Career Center

Every step in the process of finding, producing, and bringing oil and natural gas to market involves people working in a wide variety of tasks. There are many companies -large and small – throughout Pennsylvania looking for workers with a wide diversity of skills and training.

Due to this recent resurgence of the industry, many companies are hiring employees they need to drill, service and operate their wells. There is an immediate need for truck drivers and equipment operators, drillers, geologists, engineers, land professionals and production workers. The oil and natural gas industry is partnering with educational institutions around the Commonwealth to help train for this emerging workforce.

A wide array of skilled workers are crucial to oil & natural gas operations. Workers with high school/vocational education through post-graduate degrees are needed. Below is an overview of many jobs that our industry employs and the training/educational levels needed.

While the development of natural gas from the Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale is in its earliest phase, the demand for a skilled workforce is already expanding rapidly. The growth of the natural gas industry in the area already has created an estimated 88,000 jobs and holds the potential to more than double in the next decade.

Our workers are our number one asset! Find your career here.

Begin your oil and gas career with ShaleNET training. ShaleNET is a $20 million Department of Labor funded, industry-led short term training, certificate, and two year degree program to train people for careers in oil and gas. The program began in Pennsylvania and has grown to Ohio and Texas. Begin or end your training wherever your career takes you! Get started today at www.shaleNET.org.

