Lead Drilling Engineer — Hybrid Role with Field Visits

Placements24; Vereeniging; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,600,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary bonuses

Health, disability, and life insurance

Generous pension fund contributions

Hybrid work arrangement

Professional development and training

Relocation assistance may be provided

Job summary

Placements24 in Vereeniging, Gauteng, seeks a Lead Drilling Engineer to drive planning, execution, and optimization of drilling campaigns. The role combines office-based strategic development with field visits to support safe, efficient operations and budget adherence.

The ideal candidate brings extensive drilling engineering experience, strong well construction knowledge, and proven leadership to mentor engineers and guide cross-disciplinary teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Petroleum or Mechanical Engineering.
• 9+ years of experience in drilling engineering within Oil & Gas.
• Experience planning and executing complex drilling operations.
• Proficiency with drilling fluids, cementation, well control, directional drilling, and completion equipment.

Responsibilities

• Plan and design drilling programs for exploration and development wells.
• Select appropriate drilling equipment, materials, and services, managing vendor relationships.
• Conduct detailed technical reviews of drilling procedures and well designs.
• Provide on-site technical support and troubleshooting during drilling operations.
• Perform drilling performance analysis, identify areas for improvement, and implement best practices.
• Manage drilling risks and develop mitigation strategies, including well control planning.
• Supervise and mentor junior drilling engineers and technical staff.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant industry standards, regulations, and company policies.
• Prepare detailed drilling cost estimates and monitor expenditures against budget.
• Liaise with geological, reservoir, and production teams to ensure integrated project execution.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Planning & analysis

Communication

Team mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in Petroleum Engineering or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

StressCheck

WellPlan

Drilling simulation

Job description

Placements24 in Vereeniging, Gauteng, seeks a Lead Drilling Engineer to drive planning, execution, and optimization of drilling campaigns. The role combines office-based strategic development with field visits to support safe, efficient operations and budget adherence.

The ideal candidate brings extensive drilling engineering experience, strong well construction knowledge, and proven leadership to mentor engineers and guide cross-disciplinary teams.