How to hire wellhead pumpers
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 • Gauge oil and gas production. • Monitor control panels during pumping operations to ensure that materials are being pumped at the correct pressure, density, rate, and concentration. • Monitor pumps and flow lines for gas and fluid leaks. • Operate engines and pumps to shut off wells according to production schedules, and to switch flow of oil into storage tanks. • Perform routine maintenance on vehicles and equipment. • Repair gas and oil meters and gauges. • Start compressor engines and divert oil from storage tanks into compressor units and auxiliary equipment to recover natural gas from oil. 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: High school diploma or equivalent] • Strong critical thinking, monitoring and speaking 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 $33.63 an hour ($69,960 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for wellhead pumpers
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 gauge oil and gas production. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to monitor control panels during pumping operations to ensure that materials are being pumped at the correct pressure, density, rate, and concentration. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to monitor pumps and flow lines for gas and fluid leaks. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to operate engines and pumps to shut off wells according to production schedules, and to switch flow of oil into storage tanks. 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.
- Explain something technical from your last job as you would to a new coworker.
- 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 wellhead pumpers do
- Gauge oil and gas production.
- Monitor control panels during pumping operations to ensure that materials are being pumped at the correct pressure, density, rate, and concentration.
- Monitor pumps and flow lines for gas and fluid leaks.
- Operate engines and pumps to shut off wells according to production schedules, and to switch flow of oil into storage tanks.
- Perform routine maintenance on vehicles and equipment.
- Repair gas and oil meters and gauges.
- Start compressor engines and divert oil from storage tanks into compressor units and auxiliary equipment to recover natural gas from oil.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for wellhead pumpers
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 1 to 2 years (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: -2% over ten years, declining · about 1,700 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay wellhead pumpers
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| North Dakota | $79,820 |
| New Mexico | $78,010 |
| Texas | $75,860 |
| Kansas | $62,400 |
| Oklahoma | $61,380 |
See wellhead pumpers pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
- Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
- Gas Plant Operators
- Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
- Roustabouts, Oil and Gas
- Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
- Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas
- Power Plant Operators
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other
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.