Petroleum Scientist 1, 2, OR 3 (Enforcement-Inspections)

Posting number: DCE-OENF-2026-228097-ANH

Department: DCE-Conservation and Energy

Division: Office of Enforcement

Job classification: PETROLEUM SCIENTIST 1

Posting type: Open

Categories: Natural Resources

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Office ofEnforcement –Inspections

The Office of Enforcement (OENF) is dedicated to ensuring regulatory compliance and protecting public and environmental interests through rigorous inspection programs, timely enforcement actions and transparent oversight. The Office emphasizes proactive monitoring, consistent regulatory enforcement and transparent reporting. Its operations are designed to uphold compliance standards, swiftly address violations and maintain trust and accountability within Louisiana’s regulated community.

This position will be hired as a field-based position with occasional home computer entries and primarily work out of the employee’s home residence. The Petroleum Scientist 1, 2, or 3 performs very complex technical investigative and enforcement work on a statewide basis for the Louisiana Department of Conservation & Energy/Office of Enforcement/Inspection Division/Injection & Mining section. Work involves performing highly technical announced and unannounced inspections and investigations of all injection wells in Louisiana.

This position requires almost daily travel within the parish assignment areas for day trips and inspections. Additional physical requirements will include riding on boats to water-based injection well locations, exposure to heat, cold, and inclement weather typically encountered in south Louisiana, and walking on uneven terrain to access some locations. Daily inspection reports will be submitted via computer-based reporting. The candidate will be required to monitor and schedule any assigned vehicle maintenance and be responsible for safe storage of the assigned vehicle at the primary residence.

A bachelor’s degree in a geoscience field or engineering.

This position reports to Baton Rouge, LA, but performs work throughout the southeastern part of the state. The ideal candidate would have primary residency in one of the following assigned parishes: Assumption, Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary, Ascension, or Terrebonne.

Additional duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• Thoroughly inspects and monitors by-product operations, including hazardous waste injection wells, solution mining of salt, hydrocarbon storage in solution-mined salt caverns, enhanced oil recovery wells, oil and gas exploration and production waste injection wells, and commercial exploration and production waste disposal facilities.
• Prepares and reviews in-depth reports on findings of all field investigations and inspections which serve as official records and are used in court litigation as necessary.
• Independently reviews permits, equipment, and safety precautions involved in the drilling/operation/work over activity for injection wells. This includes responsibility for ensuring that operators possess valid permits and that all conditions of the permits are closely followed during construction of said facilities.
• Reviews various technical reports and makes recommendations to Petroleum Scientist Supervisor or Manager on matters of regulatory noncompliance.
• Provides various reporting information for the compilation of statistical data on operator compliance activities for inclusion in the division’s state and federal performance indicators and any other required reports.
• Performs quarterly compliance reviews of UIC testing schedules and issue compliance notices to operators in accordance with the prescribed test frequency.
• Performs quarterly compliance reviews of UIC testing schedules and issue compliance notices to operators in accordance with the prescribed test frequency.
• Maintains files on all hazardous/non-hazardous waste disposal wells and operations located at industrial plant sites and those operated by commercial concerns.
• Maintains files on salt dome storage cavity operations concerning oil and gas storage.
• Maintains any assigned vehicle and equipment according to recommended guidelines.
• Provides technical assistance to private industry in the interpretation of State and Federal laws and Office of Conservation and departmental rules and regulations.
• If requested, provides functional supervision and training of lower level Conservation Enforcement Specialists in the performance of law and regulation enforcement, well tests, on-site investigations concerning underground injection operations, and the completion of necessary field reports.
• Assists the Director and Assistant Director of the Office of Enforcement and Office of Permitting & Compliance on any special field investigations deemed necessary.

• Position-Specific Details: Appointment Type: Probational
• Career Progression: This position does participate in a Career Progression Group.
• Work Schedule: Work hours are flexible.
• Compensation: The salary offered will be determined based on qualifications and experience.
• Career Progression: This position may be filled as a Petroleum Scientist 1, 2, or 3.

This vacancy is being announced as a classified position and is open to all qualified applicants. This position requires the selected applicant to serve a minimum probationary period of twelve (12) months. A current, permanent status state employee may be required to accept a probational appointment in lieu of promotion. Additional Vacancies may be filled from this announcement within 90 days of the closing date.

• How To Apply:No Civil Service test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy.
• 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.

The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.

Human Resources

Department of Conservation and Energy

PO Box 94396

Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9396