Director of Drilling

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Take charge of well delivery, ensuring safety, well integrity, work control, budget management, and scheduling from the initial wells through scalable, repeatable drilling operations.

• Oversee the construction of large-diameter boreholes and validate innovative drilling techniques, such as air/percussion hammer drilling in hard rock and reverse-flood/reverse circulation methods.

• Spearhead drilling contributions to unique well permitting and regulatory submissions.

• Develop and expand the drilling organization by recruiting and managing engineering and field teams for a multi-well, multi-rig initiative.

• Create drilling and safety management systems, standards, and procedures tailored for a high-consequence, regulated setting.

• Generate drilling programs, design basis, procedures, and well control philosophies for large-diameter operations.

• Manage the drilling budget while ensuring accountability in procurement, contractors, costs, scope, and schedule.

• Collaborate with engineering, licensing, and regulatory teams on well permitting and unique submissions.

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Petroleum, Mechanical, or a related Engineering discipline.

• Over 15 years of progressively responsible onshore drilling experience, including direct oversight of multi-well or multi-rig programs.

• Proven experience in establishing drilling organizations, engineering teams, management systems, and safety protocols from the ground up.

• Direct responsibility for delivering wells in a safe and economical manner.

• Proficient in well design, casing, mud and cement programs, well control, and cost management.

• Strong judgment in applying rigorous, risk-based engineering, quality, and HSE controls in high-consequence operations.

• Current IADC or IWCF well control certification.

• Established HSE leadership record in drilling operations.

• Capability to lead effectively within a distributed organization.

• Must be a U.S. person eligible to comply with DOE Export Control requirements under 10 CFR 810.

• Ability to work independently in a remote-first, cross-functional setting with senior stakeholders.

• Willingness to travel domestically for offsites, training, and site visits, with anticipated travel of up to 20%.

• Advanced engineering degree is preferred.

• Experience in large-diameter and hard-rock drilling is preferred.

• Familiarity with reverse-flood/reverse circulation and air/percussion hammer drilling methods is preferred.

• Experience in scaling a drilling program from single-rig to multi-rig operations is preferred.

• Background in commercial or private sectors, ideally within a high-growth or newly public company.

🏝️ Benefits

• Equal opportunity employer dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.

• Remote-first work environment.

• Up to 20% domestic travel for team offsites, training sessions, and site visits.