What is a field engineer? Field engineers are job-site leaders, responsible for designing, executing and evaluating wellsite operations. They represent our company, interacting with customers and delivering front-line technical services and solutions across our drilling, evaluation, completion, and production technologies. These are hands-on roles, often outdoors and in demanding or harsh conditions – offshore on a North Sea oil rig or in the desert in west Africa – so you will need to learn a range of tasks.
Read more below or download our field engineer brochure.
What you need Our field engineers deliver front-line technical services and solutions across our drilling, evaluation, completion, and production technologies. These are hands-on roles, often outdoors and in demanding or harsh conditions – offshore on a North Sea oil rig or in the desert in west Africa – so you need to learn a range of tasks. Ultimately, you will be responsible for designing, executing and evaluating wellsite operations.
For field engineer roles, we are typically seeking people who:
have completed a four-year technical degree or Master's within the past 24 months in:
are fluent in English (Level 5 on a global English test)
have at least three of the following
have the legal right to work in the country in which you apply
We’re looking for people who are motivated and persistent, as well as resilient and adaptable. You will also need to show creative problem-solving and strong communication and interpersonal skills.
Depending on your geographic location, there may be certain specific employment requirements, which will be explained during the application process.
Role You will represent our company so you need a combination of application knowledge, operational know-how, and experience, enabling you to deliver service and maintain our reputation as a leading global oilfield services company. Your role in the training phase will depend on your location, but, wherever you are based, you will undergo the LEAD training program and quickly become competent with our technologies and processes.
LEAD, which includes theoretical and hands-on learning, is flexible and adaptable to different job requirements and work environments. There are development programs in a range of disciplines, including
Developmental activities initially will focus on acquiring basic knowledge while working under supervision within one product line and will progress to working unsupervised with a broadening scope of knowledge and skills.
International assignments Every year, a proportion of our field engineer recruits have the opportunity to undertake international assignments. Under this scheme, following an initial few months of orientation and training in your home territory, you could find yourself on assignment outside the region in which you were hired. Assignments usually last 18-24 months, so you will complete the LEAD program before you return to your home region. Exposure to different cultures, working environments and technologies means you will bring valuable knowledge, best practice and broader business awareness back to your home location.
Read about the experiences of current and past LEAD Program participants.
Learning and development The LEAD program includes formal, structured training, but much of your learning will be field-focused. As you progress through the program, you will participate in several assessments and reviews to ensure that you have met all the requirements to move to the next step.
Our Engineering Development Program (EDP) is an important component of LEAD. EDP courses are designed to help you gain the experience and knowledge you need to become an effective leader.
EDP comprises three distinct courses. Graduate recruits typically will attend EDP1 within a few months of starting at Baker Hughes. This two-week course offers information about our company and an understanding of the oil and gas industry. There's a team project that involves work during the evenings and weekend. Among many other things, you’ll learn about oil and gas industry economics, petroleum geology, exploration, drilling and completions and production.
Later in your training, you'll attend EDP2 and EDP3. These are five-day courses intended to help you develop leadership and management skills. Through these events, you'll also get to know your colleagues in different product line areas and build your own network of expert contacts.
Throughout the training period, you must complete the sequence of courses, structured on-job tasks, and activities designed to develop competency. From the initial understanding of the basic technology to the advanced knowledge and skill required to deliver effective services to our customers, the learning opportunities keep pace with the rapid increase in job responsibilities. The tight integration between learning and on-job activities supports a learning-by-doing approach that matches the complexity of our services and the diverse environments where we work.
Monitoring progress Your manager will monitor your progress to ensure the timely completion of the program, which will lead you to advance to what we call a ‘field engineer general’ level within 36 months. A field career development manager will help you to create your own personal development plan and schedule you in the necessary courses, as well as helping your managers to plan and facilitate your assessment reviews.
Mentoring In addition, you'll be assigned a mentor, who will work closely with you, your managers, and training personnel to ensure you have a comprehensive, learning experience. Your mentor will support and direct you through the program curriculum, assist you in preparing for yearly assessments and final qualification and, ultimately, enable you to become a mentor yourself to less experienced engineers.
Download our Field Engineer graduate brochure
Prospects Field engineers deliver services and information to help our clients locate, evaluate, and produce oil and gas reservoirs more efficiently. There is no doubt that the job is demanding, mentally and physically, especially in the early part of your career when it is field-focused.
In the longer term, once you have achieved the levels of competence we expect, we can offer you the opportunity to progress into a variety of leadership roles. You may elect to stay and build your career in the field or you can choose to work in operations management or move into product development, sales, or another business support position.
Shortly after completing your fixed-step training requirements, you'll be invited to participate in a formal career development discussion with regional management and human resources personnel. This discussion will help to guide you in achieving your personal career goals.