Lead Chemist - EOR

ChampionX; Sugar Land (TX); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package from day 1

Opportunity to shape your career

Supportive and diverse work environment

Job summary

ChampionX, located in Sugar Land, Texas, is seeking a Lead Chemist to join their New Product Development: Nanotechnology team. The role supports innovation projects leveraging nanotechnology for production chemistry. The ideal candidate should excel in a collaborative environment, possessing a degree in chemistry or related field with necessary experience.

We offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package. This position includes opportunities for impactful contributions and personal growth.

Qualifications

• PhD in chemistry with 0–2 years experience, or MS with 3 years, or BS with 5 years minimum experience.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.
• Experience with EOR techniques preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical contributions on projects and experiments.
• Manage safety and identify improvement opportunities.
• Translate customer challenges into innovative solutions.

Skills

Project management

Communication skills

Chemistry knowledge

Problem-solving

Education

Degree in chemistry or related field

PhD or equivalent experience

Job description

Disclaimer: SLB completed the acquisition of ChampionX on July 16, 2025. If selected for this position, your employment will begin with ChampionX and will transition to SLB as part of the planned integration.

We are looking for a Lead Chemist for our New Product Development: Nanotechnology team, located in Sugar Land, TX. This role will support with innovation projects leveraging nanotechnology for use in production chemistry.

The ideal candidate is highly versatile, communicates effectively, and thrives in a collaborative environment. If you are a passionate professional that likes to work in an autonomous, hands‑on environment, we invite you to apply. This is your opportunity to join a growing company offering a competitive base salary and benefits.

What’s In It For You

• The ability to make an impact and shape your career with a company that is passionate about growth
• The support of an organization that believes it is vital to include and engage diverse people, perspectives, and ideas to achieve our best
• The opportunity to thrive in a company that values sustainability, drives a safety‑focused culture and empowers its employees through continuous improvement
• A comprehensive benefits package starting day 1 of employment

What You Will Do

• Perform work in a safe manner while identifying opportunities for improving safety.
• Act as key technical contributor on projects, experiments and research of moderate scope and complexity with high impact on the business.
• Act with considerate latitude in determining technical approach required to meet desired objectives.
• Demonstrate full use and application of scientific, project management, design excellence, and other principles, theories and concepts to assignments where precedents may exist plus working knowledge of other related disciplines.
• Provide solutions to a wide range of difficult problems such as the design of complex systems and programs and/or the resolution of problems requiring state‑of‑the‑art awareness of the terminology.
• Demonstrate initiative and creativity in identifying and trying new and different approaches.
• Show understanding of our customers (internal and external) products and available technologies to effectively identify creative solutions that meet customer requirements.
• Demonstrate the ability to translate understanding of customer challenges into new solutions or product ideas.
• May supervise others or serve as a technical resource and mentor in area of expertise. Acts as a project or technical lead for strategic projects.
• Demonstrates continuous improvement mindset and ability to modify processes to improve internal efficiency.
• Manage time effectively and prioritize assigned tasks to ensure delivery.

Minimum Qualifications

• Degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, or related technical field, preferably with a background in EOR techniques and application.
• PhD and 0–2 years of experience, MS and 3 years minimum experience, BS and 5 years minimum experience.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated project management and organizational skills.
• Immigration VISA sponsorship will be evaluated on a case‑by‑case basis.

Preferred Qualifications

• Problem solver with ability to lead change, manage ambiguity, and be able to adapt to new situations and projects quickly.
• Experience with Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) based applications, and methodology associated with testing the same such as corefloods.
• Experience with nanoparticles and additives used in EOR applications.
• Experience with organic synthesis of small molecules.
• Formulation experience developing new products, and improving existing products.

Physical Demands

• Role is deemed safety‑sensitive and may be subject to employer or customer drug testing.

About Us

ChampionX is now part of SLB, a global technology company driving energy innovation for a balanced planet. As innovators, that’s been our mission for nearly a century. We are a technology company that unlocks access to energy for the benefit of all. As innovators, that’s been our mission for nearly a century. Today, we face a global imperative to create a future with more energy, but less carbon. Our diverse, innovative change makers are focused on going further in innovation and inventing the new energy technologies we need to get there.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

We believe the best teams are diverse and inclusive, and we are on a journey to create a workplace where every employee can grow and achieve their best. We are committed to fair and equal treatment of employees and applicants. We recruit, hire, promote, transfer and provide opportunities for advancement on the basis of individual qualifications and job performance. In all matters affecting employment, compensation, benefits, working conditions, and opportunities for advancement, we will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, religion, color, creed, national origin, citizenship status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expressions, genetic information, marital status, age, disability, or status as a covered veteran.