PETROLEUM SCIENTIST 1, 2, OR 3 (ENFORCEMENT-INSPECTIONS)

State of Louisiana; Baton Rouge (LA); Hybride; USD 70 000 - 95 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

The Office of Enforcement in the State of Louisiana seeks a Petroleum Scientist at varying levels to perform complex field investigations across the southeast and statewide. The role requires travel to injection wells, salinity caverns, and oilfield waste facilities, with reporting duties and strict compliance oversight.

A geo-science or engineering degree is required, with potential progression to Petroleum Scientist 1–3.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in geoscience or engineering required.
• Experience or training in environmental regulation and inspections preferred.
• Ability to work independently in the field and manage reports.

Responsabilités

• Inspect injection wells, hazardous waste sites, and related facilities across Louisiana.
• Prepare detailed field reports and maintain official records.
• Review permits and ensure compliance with state and federal rules.

Connaissances

Geoscience knowledge

Engineering principles

Regulatory compliance

Field inspection

Formation

Bachelor's degree in geoscience or engineering

Outils

GIS (ArcGIS)

Inspection apps

Description du poste

The Office of Enforcement (OENF) is dedicated to ensuring regulatory compliance and protecting public and environmental interests through rigorous inspection programs, timely enforcement actions and transparent oversight. The Office emphasizes proactive monitoring, consistent regulatory enforcement and transparent reporting. Its operations are designed to uphold compliance standards, swiftly address violations and maintain trust and accountability within Louisiana’s regulated community.

This position will be hired as a field-based position with occasional home computer entries and primarily work out of the employee’s home residence. The Petroleum Scientist 1, 2, or 3 performs very complex technical investigative and enforcement work on a statewide basis for the Louisiana Department of Conservation & Energy/Office of Enforcement/Inspection Division/Injection & Mining section. Work involves performing highly technical announced and unannounced inspections and investigations of all injection wells in Louisiana.

This position requires almost daily travel within the parish assignment areas for day trips and inspections. Additional physical requirements will include riding on boats to water-based injection well locations, exposure to heat, cold, and inclement weather typically encountered in south Louisiana, and walking on uneven terrain to access some locations. Daily inspection reports will be submitted via computer-based reporting. The candidate will be required to monitor and schedule any assigned vehicle maintenance and be responsible for safe storage of the assigned vehicle at the primary residence.

A bachelor’s degree in a geoscience field or engineering.

The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.

Job Duties:

This position reports to Baton Rouge, LA, but performs work throughout the southeastern part of the state. The ideal candidate would have primary residency in one of the following assigned parishes: Assumption, Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary, Ascension, or Terrebonne.

Additional duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• Thoroughly inspects and monitors by-product operations, including hazardous waste injection wells, solution mining of salt, hydrocarbon storage in solution-mined salt caverns, enhanced oil recovery wells, oil and gas exploration and production waste injection wells, and commercial exploration and production waste disposal facilities.
• Prepares and reviews in-depth reports on findings of all field investigations and inspections which serve as official records and are used in court litigation as necessary.
• Independently reviews permits, equipment, and safety precautions involved in the drilling/operation/work over activity for injection wells. This includes responsibility for ensuring that operators possess valid permits and that all conditions of the permits are closely followed during construction of said facilities.
• Reviews various technical reports and makes recommendations to Petroleum Scientist Supervisor or Manager on matters of regulatory noncompliance.
• Provides various reporting information for the compilation of statistical data on operator compliance activities for inclusion in the division’s state and federal performance indicators and any other required reports.
• Performs quarterly compliance reviews of UIC testing schedules and issue compliance notices to operators in accordance with the prescribed test frequency.
• Performs quarterly compliance reviews of UIC testing schedules and issue compliance notices to operators in accordance with the prescribed test frequency.
• Maintains files on all hazardous/non-hazardous waste disposal wells and operations located at industrial plant sites and those operated by commercial concerns.
• Maintains files on salt dome storage cavity operations concerning oil and gas storage.
• Maintains any assigned vehicle and equipment according to recommended guidelines.
• Provides technical assistance to private industry in the interpretation of State and Federal laws and Office of Conservation and departmental rules and regulations.
• If requested, provides functional supervision and training of lower level Conservation Enforcement Specialists in the performance of law and regulation enforcement, well tests, on-site investigations concerning underground injection operations, and the completion of necessary field reports.
• Assists the Director and Assistant Director of the Office of Enforcement and Office of Permitting & Compliance on any special field investigations deemed necessary.

Position-Specific Details:

Appointment Type: Probational

Career Progression: This position does participate in a Career Progression Group.

Work Schedule: Work hours are flexible.

Compensation: The salary offered will be determined based on qualifications and experience.

Career Progression: This position may be filled as a Petroleum Scientist 1, 2, or 3.

This vacancy is being announced as a classified position and is open to all qualified applicants. This position requires the selected applicant to serve a minimum probationary period of twelve (12) months. A current, permanent status state employee may be required to accept a probational appointment in lieu of promotion. Additional Vacancies may be filled from this announcement within 90 days of the closing date.