How to hire roustabouts, oil and gas
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 • Bolt together pump and engine parts. • Clean trucks used in the fields. • Dismantle and repair oil field machinery, boilers, and steam engine parts, using hand tools and power tools. • Guide cranes to move loads about decks. • Lay gas and oil pipelines. • Move pipes to and from trucks, using truck winches and motorized lifts, or by hand. • Unscrew or tighten pipes, casing, tubing, and pump rods, using hand and power wrenches and tongs. • Walk flow lines to locate leaks, using electronic detectors and by making visual inspections, and repair the leaks. 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: No formal educational credential] • Strong critical thinking and monitoring skills • Working knowledge of mechanical • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $22.58 an hour ($46,960 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for roustabouts, oil and gas
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 bolt together pump and engine parts. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to clean trucks used in the fields. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to dismantle and repair oil field machinery, boilers, and steam engine parts, using hand tools and power tools. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to guide cranes to move loads about decks. 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?
- How do you keep track of your own work quality during a busy shift or week? Give an example of catching a problem early.
- 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 roustabouts, oil and gas do
- Bolt together pump and engine parts.
- Clean trucks used in the fields.
- Dismantle and repair oil field machinery, boilers, and steam engine parts, using hand tools and power tools.
- Guide cranes to move loads about decks.
- Lay gas and oil pipelines.
- Move pipes to and from trucks, using truck winches and motorized lifts, or by hand.
- Unscrew or tighten pipes, casing, tubing, and pump rods, using hand and power wrenches and tongs.
- Walk flow lines to locate leaks, using electronic detectors and by making visual inspections, and repair the leaks.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for roustabouts, oil and gas
- Typical education to start: No formal educational credential (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 1 to 2 years (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +3.6% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 4,100 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay roustabouts, oil and gas
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| North Dakota | $60,480 |
| New Mexico | $50,000 |
| Colorado | $49,050 |
| California | $48,880 |
| Utah | $48,270 |
| Kansas | $46,220 |
| Texas | $45,950 |
| Louisiana | $44,850 |
See roustabouts, oil and gas pay in every state
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Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
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.