R&D Engineer, Energy

1063 Vibrantz Color Solutions LLC; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 75,000 - 94,000; Full time

Job summary

Vibrantz Technologies in Houston, TX, is seeking an experienced R&D Engineer, Energy to lead product development for drilling fluids and additives. You will coordinate lab activities, scale-up projects, and work with Engineering, Manufacturing, Sales, and customers to deliver innovative solutions.

The role requires strong knowledge of drilling fluids, hands-on lab experience, and adept project management to drive development from concept to commercialization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Science, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in drilling fluids and/or drilling fluid additives.
• Laboratory experience and product development experience.
• Familiarity with laboratory equipment and testing practices.
• Strong technical documentation, reporting, and communication capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Develop new drilling fluids products and additives with cross-functional teams.
• Identify unmet market needs to strengthen R&D pipeline.
• Plan and supervise laboratory activities and develop testing procedures.
• Support manufacturing and process engineering projects to improve yields and performance.
• Provide technical support to customers and internal stakeholders.
• Manage R&D project activities, timelines, and documentation.

Skills

Drilling fluids

Laboratory & product development

Project management

Technical documentation

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Science or Engineering

Tools

Project management software

Job description

About Vibrantz Technologies

Vibrantz Technologies is a leading global provider of specialty chemicals and materials solutions whose purpose is to bring color, performance, and vibrancy to life. Every day, our employees, the products we make, and our valued customer partnerships are inspired by this purpose.

Serving over 11,000 customers, Vibrantz's technologies are trusted in a variety of advanced materials, color solutions and performance coatings applications and consumer products. We are experts in particle engineering, glass and ceramic science and color technology. Our technologies are used in small amounts to make big impacts on applications and consumer products, including durable vehicles and batteries, easier-to-clean appliances, energy efficient roof titles and bricks, stronger and more decorative glass, and echo-friendly paints.

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Vibrantz has over 50 manufacturing facilities and sales offices on six continents, and we employe 4,500 individuals. Our shared culture is rooted strongly in our four core values that focus on winning with customers, striving for excellence, championing people, and doing the right thing.

Vibrantz is owned by American Securities, a leading U.S. private equity firm that invests in market-leading North American companies with annual revenue generally ranging from $200 million to $2 billion and/or $50 million to $200 million of EBITDA. American Securities and its affiliates have approximately $23 Billion under management and are based in New York with an office in Shanghai.

For more information, please visit www.vibrantz.com and www.american-securities.com

Location

Houston, TX

Total Rewards

We offer comprehensive total rewards packages including base pay, variable incentive programs, 401K, medical, dental, vision, life & disability and variety of well-being resources that meet the needs of our diverse workforce. Union benefits are governed by the applicable collective bargaining unit agreement.

$75,217.47 - $94,021.84

Vibrantz is committed to maintaining pay transparency in accordance with applicable laws and best practices. Compensation for this position will be determined based on a combination of factors, including education, professional certifications, relevant experience, and other job-related considerations permitted by law.

Role Overview

The R&D Engineer, Energy leads product development initiatives focused on drilling fluids and additives for oil and gas applications. This role develops new products, identifies market opportunities, and provides technical expertise to support customer requirements and product performance. The position coordinates laboratory activities, product development and scale-up projects, and cross-functional collaboration with Engineering, Manufacturing, Sales, and customers. Success in this role requires strong technical knowledge of drilling fluids, research and development capabilities, and effective project management and communication skills.

Key Responsibilities

• - Develop new drilling fluids products and additives by collaborating with engineers, Sales, and customers to address technical requirements and emerging market opportunities.
• - Identify unmet market needs and potential product development opportunities to strengthen the R&D pipeline and support new product innovation.
• - Plan and supervise laboratory activities, provide technical direction to technicians, and develop testing procedures to support product development, raw material qualification, and scale-up initiatives.
• - Support manufacturing and process engineering projects by collaborating with Operations and Engineering teams to improve production yields, product performance, and profitability.
• - Provide advanced technical support to customers and internal stakeholders, including product expertise, technical evaluations, project updates, and communication of development results.
• - Manage R&D project activities, timelines, experimental documentation, and technical reports while maintaining laboratory organization, equipment practices, and established quality and safety procedures.

Required Qualifications

• - Education: Bachelor's degree in Science, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• - Experience: 5+ years of experience in drilling fluids and/or drilling fluid additives, with strong knowledge of drilling fluid applications across different formations.
• - Previous laboratory and product development experience, including familiarity with laboratory equipment, testing practices, and established safety procedures.
• - Experience using project management software or systems to plan experiments, manage project activities, and document and analyze results.
• - Strong technical documentation, reporting, and communication capabilities to support research projects and cross-functional collaboration.

Preferred Qualifications

• - 8+ years of R&D experience in drilling fluids, cementing, and production chemicals.
• - Laboratory management experience, including procedure development and implementation of laboratory safety practices.
• - Experience collaborating closely with manufacturing operations.
• - Established relationships within the drilling fluids industry and experience delivering technical presentations to customers or business partners.

Vibrantz is committed to protecting your privacy. We provide a Website Privacy Policy located on our www.vibrantz.com site to explain the type of information we collect and inform you of the specific practices and guidelines that protect the security and confidentiality of your personal data. Please read that pocky carefully. If any term in the policy is unacceptable to you, please do not use the Website or provide any personal data. This policy may change from time to time ( see Revisions to our Privacy Policy on www.vibrantz.com ).

Vibrantz Technologies Inc. ("Vibrantz") is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. Vibrantz strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants, or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, cree, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex gender, age physical or mental disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, or any other characteristics protected under applicable federal, state or local law.