleum, drilling or mechanical engineering, or equivalent; IWCF or IADC well‑control certification.
• Fluent English; French and German are a plus.
• Recognized references in the discipline and genuine interest in the energy transition.

Personal qualities

• Energetic, hands‑on and motivated by building something new, not by managing a large legacy organization.
• Creative problem‑solver: able to adapt proven O&G practice to new resources and to frontier wells.
• Comfortable working across several companies and priorities at once, with the autonomy of a consultant.
• Clear communicator with management, partners, contractors and regulators.

Terms

• Location Geneva, Switzerland - at the foot of the Alps, ideal for those who love the mountains
• Workload 100%

• Travel Regular travel to well sites and clients projects, in Switzerland and abroad.
• Start date As soon as possible
• Package Competitive base salary plus bonus, in line with the Geneva market