How to hire service unit operators, 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 • Confer with others to gather information regarding pipe or tool sizes or borehole conditions in wells. • Drive truck-mounted units to well sites. • Install pressure-control devices onto wellheads. • Listen to engines, rotary chains, or other equipment to detect faulty operations or unusual well conditions. • Maintain and perform safety inspections on equipment and tools. • Operate controls that raise derricks or level rigs. • Operate pumps that circulate water, oil, or other fluids through wells to remove sand or other materials obstructing the free flow of oil. • Prepare reports of services rendered, tools used, or time required, for billing purposes. 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, monitoring, active listening, active learning, reading comprehension and speaking skills • Working knowledge of mechanical, mathematics and customer and personal service • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $27.96 an hour ($58,160 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for service unit operators, 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 confer with others to gather information regarding pipe or tool sizes or borehole conditions in wells. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to drive truck-mounted units to well sites. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to install pressure-control devices onto wellheads. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to listen to engines, rotary chains, or other equipment to detect faulty operations or unusual well conditions. 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.
- 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 service unit operators, oil and gas do
- Confer with others to gather information regarding pipe or tool sizes or borehole conditions in wells.
- Drive truck-mounted units to well sites.
- Install pressure-control devices onto wellheads.
- Listen to engines, rotary chains, or other equipment to detect faulty operations or unusual well conditions.
- Maintain and perform safety inspections on equipment and tools.
- Operate controls that raise derricks or level rigs.
- Operate pumps that circulate water, oil, or other fluids through wells to remove sand or other materials obstructing the free flow of oil.
- Prepare reports of services rendered, tools used, or time required, for billing purposes.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for service unit operators, oil and gas
- Typical education to start: No formal educational credential (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 6 months to 1 year (O*NET)
- Experience usually needed to start: Less than 5 years (BLS)
- Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +1.1% over ten years, little or no change · about 3,800 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay service unit operators, oil and gas
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $106,480 |
| New Mexico | $64,990 |
| California | $62,580 |
| Wyoming | $62,560 |
| Ohio | $61,260 |
| West Virginia | $56,250 |
| Pennsylvania | $54,780 |
| Texas | $49,820 |
See service unit operators, oil and gas pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
- Roustabouts, Oil and Gas
- Wellhead Pumpers
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
- Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
- Helpers--Extraction Workers
- Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
- Gas Plant Operators
- Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
- Power Plant Operators
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.