Execution Planning Advisor II

NES Fircroft; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

NES Fircroft is seeking a Project Development Engineer to lead front-end planning for greenfield and brownfield upstream projects, translating business objectives into executable scopes. You will partner with Development Planning, Operations, Drilling & Completions, Land, Regulatory, and other teams to ensure safe, cost-effective execution.

The role requires strong communication and stakeholder management skills, plus ability to manage multiple priorities across disciplines.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related technical discipline.
• Experience in project development, planning, or execution in oil & gas; upstream unconventional preferred.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a cross-functional environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.

Responsibilities

• Lead early-stage planning and scope development for wells, pads, tanks, facilities and related infrastructure from concept through design basis development.
• Translate business goals, operational needs and technical requirements into defined project scopes.
• Coordinate with Development Planning, Operations, Drilling & Completions, Engineering, Land, Regulatory, Project Controls and Supply Chain teams.

Skills

Communication

Collaboration

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related technical discipline

Job description

Project Development Engineer

The Project Development Engineer serves as the front-end lead for greenfield and brownfield upstream unconventional well sites, facilities, and infrastructure projects, translating business objectives, operational requirements, and technical inputs into clear, aligned, execution-ready project scopes. This role works closely with stakeholders across multiple functions to develop projects that support safe, efficient, and cost-effective execution.

Key Responsibilities Front-End Project Development & Scope Definition

• Lead early-stage planning and scope development for well pads, tank batteries, production facilities, flowlines, and related infrastructure from concept through design basis development.
• Translate business goals, operational needs, and technical requirements into well-defined project scopes.
• Support development planning milestones, project reviews, and approval processes to ensure seamless transition into project execution.

Cross-Functional Stakeholder Integration

• Act as the primary point of coordination between Development Planning, Operations, Drilling & Completions, Engineering, Project Execution, Land, Regulatory, Project Controls, and Supply Chain teams.
• Build strong working relationships and facilitate early stakeholder alignment to minimize rework and improve project outcomes.
• Evaluate and communicate tradeoffs related to scope, cost, schedule, risk, and operational priorities.

Value Creation & Project Evaluation

• Develop and assess infrastructure concepts and development options to support capital-efficient project recommendations.
• Collaborate with planning, reservoir, operations, and project controls teams to support investment decisions and project prioritization.
• Provide recommendations that balance technical, operational, and economic considerations.

Technical Planning & Execution Readiness

• Develop and maintain the technical basis for projects, including layouts, site requirements, permitting strategies, planning assumptions, and design standards.
• Coordinate early input related to land, regulatory requirements, permitting, constructability, equipment planning, and execution strategies.
• Ensure projects are appropriately defined and prepared for successful execution and handoff.

Process Improvement & Team Collaboration

• Foster a collaborative environment focused on accountability, communication, and continuous improvement.
• Identify process inefficiencies, interface challenges, and opportunities to improve front-end project development.
• Support the development of tools, workflows, and best practices that improve scope quality, consistency, and project readiness.

Key Interfaces

The Project Development Engineer works closely with:

• Development Planning & Reservoir Teams: Development concepts, well scheduling, resource planning, and economic evaluations.
• Operations: Facility requirements, operational constraints, maintainability, and system performance.
• Land & Regulatory: Site selection, permitting, access requirements, and regulatory compliance.
• Drilling & Completions: Well planning, development timing, execution sequencing, and facility coordination.
• Project Execution Teams: Constructability reviews, execution planning, schedule development, and project readiness.
• Engineering Teams: Design standards, technical guidance, and engineering support.
• Project Controls: Cost estimating, scheduling, forecasting, and capital efficiency analysis.
• Procurement & Supply Chain: Equipment planning, material availability, and procurement strategies.

What Success Looks Like

• Serve as a trusted project development resource across the organization.
• Deliver clear and well-defined project scopes that support efficient execution.
• Establish stakeholder alignment prior to project execution.
• Improve project decision-making through evaluation of alternatives, risks, and economic impacts.
• Bring structure and clarity to complex development challenges and turn concepts into executable plans.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• Experience in project development, project planning, or project execution within the oil & gas industry; upstream unconventional experience preferred.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a cross-functional environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.

With over 90 years' combined experience, NES Fircroft (NES) is proud to be the world's leading engineering staffing provider spanning the Oil & Gas, Power & Renewables, Chemicals, Construction & Infrastructure, Life Sciences, Mining andManufacturingsectors worldwide. With more than 80 offices in 45 countries, we are able to provide our clients with the engineering and technical expertise they need, wherever and whenever it is needed. We offer contractors far more than a traditional recruitment service, supporting with everything from securing visas and work permits, to providing market-leading benefits packages and accommodation, ensuring they are safely and compliantly able to support our clients.