Drilling Engineer (f_m_x)

Organisation/Company: Helmholtz-Zentrum Potsdam - Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum GFZ

Research Field: Geosciences

Researcher Profile: Recognised Researcher (R2), Established Researcher (R3)

Country: Germany

Application Deadline: 11 May 2025 - 21:59 (UTC)

Type of Contract: To be defined

Job Status: Other

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Area of research: Scientific / postdoctoral posts

GFZ is Germany's national centre for solid Earth research. We advance the understanding of dynamic processes to address global challenges, from mitigating the impacts of natural hazards and sustaining our habitat amid global change to responsibly managing georesources. We are part of the Helmholtz Association, the largest German scientific organisation. With around 1,200 employees as well as ca. 500 guest researchers, we contribute to the Helmholtz Research Field Earth and Environment, aligning cutting-edge research with societal relevance and international collaboration. Our work integrates multidisciplinary studies across Earth's system components, leveraging advanced technologies and infrastructure to research solutions and to transfer our knowledge to society. We are doing this according to our vision: “Taking the pulse of our Earth to safeguard a habitable planet”.

For section 4.3 Geoenergy (department 4 Geosystems), we are looking for a: Reference Number 10267. For this position, section 4.3 will be working in close collaboration with section 4.2. Section 4.3 is developing technologies to explore, access and utilize the Earth’s heat for an efficient geothermal energy provision.

The successful candidate will be involved in the management and supervision of large-scale experiments at GFZ-operated geothermal wells in Groß Schönebeck. The drilling engineer has to coordinate with partners and contractors activities like borehole evaluation, workover activities as well as drilling engineering planning and management of sidetracks.

In addition, the successful candidate will play a central role in operational management of new boreholes in the ICDP by supporting Principal Investigators in some drilling engineering tasks including supplementary additions to designing and tendering. He or she will also implement ICDP´s HSE measures and ensure proper drilling budget control.

The role is open to work on a Dr.-Ing. task to be completed within 3 years.

Your responsibilities:

The successful candidate will be involved in GFZ activities in the following fields of work:

• Support in planning, tendering and execution of national and international scientific drilling projects
• HSE and budget control for drilling projects
• Risk analysis for non-conventional operations
• Support of well integrity analysis
• Preparation and presentation of results in project meetings and in scientific journals
• Master’s degree or an equivalent degree in mechanical, reservoir, or petroleum engineering
• A successful candidate may qualify to conceptualize a plan for his/her PhD project in relation to drilling projects and associated studies
• Experience in drilling planning and well site supervision, DWOP, field safety supervision is an advantage, but not a requirement
• Field experience in drilling operations, well completions, monitoring design/installation, and downhole logging is an advantage, but no prerequisite
• Background in risk management procedures is a bonus, but not a necessity
• Ability for and willingness to work in a multidisciplinary and international team and to communicate with external partners
• Very good communication skills in English and good communication skills in German are an advantage but not essential
• Driving licence is mandatory
• Readiness for national and international business travels

What we offer:

• Ambitious and varied tasks in a dynamic and international research environment
• Public service benefits
• Extensive training opportunities
• Professional career advice offered by our in-house Career-Centre
• Flexible working hours and conditions
• Support with finding a good work-life balance offered by benefit@work
• Working at the Albert Einstein science park on the Telegrafenberg in Potsdam
• Work place within walking distance of Potsdam main train station, or just a short ride on the shuttle bus

Start date: As soon as possible

Fixed-term: 3 years

Salary: The position is classed as salary group 13 according to “TVöD Bund (Tarifgebiet Ost)”. The salary group is determined on the basis of the Collective Wage Agreement and the respective personal qualifications.

Working hours: Full-time (currently 39 h/week); The position is generally suitable for part-time work.

Place of work: Potsdam

Have we piqued your interest? If so, we look forward to receiving your application (incl. CV and motivation letter) by 11th May 2025. Please use our online application form only.

The GFZ actively promotes diversity and explicitly welcomes applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of ethnic and social origin, nationality, gender, sexual orientation and identity, religion/belief, age and physical characteristics. We also promote an inclusive working environment in which everyone can fully develop their own talents. Anyone who has been recognised as severely disabled, will be given preferential consideration in the event of equal suitability and qualification in accordance with the provisions of the German Social Code IX. In case of further queries regarding gender equality, please do not hesitate to contact our Equal Opportunities Officer.

“Diversity in perspectives” is one of GFZ's core values. As an integral part of supporting diversity at our centre, we actively promote women in science and in leadership positions. We among others do this through our gender equality plan and the cascade model measures which we actively implement to enable sustainable equal opportunities in academic career paths. The GFZ thus committedly strives for gender equality in science, including in leadership positions, and strongly encourages women to apply.

Your personal data will be processed for the purpose of conducting the selection procedure on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 b, Art. 88 GDPR in conjunction with Art. 26 of the Data Protection Act for the State of Brandenburg. After completion of the procedure, application documents will be deleted in compliance with data protection regulations.

In case of any further queries relating to the field of activity, please contact Prof. Dr. Hannes Hofmann via email. If you have any general questions about the application process, please contact our recruiting team at our phone number +49 (0) 331-6264-28787.

This research center is part of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers. With more than 42,000 employees and an annual budget of over € 5 billion, the Helmholtz Association is Germany's largest scientific organisation.