Completions & Well Management Research Engineer - Advanced

Exxon Mobil; Spring (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension Plan

Savings Plan

Workplace Flexibility

Medical, dental, vision plans

Employee Health Advisory Program

Job summary

ExxonMobil is seeking a Research Wells Engineer to advance unconventional resource development through novel technologies and advanced modeling. You will collaborate with geoscientists, reservoir engineers, data scientists, and operations engineers to improve hydraulic fracturing, well performance, and field development optimization.

The role emphasizes leading both fundamental and applied research, mentoring engineers, and translating results into scalable business solutions.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. preferred with strong research background.
• Experience in hydraulic fracturing design or fracture mechanics.
• Knowledge of data-driven workflows and numerical modeling.
• Experience with large datasets and programming in Python.

Responsibilities

• Lead research and technology development on hydraulic fracture modeling and stimulation optimization.
• Design, run, and assess field pilots for new completion designs and strategies.
• Develop physics-based and data-driven models to predict fracture propagation and well performance.
• Integrate geological, geomechanical, petrophysical, completion and reservoir datasets.
• Publish findings and communicate recommendations to technical and management teams.

Skills

Python

Machine Learning

Hydraulic fracturing

Data analysis

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Education

PhD preferred

MS in related field

Tools

ResFrac

Kinetix

Azure Databricks

Python tools

Job description

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Completions & Well Management Research Engineer - Advanced

Location: Spring, TX, US, 77389

Company Name: ExxonMobil

About us

At ExxonMobil, our vision is to lead in energy innovations that advance modern living while reducing emissions. As one of the world’s largest publicly traded energy and chemical companies, we are powered by a unique and diverse workforce fueled by the pride in what we do and what we stand for.

The success of our Upstream, Product Solutions and Low Carbon Solutions businesses is the result of the talent, curiosity and drive of our people. They bring solutions every day to optimize our strategy in energy, chemicals, lubricants and lower-emissions technologies.

We invite you to bring your ideas to ExxonMobil to help create sustainable solutions that improve quality of life and meet society’s evolving needs. Learn more about our What and our Why and how we can work together .

About the Role

The Unconventional Technology Development team, part of Upstream Technology Portfolio (UTP), conducts research, technology development, and direct asset support for ExxonMobil's global unconventional assets. The team applies advanced computational, analytical, and experimental approaches to address business-critical challenges in well construction, well completions, well performance optimization, and cube-scale development.

We are seeking a Research Wells Engineer to develop and apply novel technologies, modeling capabilities, and data-driven workflows that improve unconventional resource development. The successful candidate will work in a highly collaborative, multidisciplinary environment alongside geoscientists, reservoir engineers, data scientists, and operations engineers to advance understanding of hydraulic fracturing, well performance, reservoir stimulation, and field development optimization.

This position provides opportunities to lead both fundamental and applied research, influence development strategies, and support implementation of new technologies across ExxonMobil's unconventional portfolio.

What You Will Do

• Lead research and technology development focused on hydraulic fracture modeling, stimulation effectiveness, and completion optimization in unconventional reservoirs.
• Design, execute, and interpret field pilots to evaluate innovative completion designs, well spacing, landing zones, stacking strategies, production optimization approaches, and emerging technologies.
• Develop and apply physics-based, data-driven, and coupled modeling workflows to improve understanding of fracture propagation, reservoir interaction, and well performance.
• Integrate geological, geomechanical, petrophysical, completion, production, and reservoir datasets to identify key drivers of unconventional asset performance.
• Develop predictive models and analytical tools to support field development planning, production forecasting, and resource recovery optimization.
• Conduct research on emerging unconventional development concepts, fracture diagnostics, stimulation technologies, machine learning applications, and digital workflows.
• Analyze pilot and field-performance results and translate findings into scalable recommendations for business implementation.
• Collaborate with drilling, completions, reservoir, production, facilities, and data science teams to identify and deliver high-value technology solutions.
• Benchmark industry technologies and identify opportunities to improve well productivity, recovery efficiency, operational performance, and capital effectiveness.
• Publish technical findings, develop internal best practices, and communicate recommendations to management, technology, and asset teams.
• Mentor early-career engineers and contribute to the development of technical capabilities across the organization.

About You

• Ph.D. preferred; exceptional M.S. candidates will also be considered.
• Degree in Petroleum Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Applied Physics, Geoscience, or a related technical discipline.
• Demonstrated research experience in one or more of the following areas:
• Hydraulic fracturing and stimulation design
• Fracture mechanics and geomechanics
• Fluid flow in porous media and wellbores
• Coupled physics modeling
• Reservoir simulation and production forecasting
• Carbonate stimulation and acidizing
• Experimental design and laboratory research
• Integrated fracture-reservoir modeling
• Experience developing numerical models and analyzing complex datasets.
• Familiarity with scientific programming and data analysis tools, preferably Python.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with demonstrated ability to communicate technical findings to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Industry experience in unconventional oil and gas development.
• Experience with hydraulic fracture modeling software such as ResFrac, Kinetix, or similar platforms.
• Experience planning, executing, and evaluating field pilots.
• Knowledge of diagnostic fracture injection tests (DFITs), fiber‑optic diagnostics, microseismic monitoring, pressure analysis, tracer interpretation, or other fracture characterization techniques.
• Experience applying machine learning, optimization, uncertainty quantification, or advanced analytics to engineering problems.
• Familiarity with cloud-based analytics environments, Azure Databricks, Power BI, Spotfire, or equivalent platforms.
• Demonstrated capability to identify, develop, and implement innovative technologies that create measurable business value.
• Publication record in peer-reviewed journals, industry conferences, or technical societies is considered a plus.

We offer you:

• Pension Plan: Enrollment is automatic and at no cost to you. The basic benefit is a monthly annuity to be paid to you in retirement for the rest of your life.
• Savings Plan: You can contribute between 6% and 20% of your pay and are encouraged to enroll right away. If you contribute at least 6% to your savings plan, the Company will contribute a 7% match.
• Workplace Flexibility: We have several programs such as “Flex your Day”, providing ad‑hoc flexibility around when and where you work, as well as longer‑term programs such as leaves of absence and part‑time work.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans.
• Culture of Health: Programs and resources to support your wellbeing.
• Employee Health Advisory Program: Provides confidential professional counseling for you and your family, including tools and resources promoting mental health and resiliency at no additional cost to you.
• Disability Plan: Income replacement for when you cannot work due to illness or injury occurring on or off the job. Enrollment is automatic and at no cost to you.

More information on our Company’s benefits can be found at www.exxonmobilfamily.com.

Please note benefits may be changed from time to time without notice, subject to applicable law.

Alternate Location:

Nothing herein is intended to override the corporate separateness of local entities. Working relationships discussed herein do not necessarily represent a reporting connection, but may reflect a functional guidance, stewardship, or service relationship.

Exxon Mobil Corporation has numerous affiliates, many with names that include ExxonMobil, Exxon, Esso and Mobil. For convenience and simplicity, those terms and terms like corporation, company, our, we and its are sometimes used as abbreviated references to specific affiliates or affiliate groups. Abbreviated references describing global or regional operational organizations and global or regional business lines are also sometimes used for convenience and simplicity. Similarly, ExxonMobil has business relationships with thousands of customers, suppliers, governments, and others. For convenience and simplicity, words like venture, joint venture, partnership, co‑venturer, and partner are used to indicate business relationships involving common activities and interests, and those words may not indicate precise legal relationships.

Nearest Major Market: Houston

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