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How to hire a reservoir engineer

Reservoir engineer hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring reservoir engineers in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a reservoir engineer is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new reservoir engineer to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a reservoir engineer, step by step

To hire a reservoir engineer, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a reservoir engineer:

Here's a step-by-step reservoir engineer hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a reservoir engineer job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new reservoir engineer
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a reservoir engineer do?

A reservoir engineer is responsible for evaluating the amount of fluid mechanics in underground reservoirs. Reservoir engineers should have excellent analytical and geological knowledge to determine the location of fuels using advanced technology systems and applications. They also verify the cost of oil and natural gas by analyzing market trends and consumer demands, especially for investment and drilling ventures purposes. A reservoir engineer should have excellent communication skills to write reports and strategize efficiency on drilling processes.

Learn more about the specifics of what a reservoir engineer does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the reservoir engineer you need to hire. Certain reservoir engineer roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A reservoir engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, reservoir engineers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    This list presents reservoir engineer salaries for various positions.

    Type of Reservoir EngineerDescriptionHourly rate
    Reservoir EngineerPetroleum engineers design and develop methods for extracting oil and gas from deposits below the Earth’s surface. Petroleum engineers also find new ways to extract oil and gas from older wells.$43-81
    Gas AnalystA gas analyst is faced with different responsibilities in the workplace. They are required to manage internal physical transactions with the gas management system... Show more$24-48
    Drilling Fluids EngineerTogether with a drilling rig engineer, a drilling fluids engineer helps with the pumping of fluids, testing liquids for unwanted particles. They also are involved in mixing fluids needed to drill oil or gas... Show more$25-74
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Spotfire
    • Material Balances
    • Economic Analysis
    • Production Data
    • EOR
    • PVT
    • Calculation
    • Production Performance
    • CAPEX
    • OpEx
    • CO2
    • Field Development
    • Eclipse
    • Decline Curve Analysis
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Trial managed pressure drilling (MPD) to mitigate tight pressure margins.
    • Develop and manage a Spotfire production dashboard for cross-divisional consumption and reporting.
    • Monitor reservoir performance of a CO2 and hydrocarbon miscible flood projects.
    • Optimize schemes, development plans, and EOR technologies; analyze overall performance and economic evaluations.
    • Support reserve booking, quarterly reserve migration forecasting and asset Opex modeling.
    • Drill 12-1/4"hole, with MPD as a contingency.
    More reservoir engineer duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in the reservoir engineer job description is a good way to get more applicants. A reservoir engineer salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

    For example, the average salary for a reservoir engineer in Pennsylvania may be lower than in Nevada, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level reservoir engineer. Additionally, a reservoir engineer with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

    Average reservoir engineer salary

    $124,309yearly

    $59.76 hourly rate

    Entry-level reservoir engineer salary
    $90,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 23, 2025

    Average reservoir engineer salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Nevada$163,168$78
    2Florida$156,766$75
    3Texas$134,011$64
    4California$133,118$64
    5New Mexico$132,364$64
    6Oklahoma$128,750$62
    7Alaska$123,223$59
    8Louisiana$123,151$59
    9Colorado$121,875$59
    10Illinois$110,179$53
    11Ohio$95,617$46
    12Pennsylvania$89,615$43
    13North Dakota$82,285$40

    Average reservoir engineer salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Range Resources$181,655$87.33
    2Berry Petroleum Company$181,096$87.07
    3Devon Energy$171,438$82.422
    4Cobalt International Energy$167,345$80.45
    5Whiting Petroleum$165,740$79.68
    6California Resources$165,720$79.67
    7Coterra Energy$165,421$79.531
    8Venari Resources$162,431$78.09
    9Continental Resources$160,948$77.382
    10Hunt Oil$160,050$76.95
    11Shell Trading$157,728$75.83
    12Denbury Resources$156,952$75.46
    13Eni$155,799$74.90
    14Nexen$154,492$74.28
    15Unit$154,432$74.25
    16Sanchez Oil & Gas$148,615$71.45
    17Ovintiv$148,583$71.43
    18Sentinel Peak Resources$148,015$71.16
    19Spark Energy$147,852$71.08
    20Aera Energy$147,583$70.95
  4. Writing a reservoir engineer job description

    A good reservoir engineer job description should include a few things:

    • Summary of the role
    • List of responsibilities
    • Required skills and experience

    Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a reservoir engineer job description:

    Reservoir engineer job description example

    • Minimum of BS in Engineering.
    • Minimum of 10 years of reservoir engineering experience, with technical proficiency in all areas of reservoir engineering and an emphasis on thermal recovery.
    • Early career experience in field operations with exposure to production and drilling activities at a major oil company.
    • Must have a working knowledge of commercial oil and gas economics software. SPR uses ARIES. Training will be provided if needed.
    • Working knowledge of field surveillance/management software extremely beneficial. SPR uses OFM. Training will be provided if needed.
    • Must be proficient in use of a PC and Microsoft Office.
    • Must have good presentation, communication and technical writing skills.
    • Must be flexible and adaptable to changing priorities and meet established deadlines.
    • Must be a self-starter interested in working in a team-oriented environment that delivers high-quality, comprehensive, well-planned work products.

    PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

    Visual and manual dexterity are extremely important for this position as is mobility to walk

    safely in oilfields, along proposed improvement corridors, to view potentially impacted areas,

    and overall safely traverse irregular terrain. Visual acuity to safely drive at night and in a variety

    of weather conditions is required.

    The job presents work hazards that are customary in upstream oil & gas production sites.

    Incumbent will be subject to performing sedentary to light work, exerting up to 25 pounds of

    force occasionally, or constantly lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, reach overhead

    for items, stoop, bend, and twist while working. Other physical activities include ability to

    utilize fingers to feel and grasp objects or work devices as needed and manual dexterity in the

    use of the hands, seeing, talking, hearing, performing repetitive motions and standing for long

    periods of time. Incumbent must be able to drive a vehicle, usually a car or light truck, and get

    into and out of the vehicle on a regular basis. Requirements include walking on uneven ground

    and over or around obstacles or structures such as pipes or low rails and walls, and up and down

    stairs on a regular basis.


    DISCLAIMER:

    The position description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work

    performed by employees within this classification. The essential duties, responsibilities and

    physical requirements above describe those functions that are essential to the performance of this

    job. The above description does not include all of the duties and responsibilities assigned to this

    position. Employees holding this position will be required to perform any other job-related

    duties as requested by management.

    An Equal Opportunity Employer: race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship status, sex,

    sexual orientation, gender identity, age, genetic information, disability, Veteran status or any

    other characteristics protected by federal, state, or local law


    PM22



    PI192945707

  5. Post your job

    There are various strategies that you can use to find the right reservoir engineer for your business:

    • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your reservoir engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit reservoir engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Your first interview with reservoir engineer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new reservoir engineer

    Once you've decided on a perfect reservoir engineer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

    It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    To prepare for the new reservoir engineer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
    Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire a reservoir engineer?

There are different types of costs for hiring reservoir engineers. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new reservoir engineer employee.

You can expect to pay around $124,309 per year for a reservoir engineer, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for reservoir engineers in the US typically range between $43 and $81 an hour.

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