Salary: Depends on Qualifications
Location : Baton Rouge, LA
Job Type: Classified
Job Number:Department: DCE-Conservation and Energy
Division: Office of Permitting and Compliance
Opening Date: 07/16/2026
Closing Date: 7/30/2026 11:59 PM Central
The Petroleum Scientist 1, 2, or 3 performs highly responsible engineering work of an administrative and technical nature pursuant to the Louisiana UIC program and certain additional E&P and industrial waste disposal activities. The incumbent will also perform complex technical investigative and enforcement work on a statewide basis for the Engineering Division. The primary objective of this incumbents duties is to ensure waste disposal practices regulated by the Division do not result in the introduction of contaminants into surface waters, subsurface geologic strata containing underground sources of drinking water, or endanger mineral resources of the state.
Minimum Qualifications
A bachelor's degree in a geoscience field or engineering.
Job Specification
The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.
Job Duties and Other Information
This Petroleum Scientist 1, 2, or 3 position is located within the Engineering Division of the Office Permitting & Compliance and is domiciled in Baton Rouge, LA. The incumbent in this position reports to the Petroleum Scientist Supervisor. All work is performed in accordance with departmental policies, procedures, rules, and regulations. This position requires inter-parish travel. The incumbent can expect to travel approximately 5% of the time.
Duties include, but are not limited to the following:
- Reviews permit applications submitted to the division for conformance with state regulations, including those for drilling, converting, and working-over injection wells.
- Reviews applications requesting authority to permanently plus and abandon injection wells to ensure that the procedure used in the plugging operations will conform to the state and federal protection criteria.
- Conducts technical review of applications to encapsulate contaminated waste in wells slated for abandonment.
- Performs technical reviews of active injection wells to ensure that the method of well construction adequately provides for isolation of the USDW from the injection zone.
- Conducts investigation concerning the design, construction, maintenance, and operation of wells at existing facilities.
- Inspects and monitors by-product operations, including hazardous waste injections wells, solution mining of salt, hydrocarbon storage in solution-mined salt caverns, etc.
- Performs the review and interpretation of pressure transient tests, radioactive tracer surveys, well logs, in-situ reservoir stress tests, and any other test data required in the permitting process.
- Maintains files on waste disposal wells, salt dome cavern operations, carbon sequestration operations, and site operations.
- Performs technical review of applications for permits to dispose of drilling and/or workover waste down the annuli of production wells pursuant to LAC 43:XIX.315.
- Provides training of coworkers in any tasks presented herein or otherwise requested by a supervisor.
- May perform other duties as assigned.
POSITION-SPECIFIC DETAILS:
Appointment Type: Probational
Career Progression: This position may be filled at the level of Petroleum Scientist 1, 2, or 3.
Work Schedule: Work hours are flexible.
Compensation: The salary offered will be determined based on qualifications and experience. This position is eligible for premium pay of up to $2.00 per hour for licensed employees. A Special Entrance Rate (SER) is offered to qualified applicants.
ENGINEERING DEGREE (NON-PETROLEUM)/GEOLOGY or GEOSCIENCE DEGREE
Title/Level
Petroleum Scientist 1
Petroleum Scientist 2
Petroleum Scientist 3
Pay Level
SER Hourly Range
$27.65 - $43.28
$30.55 - $49.55
$33.76 - $56.73
SER Monthly Range
$4,792.67 - $7,502
$5,295.33 - $8,589
$5,851.73 - $9,833
SER Annual Range
$57,512 - $90,022
$63,544 - $103,064
$70,220.80 - $117,988
PETROLEUM ENGINEERING DEGREE
SER Hourly Range
$28.85 - $43.28
$33.03 - $49.55
$37.82 - $56.73
SER Monthly Range
$5,000.67 - $7,502
$5,725.20 - $8,589
$6,555.47 - $9,833
SER Annual Range
$60,008 - $90,022
$68,702.40 - $103,064
$78,665.60 - $117,998
How To Apply:
No Civil Service test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy.
To apply for this vacancy, click on the "Apply" link above and complete an electronic application, which can be used for this vacancy as well as future job opportunities. Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the Information section of the Current Job Opportunities page.
* Information to support your eligibility for the position must be included in the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education). Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.
For further information about this vacancy, contact:
Human Resources
Department of Conservation and Energy
PO Box 94396
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9396
01
Provide the level of degree, major as given on your official transcript, school name, and date earned for each degree you have completed. Example: (Bachelor's in biology at Louisiana State University, May 2012)If you have not completed a degree, enter N/A.
Required Question 
