R&D/Technology Engineer - New Grad

Occidental Petroleum Corporation; Brawley (CA); On-site; USD 101,000 - 139,000; Full time

Job summary

Occidental Petroleum Corporation seeks a Graduate student pursuing a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related Engineering field to join Oxy Low Carbon Ventures.

The role involves leading lab to pilot scale-up activities, designing test equipment, and performing experiments across lab, pilot, and demo scales. You will analyze data with statistical models, communicate findings to diverse audiences, and help define the logical next steps for the project based on results and

Qualifications

• Graduate student pursuing a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related Engineering field.
• Graduation date between December 2025 and August 2026.
• Must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
• Ability to work on weekends, holidays, and respond to callouts on a non-routine basis.

Responsibilities

• Maintain protection of environment and health and safety as a priority.
• Lead scale-up of laboratory processes to pilot and commercial scales.
• Design and construct test equipment at laboratory, pilot, and demo scales.
• Perform experiments at laboratory, pilot, and demo scales.
• Process and analyze experimental data using statistical models.
• Communicate learnings in written and verbal formats to support data-driven decisions.
• Define next steps for the project based on learnings.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Communication

Teamwork

Education

Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering

Materials Science

Engineering field - related

Tools

Aspen Plus

Microsoft Office

Job description

Position Overview

Oxy Low Carbon Ventures, LLC (OLCV), a subsidiary of Occidental, is supporting the development and demonstration of TerraLithium’s direct lithium extraction technology under the guidance of the Technology Development Director of Low Carbon Ventures.

Responsibilities

• Maintain protection of the environment and the health and safety of employees, customers, and the communities involved in our operations and transport of products as the highest priority.
• Implement and maintain safe work procedures for Technology Development equipment and experiments.
• Lead the scale‑up of laboratory processes to pilot and commercial scales.
• Design and construct test equipment at the laboratory, pilot, and demo scales.
• Perform experiments at the laboratory, pilot, and demo scales.
• Process and analyze experimental data using appropriate statistical models.
• Define the key questions that need to be answered to gain a strong fundamental understanding of new concepts, and plan, design, and execute the experiments required to answer them.
• Interpret the results and communicate the learnings in both written and verbal formats to a diverse audience to support rigorous, data‑driven decision making.
• Use the learnings to define the logical next steps for the project.

Desired Qualifications

• Self‑driven, creative, and detail oriented.
• Previous experience with mechanical equipment is a plus.
• Strong analytical/problem‑solving skills.
• Demonstrated balance between experimental and theoretical expertise.
• Proficiency in process modeling tools, such as Aspen Plus.
• High proficiency in Microsoft applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including ability to work as part of a team.

Required Qualifications

• Must apply to Oxy’s job application at www.oxy.com/careers.
• Graduate student pursuing a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related Engineering field.
• Graduation date between December 2025 and August 2026.
• Must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
• Ability to work on weekends, holidays, and respond to callouts on a non‑routine basis.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift 40 lbs, climb ladders and stairs; walking, bending, stooping required.
• Must wear personal protective equipment, including use of a respirator.
• Must respond to visual and audible alarms.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $100,800 – $138,600 per year.

Benefits: http://www.oxy.com/siteassets/documents/careers/oxy-employee-benefits-program-2025.pdf

Sponsorship

Oxy regrets that we are unable to sponsor employment visas or consider individuals on time‑limited Visa status for this position.

Equal Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status or any other basis as protected by federal, state, or local law.