Measurement While Drilling Specialist

Measurement While Drilling Specialist

JOB-10047902

Anticipated Start Date

November 9, 2026

Location

Midland, TX

Type of Employment

Contract Hire

Employer Info

Our client is a global leader in energy technology, providing cutting-edge solutions across the oil and gas industry. Operating in over 100 countries, they focus on digital innovation and sustainable practices to drive the future of energy and support the transition to lower-carbon operations.

Job Summary

W e are seeking a technically skilled and safety-focused Measurement While Drilling (MWD) Specialist to support conventional oil and gas drilling operations. This dual-function position combines directional drilling responsibilities with hands-on MWD operations, requiring the ability to independently manage wellbore trajectory control, acquire and process directional surveys, monitor telemetry, and maintain accurate real-time drilling data.

Job Description

• Review drilling programs, well objectives, geological targets, and planned trajectories to identify execution risks and operational constraints.
• Support directional drilling planning, including bottom-hole assembly (BHA) recommendations, motor or rotary steerable system (RSS) considerations, toolface strategies, and expected build and turn behavior.
  
• Execute real-time directional guidance using appropriate slide and rotary drilling techniques to maintain the planned inclination, azimuth, and wellbore trajectory.
  
• Calculate and project wellbore curves, perform slide calculations, and interpret directional plots to achieve planned well objectives.
  
• Monitor drilling performance indicators, including rate of penetration (ROP), torque and drag, vibration indicators, equivalent circulating density (ECD), and hole cleaning risks.
  
• Coordinate with drillers, company representatives, drilling engineers, and other service personnel during kickoff, build, turn, landing, and other critical drilling intervals.
  
• Apply anti-collision principles and survey management practices to support safe wellbore separation and trajectory integrity.
  
• Identify opportunities to improve drilling efficiency, optimize performance, and reduce directional- and MWD-related non-productive time (NPT).
• Independently perform MWD-related field responsibilities, including taking, processing, validating, and submitting directional surveys.
  
• Monitor real-time MWD data streams and interpret downhole measurements to support accurate directional control and drilling decisions.
  
• Perform survey quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC), checking data consistency, survey trends, potential errors, and measurement reliability.
  
• Monitor telemetry performance, including mud-pulse or electromagnetic systems as applicable, and identify data latency, signal degradation, and communication issues.
  
• Verify appropriate survey management procedures and maintain timely, accurate reporting throughout drilling operations.
  
• Recognize and troubleshoot MWD tool issues, sensor drift, telemetry interruptions, and downlink or uplink challenges.
  
• Coordinate corrective actions when equipment performance or data quality affects drilling decisions or planned trajectory execution.
  
• Maintain accurate records of survey data, telemetry performance, tool status, and operational events.
  
• Prepare and submit directional surveys, daily drilling reports (DDRs), end-of-well reports, BHA performance notes, NPT records, and lessons learned.
  
• Communicate clearly with rig personnel, drilling engineers, operations teams, geology, and third-party service providers.
  
• Participate in pre-job planning, risk assessments, shift handovers, and post-job reviews.
  
• Monitor operational risks and recommend adjustments to drilling parameters when conditions indicate potential dysfunction or wellbore quality concerns.
  
• Follow all applicable health, safety, and environmental (HSE) requirements, customer standards, and operational procedures.
  
• Exercise stop-work authority and promptly escalate unsafe conditions or significant operational risks.

Skills Required

• Demonstrated experience in conventional drilling operations, including vertical, deviated, and/or S-curve wells.
• Hands-on MWD experience, including survey acquisition, processing, validation, telemetry monitoring, and real-time data interpretation.
• Working knowledge of directional drilling fundamentals, including wellbore geometry, curve calculations, toolface control, slide calculations, motor behavior, and directional tendencies.
• Understanding of anti-collision concepts, survey accuracy, and wellbore separation.
• Ability to independently perform both Directional Driller and MWD responsibilities in the field.
• Familiarity with drilling programs, well schematics, directional plots, survey data, and real-time drilling information.
• Understanding of rig operations, including tripping, connections, drilling fluid systems, basic hydraulics, and stuck-pipe prevention.
• Ability to monitor telemetry performance, recognize data-quality issues, and troubleshoot operational or equipment-related problems.
• Strong analytical, communication, documentation, and problem-solving skills.
• Willingness to work rotational schedules, including nights, at customer drilling locations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Career background beginning in MWD operations followed by cross-training or progression into directional drilling.
• Previous experience in a combined directional drilling and MWD role.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage survey acquisition and processing while providing real-time directional control.
• Exposure to rotary steerable systems, performance drilling, pad drilling, or multi-well conventional operations.
• Directional drilling and/or MWD industry certifications.
• Relevant well control certification, where required by local regulations or customer requirements.
• Familiarity with advanced survey management, data QA/QC, and directional drilling planning and reporting software.

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent required; technical education, trade training, or relevant field experience preferred.

Additional Requirements

• Sched ule: 20/10 work schedule. 12.5hrs a day either day or night tour.
• Dual-function technical capability: Ability to perform both directional drilling and MWD duties independently.
• Directional calculations: Proficiency in curve calculations, trajectory projections, slide calculations, and directional plot interpretation.
  
• Survey quality management: Ability to acquire, process, validate, and submit accurate survey data.
  
• Telemetry monitoring: Understanding of downhole data transmission, signal quality, data latency, and troubleshooting.
  
• Anti-collision awareness: Ability to recognize wellbore separation risks and follow established survey management procedures.
  
• Real-time troubleshooting: Ability to assess operational conditions, identify problems, and implement appropriate corrective actions under pressure.
  
• Drilling performance optimization: Ability to interpret drilling parameters and recommend adjustments that improve efficiency and reduce NPT.
  
• Safety-first execution: Consistent application of safety standards, operational discipline, and risk management practices.
  
• Communication and teamwork: Clear coordination with rig crews, customers, engineers, and cross-functional teams.
  
• Documentation and accountability: Accurate reporting, reliable shift handovers, and attention to data integrity.

Pay Rate

• $55 pe r hour (Compensation will be offered based on experience, skills, and market factors)

HirePower Personnel, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.