Research Engineer

Leidos; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); Presencial; USD 75 000 - 85 000; Tempo integral

Vantagens oferecidas por esta oferta de emprego

Health and Wellness programs

Retirement

Resumo da oferta

Leidos seeks an experienced Research Engineer to design, conduct, and troubleshoot lab experiments for improving oil recovery in shale formations. You will operate HPHT systems and advanced diagnostic instruments, collaborating with NETL’s Production team to address low permeability challenges and test secondary recovery methods.

The role offers hands‑on experimentation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and opportunities to contribute to fossil energy research while advancing DOE’s mission.

Qualificações

• Bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering or related field with 3+ years of hands‑on experience.
• Hands‑on experience with interfacial science experiments including contact angle, interfacial tension, and wettability studies.
• Experience operating and troubleshooting rock/fluid characterization equipment (XRD, CT, SEM, PVT systems).
• Experience preparing samples, collecting data, and interpreting mineralogy, petrophysical properties, and fluid‑rock interactions.
• Experience with high‑pressure/high‑temperature equipment and core flooding or EOR experiments.
• Familiarity with chemical EOR systems and lab evaluation techniques.
• Ability to plan experiments, maintain detailed records, and communicate findings.
• Ability to gain access to NETL campus.

Responsabilidades

• Conduct rock characterization experiments including oil saturation mapping and porosity/permeability measurements.
• Perform fluid characterization testing (PVT, interfacial tension, contact angle, wettability) and assess chemical additives.
• Design and troubleshoot lab experiments that simulate reservoir conditions to evaluate EOR processes.
• Operate and maintain HP/HT systems and core flood apparatus to study fluid‑rock interactions and multiphase flow.
• Assess fracture conductivity, proppant performance, and geomechanical properties under varying conditions.
• Summarize literature and prepare reports, publications, and presentations.

Conhecimentos

Petroleum Eng

Interfacial science

Laboratory testing

Troubleshooting experiments

Formação académica

Bachelor's degree in petroleum engineering or related field

Ferramentas

XRD

CT scanners

SEM

PVT systems

Descrição da oferta de emprego

Leidos is seeking an exceptional and motivated Research Engineer with a passion for hands‑on laboratory research to support the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) in Pittsburgh, PA. In this role you will work directly in the laboratory designing, conducting, and troubleshooting experiments focused on improving oil recovery from unconventional reservoirs. This role involves operating advanced laboratory equipment, high-pressure/high-temperature test systems, and diagnostic instruments to characterize reservoir rocks, fluids, and fluid-rock interactions under simulated subsurface conditions. Specifically, you will work with NETL’s Production team to address the challenges of low permeability and complex fluid dynamics in shale formations by developing and testing secondary recovery methods, such as the injection of water, natural gas, or carbon dioxide with additives.

This position offers extensive opportunities for hands‑on experimentation while collaborating with experts in reservoir engineering, subsurface geochemistry, fluid characterization, geomechanics, and advanced imaging technologies. Through laboratory testing and applied research, you will contribute to the development and optimization of innovative oil recovery technologies that advance DOE’s fossil energy mission and support scientific and technological breakthroughs in unconventional resource development.

What this opportunity with Leidos supporting NETL uniquely provides you:

• Working on applied, cutting‑edge projects with global impact while being mentored by the nation’s leading energy scientists and engineers.
• Real‑world experience supplemented with technical development and discussions that provide unique insight into the broad range of mission critical engineering and scientific disciplines NETL leverages to support national energy research and policy development.
• Access to world‑class, customized facilities and computational assets specific to high impact energy research, technology generation, and product development.
• Support proposal development focused on expanding industry and scientific partnerships and developing new technical opportunities for NETL with federal guidance.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Conduct hands‑on rock characterization experiments, including oil saturation mapping, mineralogical analysis, and measurement of porosity and permeability using advanced laboratory instrumentation.
• Perform fluid characterization testing, including pressure‑volume‑temperature (PVT) analysis, interfacial tension measurements, contact angle testing, wettability assessment, and evaluation of chemical additives to optimize fluid performance.
• Design, execute, and troubleshoot laboratory experiments that simulate reservoir conditions to evaluate enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes, quantify hydrocarbon recovery, and identify dominant recovery mechanisms under a range of injection scenarios.
• Operate and maintain high‑pressure/high‑temperature (HPHT) experimental systems and core flood apparatus to evaluate fluid‑rock interactions, multiphase flow behavior, and recovery performance.
• Conduct laboratory testing to evaluate fracture conductivity, proppant performance, and geomechanical properties under varying stress and reservoir conditions.
• Perform extensive and comprehensive literature reviews and summarize the state of knowledge for various topics relevant to enhanced oil recovery.
• Prepare technical reports, publications, and presentations documenting experimental methods, data analysis, and research findings.
• Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team, including geologists, geographers, chemists, computer scientists, environmental scientists, and other researchers to accomplish project related tasks.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering or related scientific/engineering field with 3+ years relevant and hands‑on experience. Higher‑level degree may be considered as a substitute for experience.
• Demonstrated hands‑on experience conducting interfacial science experiments, including contact angle measurements, interfacial tension testing, wettability characterization, and wettability alteration studies.
• Practical experience operating and troubleshooting laboratory instrumentation such as XRD, CT scanners, SEM, PVT systems, and other rock and fluid characterization equipment.
• Experience preparing samples, conducting experiments, collecting data, and interpreting results related to mineralogy, petrophysical properties, and fluid‑rock interactions.
• Hands‑on experience operating high‑pressure/high‑temperature experimental equipment and performing laboratory investigations of multiphase flow in porous media.
• Experience designing, executing, and analyzing core flooding, fluid injection, or enhanced oil recovery experiments under simulated reservoir conditions.
• Working knowledge of chemical EOR systems, including surfactants, polymers, gases, and associated laboratory evaluation techniques.
• Demonstrated ability to independently plan experiments, maintain detailed laboratory records, troubleshoot test setups, and communicate technical findings.
• Ability to meet the requirement for gaining access to work on the NETL campus.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience utilizing Nuclear Magnetic Resonance scanning for oil saturation mapping.
• Experience interpreting complex experimental data using tools like python or MATLAB.

Salary Range for this position: $75,000 to $85,000

Pay Range $69,550.00 - $125,725.00

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Pay and Benefits

• competitive compensation
• Health and Wellness programs
• Income Protection
• Paid Leave
• Retirement

Securing Your Data

Beware of fake employment opportunities using Leidos’ name. Leidos will never ask you to provide payment‑related information during any part of the employment application process (i.e., ask you for money), nor will Leidos ever advance money as part of the hiring process (i.e., send you a check or money order before doing any work). Further, Leidos will only communicate with you through emails that are generated by the Leidos.com automated system - never from free commercial services (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) or via WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. If you received an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment‑related information or any other personal information (e.g., about you or your previous employer), and you are concerned about its legitimacy, please make us aware immediately by emailing us at [e-mail].

If you believe you are the victim of a scam, contact your local law enforcement and report the incident to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.