To print the Careers Fact Sheet – Click here,

JOB TITLE	DESCRIPTION	EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE
Production Operations	The job titles listed below are typical of those in oil and gas production operations. Many of these are outdoor jobs with regular hours. Oil and gas production companies also employ general office staff such as receptionists, managers, bookkeepers and human resources specialists.
Compressor Operator	Maintain and troubleshoots natural gas compressors and associated equipment.	Requires good mechanical skills. May require training in compressor and dehydration equipment.
Draftsman / Cartographer	Support the work of engineers, architects and other professionals by preparing drawings, maps and specifications.	Two-year college degree or higher.
Driver	Operate trucks used to move equipment and supplies, on and off highway in all types of conditions.	Commercial driver’s license required. Specific CDL endorsements may be needed.
Electrician	Install and maintain electric lines and electrical equipment.	Trade school certification or two-year college degree.
Equipment Operator	Operate heavy equipment typically used in production operations, such as bulldozers, backhoes and excavators.	Commercial driver’s license may be required.
Lease Hand	Perform general labor tasks. Must work outdoors in all weather conditions.	At least some high school education.
Mechanic	Maintain and repair automobiles, small and large trucks, and diesel equipment	Previous experience or trade school certification.
Petroleum Engineer	Analyze production for problems and make recommendations for remediation or workovers. Decline curve analysis experience using Aries or similar software is helpful.	Four-year college degree or higher.
Production Foreman	Oversee pumpers and other field personnel.	High school diploma.
Pumper / Well Tender	Look after oil and gas wells, monitoring the progress of the well and ensuring all equipment is functioning properly. Maintain tank batteries, performing tests and general maintenance duties. A valid driver’s license, basic math and analytical skills, and a willingness to work outdoors in all weather conditions are needed.	At least some high school education.
Drilling Operations	The job titles listed below are typical of those in oil and gas drilling operations. These are physically demanding outdoor jobs with plenty of opportunity for overtime. Drilling rigs operate around the clock in all types of weather conditions. Drilling companies also employ general office staff such as receptionists, managers, bookkeepers and human resources specialists.
Derrick Hand	Handle sections of pipe from a platform on the rig derrick during drilling; operate and maintain drilling mud systems and pumps; record mud flows and volumes and take samples; operate and maintain drilling rig diesel motors, transmissions and other mechanical equipment; assist in setting up, taking down and transporting rigs; supervise floor hands and laborers.	High school diploma.
Driller	Supervise and organize the well drilling crew; operate drilling rig controls and monitor drilling operations.	High school diploma and possibly some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate or bachelor’s degree could be needed. Drillers need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees.
Floor Hand / Roughneck / Rig Hand	Operate well drilling and service rigs. Assist with the connection and disconnection of pipes used in drilling and perform general maintenance tasks around the rig.	At least some high school education is required.
Mechanic	Maintain and repair equipment, much of it diesel-powered.	Previous experience or trade school certification.
Roustabout	Pipe fitting and all-around mechanical skills are needed.	High school diploma.
Truck Driver	Operate trucks used to move equipment and supplies, on and off highway in all types of conditions.	Commercial driver’s license required. Specific CDL endorsements may be needed.
Welder	Perform a wide variety of welding tasks, outdoors and in the shop, including stick, MIG and TIG welding.	High school diploma and welding school certification.
Exploration	The job titles listed below are typical of those for professionals involved in supporting oil and gas production companies in exploring for oil and gas. Many of these positions offer a mix of indoor and outdoor tasks.
Field Engineer	Supervise all aspects of drilling, completion and workover operations.	Two- or four-year college degree or five-plus years experience in field operations.
Geo Tech	Collect and analyze geological data for petroleum exploration, often working in teams with geologists to determine where underground deposits of oil and gas may be.	Two- or four-year college degree.
Geochemist	Study the liquid, gas and mineral deposits contained in rocks. Their analysis provides valuable information about the rock formations encountered while drilling for petroleum.	Four-year college degree or higher.
Geologist	Survey and interpret an area’s geological rock structure; assess the prospects of producing oil and gas in that area.	Four-year college degree or higher. An advanced degree is needed for many research positions. Graduates with physics, chemistry, mathematics or computer science degrees may qualify for some positions if they also studied geology.
Geophysicist	Study the Earth using gravity, magnetic, electrical and seismic methods to determine likely location of oil and gas reservoirs.	Four-year college degree or better in geology.
Seismologist	Map subsurface structures to determine likely location of oil and gas reservoirs.	Four-year college degree or better in seismology, with an emphasis on petroleum.
Environmental	The job titles listed below are typical of those for professionals involved in supporting oil and gas production companies as they make preparations to drill for oil and gas in an environmentally responsible manner. Many of these positions offer a mix of indoor and outdoor tasks.
Environmental Technician	Develop and implement Environmental and Erosion Sedimentation Plans, have a full understanding of environmental law and regulations and their application to the oil and gas industry. Develop and implement Spill Prevention Contingency Control Plans (SPCC). Complete water testing analysis.	Minimum two-year degree in environmental technology or related field.
Chemical Technician	Perform laboratory tests and tasks on soil and water samples.	At least a two-year diploma in chemical technology or a related program.
Soil Scientist	Conduct soil surveys; recommend soil management programs; help design hydrologic plans; manage soils for landscape design, mine reclamation and site restoration. Must have a strong background in the physical and biological sciences and mathematics.	Four-year degree in environmental soil science.
Construction	Oil and gas production companies use excavation contractors and timber cutters to clear land and build roads, well sites, tank batteries, compressor stations, pipelines and power lines.
Service Companies	The job titles listed below are typical of those for companies that work in conjunction with drilling contractors and oil and gas companies as new wells are drilled and brought into production. Most of these are outdoor jobs that offer plenty of opportunity for overtime. Service companies also employ general office staff such as receptionists, managers, bookkeepers and human resources specialists.
Cement / Frac Crew	Assemble and operate hydraulic pumping systems to pump chemicals, gases, sand, cement or other material into well.	At least some high school education.
Electronics Technician	Identify electronics, measurement and control needs; maintain, repair, calibrate and evaluate field measurement and control equipment.	Minimum two-year technical degree or equivalent experience.
Mud Logger / Hydrocarbon Data Analyst	Collect, analyze and record the solids, fluids, and gasses brought to the surface by the drilling fluid (mud).	High school education or better, with a strong background in chemistry, science and math.
Sales Representative	Conduct sales calls, respond to customer requests and resolve any customer complaints; schedule cement and frac jobs; prepare bids.	Five to 10 years experience preferred in gas/oil well service industry.
Service Rig Operator	Set up and control truck-mounted drilling and hoisting equipment used in the servicing of oil or natural gas wells.	High school diploma.
Truck Driver	Operate trucks used to move equipment and supplies, on and off highway in all types of conditions.	Commercial driver’s license required. Specific CDL endorsements may be needed.
Wireline Operator	Perform various services on oil and gas well drilling and service rigs, including lowering specialized equipment into wells so that wireline crews can use measurement instruments to gather information about the formations down the well, retrieve broken pieces of equipment from the well and perforate wells that are going into production.	High school education or better, with a strong background in chemistry, science and math.
Land & Legal	The job titles listed below are typical of those for companies and individuals who work in conjunction with oil and gas companies to acquire property, mark boundaries, etc., for drilling projects. These careers offer a mix of office and field work.
Abstractor / Title Examiner	Search public records and examine titles to determine a property title’s legal condition.	High school diploma or two-year degree. Requires courthouse knowledge; ability to work through legal documents and titles to create an ownership chain; background in real estate law helpful.
Lease Agent / Land Agent / Landman	Work on behalf of the oil and gas company to acquire land for operations through leases, purchases, and access/usage agreements; coordinate with the survey company, the oil and company, and the land owners.	High school diploma or two-year degree. Requires good people skills, ability to negotiate; legal understanding of mineral ownership; title and abstract knowledge and experience; basic familiarity with exploration and production operations along with basic understanding of geology.
Surveyor	Determine property boundaries; lay out oil and gas projects; create maps.	Surveyors are not required to have a college education, but state licensing requirements make it preferable to earn one. Vocational training in civil engineering, mathematics, physics, statistics, geometry, drafting, blueprint reading and computer science are helpful.
Surveyor’s Assistant	Assist surveyor in determining property boundaries and laying out projects.	High school education or better, with a strong background in physics, science and math.
Refining	Refineries offer a wide variety of career opportunities in an industrial setting: general laborers, production-line workers, electricians, pipe fitters, truck divers, equipment operators, mechanics and maintenance specialists, office personnel, and professionals with training in fields such as marketing and petrochemical engineering.
Natural Gas Sales	The job titles listed below are typical of those individuals who are involved in selling natural gas and arranging for gas to be transported through pipelines to buyers. Some gas production companies employ their own marketing staff, while others contract with marketing companies to perform this service.
Market Research Analyst	Study market and devise best methods of marketing natural gas.	Four-year degree or better in marketing or economics.
Natural Gas Marketer	Coordinate and conduct sales of natural gas between various entities including producers, resellers, pipelines and end users.	Four-year degree or better, with strong background in finance, risk management and marketing.
Trader	Buy and sell natural gas futures contracts.	Four-year degree or better, with strong background in finance, risk management and marketing.

Production Operation

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Compressor Operator

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