Remote Lead Drilling Engineer – Global Operations

Placements24; Cape Town; Hybrid; ZAR 1,800,000 - 3,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Provident fund

Annual performance bonuses

Professional development support

Job summary

Placements24 client, a global leader in Oil & Gas exploration and production, seeks a Lead Drilling Engineer to spearhead a remote operations team across international projects. You will design, plan, and supervise complex drilling campaigns from a remote location, ensuring safety, efficiency, and cost control.

The role demands 10+ years in drilling engineering with deepwater/onshore expertise, strong leadership, and the ability to manage multiple priorities globally.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Petroleum or Mechanical Engineering.
• 10+ years in drilling engineering with leadership experience.
• Deepwater and complex onshore drilling expertise.
• Experience managing remote drilling projects and teams.
• Knowledge of drilling fluids, cement design, well control, and HSE.
• Familiar with drilling simulation and real-time data analysis tools.
• Strong cost control and economic decision-making skills.
• Able to work independently with multiple priorities.

Responsibilities

• Oversee planning, design, and execution of complex drilling operations globally from a remote location.
• Develop drilling programs including wellbore trajectory, casing design, cementing, and fluid programs.
• Manage drilling risks with hazard identification, mitigation strategies, and contingency planning.
• Ensure compliance with health, safety, environmental, and regulatory standards.
• Lead and mentor a remote team of drilling engineers, fostering collaboration and high performance.
• Monitor drilling performance, analyze data, and implement best practices to reduce costs.
• Manage relationships with service providers and vendors for optimal service delivery.
• Conduct post-well reviews and identify lessons learned to improve operations.
• Champion adoption of new drilling technologies within the remote framework.

Skills

Leadership

Remote leadership

Drilling engineering

Well design

Risk management

Cost optimization

Data analysis

HSE knowledge

Education

Bachelor's in Petroleum or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Drilling simulators

Real-time data analysis

Cement design software

Job description

Placements24 client, a global leader in Oil & Gas exploration and production, seeks a Lead Drilling Engineer to spearhead a remote operations team across international projects. You will design, plan, and supervise complex drilling campaigns from a remote location, ensuring safety, efficiency, and cost control.

The role demands 10+ years in drilling engineering with deepwater/onshore expertise, strong leadership, and the ability to manage multiple priorities globally.