Senior Drilling Engineer

Jobtailor; Colorado; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor in Colorado is seeking a senior drilling operations leader to guide environmental, safety, and drilling programs, ensuring cost-effective schedules and robust collaboration across the drilling organization. You will drive improvements and coordinate with field teams to meet targets while maintaining high safety and regulatory standards.

The role requires strong project management skills, the ability to prepare complex drilling programs, and a willingness to travel monthly.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of drilling operations experience.
• Some field experience.
• Experience in multiple basins highly regarded.
• Experience working rotational field assignments on drilling rigs highly regarded.
• Effective interpersonal skills and ability to work well in a team environment.
• Demonstrated project management skills.
• Familiarity with casing design, hydraulic analysis, directional optimization, fluid systems, cement design, pipe design, and torque/drag analysis.
• Ability to uphold applicable safety, regulatory, and environmental requirements.
• Willingness to travel monthly, up to 20% travel time when required.

Responsibilities

• Lead environmental, health, and safety programs by example.
• Ensure drilling schedules are met cost-effectively.
• Support alignment across the drilling organization through communication and collaborative execution.
• Foster accountability, innovation, learning, and high-performance teamwork.
• Maintain relationships with field teams through regular site visits.
• Drive operational improvements to reduce costs, enhance safety, and reduce cycle times.
• Attend safety meetings, safety blitzes, safety training, and skills development classes.
• Prepare detailed drilling programs, including AFEs, well designs, casing and cementing designs, and directional plans.
• Monitor and report daily drilling activities.
• Monitor actual well costs and support financial reporting and budgeting.
• Participate in drilling services bidding and track drilling innovations.
• Interface with field supervisors to execute drilling plans and troubleshoot problems.
• Partner with Drilling Managers, Drilling Engineers, Field Coordinators, and Wellsite Supervisors.
• Align with the Development Team to deliver wells in target zones and optimize drilling operations.
• Identify operational risks and implement corrective actions to reduce non-productive time and improve performance.
• Coordinate with permitting, land, community relations, and construction teams for location and schedule management.
• Model and reinforce company values, safety, environmental stewardship, accountability, communication, and professional development.

Skills

Drilling operations experience

Project management

Interpersonal skills

Team collaboration

Accountability

Innovation

High-performance teamwork

Job description

• Lead environmental, health, and safety programs by example
• Ensure drilling schedules are met cost-effectively
• Support alignment across the drilling organization through communication and collaborative execution
• Foster accountability, innovation, learning, and high-performance teamwork
• Maintain relationships with field teams through regular site visits
• Drive operational improvements to reduce costs, enhance safety, and reduce cycle times
• Attend safety meetings, safety blitzes, safety training, and skills development classes
• Prepare detailed drilling programs, including AFEs, well designs, casing and cementing designs, and directional plans
• Monitor and report daily drilling activities
• Monitor actual well costs and support financial reporting and budgeting
• Participate in drilling services bidding and track drilling innovations
• Interface with field supervisors to execute drilling plans and troubleshoot problems
• Partner with Drilling Managers, Drilling Engineers, Field Coordinators, and Wellsite Supervisors
• Align with the Development Team to deliver wells in target zones and optimize drilling operations
• Identify operational risks and implement corrective actions to reduce non-productive time and improve performance
• Coordinate with permitting, land, community relations, and construction teams for location and schedule management
• Model and reinforce company values, safety, environmental stewardship, accountability, communication, and professional development

Requirements

• 10+ years of drilling operations experience (preferred)
• Some field experience
• Experience in multiple basins highly regarded
• Experience working rotational field assignments on drilling rigs highly regarded
• Effective interpersonal skills and ability to work well in a team environment
• Demonstrated project management skills
• Familiarity with casing design, hydraulic analysis, directional optimization, fluid systems, cement design, pipe design, and torque/drag analysis
• Ability to uphold applicable safety, regulatory, and environmental requirements
• Willingness to travel monthly, up to 20% travel time when required
• Close coordination with office- and field-based team members

Core Competencies

Demonstrates extensive experience in drilling operations, including project management, casing design, and directional optimization, while upholding safety and environmental standards. Proven ability to foster teamwork and drive operational improvements through effective communication and collaboration.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Drilling Operations Experience
• Project Management Skills
• Casing Design
• Directional Optimization
• Interpersonal Skills

Hard Skills

• Casing Design
• Hydraulic Analysis
• Directional Optimization
• Fluid Systems
• Cement Design
• Pipe Design
• Torque/Drag Analysis
• Drilling Program Preparation
• Financial Reporting
• Operational Risk Identification

Soft Skills

• Effective Communication
• Team Collaboration
• Accountability
• Innovation
• High-Performance Teamwork

Industry Keywords

• Environmental Stewardship
• Safety Requirements
• Regulatory Compliance
• Drilling Innovations
• Field Experience
• Rotational Field Assignments
• Non-Productive Time Reduction
• Cost-Effective Drilling
• Well Design
• Drilling Services Bidding