How to hire petroleum engineers
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Analyze data to recommend placement of wells and supplementary processes to enhance production. • Assess costs and estimate the production capabilities and economic value of oil and gas wells, to evaluate the economic viability of potential drilling sites. • Assist engineering and other personnel to solve operating problems. • Develop plans for oil and gas field drilling, and for product recovery and treatment. • Direct and monitor the completion and evaluation of wells, well testing, or well surveys. • Maintain records of drilling and production operations. • Monitor production rates, and plan rework processes to improve production. • Specify and supervise well modification and stimulation programs to maximize oil and gas recovery. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Bachelor's degree] • Strong critical thinking, reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, writing and active learning skills • Working knowledge of engineering and technology, mathematics, physics and computers and electronics • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $69.67 an hour ($144,910 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for petroleum engineers
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to analyze data to recommend placement of wells and supplementary processes to enhance production. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to assess costs and estimate the production capabilities and economic value of oil and gas wells, to evaluate the economic viability of potential drilling sites. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to assist engineering and other personnel to solve operating problems. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to develop plans for oil and gas field drilling, and for product recovery and treatment. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What petroleum engineers do
- Analyze data to recommend placement of wells and supplementary processes to enhance production.
- Assess costs and estimate the production capabilities and economic value of oil and gas wells, to evaluate the economic viability of potential drilling sites.
- Assist engineering and other personnel to solve operating problems.
- Develop plans for oil and gas field drilling, and for product recovery and treatment.
- Direct and monitor the completion and evaluation of wells, well testing, or well surveys.
- Maintain records of drilling and production operations.
- Monitor production rates, and plan rework processes to improve production.
- Specify and supervise well modification and stimulation programs to maximize oil and gas recovery.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for petroleum engineers
- Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 4 to 6 years (O*NET)
- Job outlook: +2% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 1,000 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay petroleum engineers
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Colorado | $172,190 |
| Texas | $164,860 |
| Oklahoma | $153,020 |
| California | $143,590 |
| Louisiana | $139,640 |
See petroleum engineers pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Aerospace Engineers
- Agricultural Engineers
- Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers
- Chemical Engineers
- Civil Engineers
- Computer Hardware Engineers
- Electrical Engineers
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer
- Environmental Engineers
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors
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Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.