Petroleum Engineer

Duties

These positions are located within the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), Gulf of Mexico Region (GOMR), District Field Office/Houma District, Well Operations Section, duty stationed in Houma, LA.

The incumbent serves as an entry level engineer performing developmental assignments involving engineering and operational analyses of oil and gas operations in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) and inspection and audit activities involving offshore production operations.

The primary purpose of this position (at the full performance level GS-12) is to perform engineering and operational analysis of complex, advanced, state-of-the-art oil, gas operations in the GOM and serve as a lead/staff engineer over inspection and audit activities involving offshore production operations.

At the full performance level (GS-12) the major duties of this position include but are not limited to the following:

1. Review oil, gas, and Sulphur operations' applications for permit to drill (APDs), applications for Permit to Modify (APMs), End of Operations Reports (EORs) and Well Activities Reports (WARs), etc. for correctness and compliance.
2. Conduct engineering analysis of drilling, and workover equipment and operations on the Outer Continental Shelf and prepares engineering reports. Reviews and analyzes inspection reports prepared by others to compile statistics and trends of inspection results to identify areas for closer study.
3. Collaborate with supervisor to plan and schedule inspections of the full range of offshore facilities, including those with a record of safety violations or with new, modified, and advanced facilities, systems or components with no inspection precedents. Works with other district engineers to develop strategies for inspections.
4. Conduct inspections as a team leader involving the full range of operations such as drilling, workover/completion, plugging and abandonment, environmental quality, hydrogen sulfide operations and activities on the OCS.
5. Conduct or lead investigations of accidents involving offshore facilities or operations, including major, unusual, or unprecedented in nature involving fires or explosions or severe disasters involving violations of law.
6. Conduct reviews of Incidents of Non-Compliance (INCs) for the purpose of recommending compliance reviews for possible civil penalties. Initiate compliance reviews and drafts reports.
7. Resolve and complete inspections involving issues referred by lower-level inspectors or engineers for which findings and decisions may serve as technical references or precedents and become the basis for regional and/or headquarters procedural or regulatory changes. Testifies at judicial hearings involving criminal penalties and sanctions.

Note: When filled at the GS-05, 07 or 09 level, the incumbent will perform the duties of the position under closer supervision than that described in the GS-12 position. The incumbent will be expected to gradually assume more complex duties and to work with greater independence until the level of performance described above is achieved.

This position is included in a bargaining unit. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), Local 3457, is the exclusive representative of all employees in this bargaining unit.

Salary Range Information (per annum):
GS-05: $45,735 - $59,453
GS-07: $56,654 - $73,652
GS-09: $69,298 - $90,087
First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level.

This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available.

This vacancy is also announced as BSEE-EENN-24-FS-257(MP) for those applicants who wish to apply and be considered under Merit Promotion procedures.