Job title: Senior Completions Engineer (Onshore / Planning)

Reporting to: Drilling & Completions Manager

Job Family: Drilling & Completions

Location: Nairobi with regular field visits

Job Ref No. PD/DC/SCE/2026

Job Summary

Lead planning, design and optimisation of onshore completions and well intervention campaigns to deliver safe, efficient and cost-effective completion systems while meeting technical, schedule and regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop basis of designs and detailed completion designs (tubing, packers, perforating, packer/cement/plug programs, sand control, artificial lift, downhole tools, completion schematics) for onshore wells.
• Produce completion work packs, scopes of work and tender packages for procurement and execution, including activity sequences, critical path analysis and resource plans.
• Perform technical risk assessments (HAZID/HAZOP, completion hazards, well integrity risks), identify mitigation measures and incorporate into plans.
• Generate cost estimates, schedule baselines and material lists; support budgeting, tender evaluation and contractor selection.
• Coordinate with subsurface, production, drilling, HSE, logistics, procurement, and land/permits teams to align completion objectives and constraints.
• Specify and verify required completion equipment, downhole tools, wellheads, surface completion hardware, and fluids; review contractor procedures, fitness-for-purpose and performance.
• Prepare completion procedures, testing and commissioning plans, pre-job briefs, and kick-off documentation; ensure readiness for mobilization.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, environmental and company HSE standards, well integrity and well control procedures.
• Provide technical guidance during execution and rig-up, support troubleshooting (e.g., gas migration, packer leaks, sand production, failed isolation) and participate in post-job reviews and continuous improvement.
• Maintain and validate completion and as-built documentation (completion diagrams, well files, test records, flattops).

Qualifications

• Degree in Petroleum Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years’ completions engineering experience on onshore operations (or equivalent combination of experience and education); planning experience preferred.
• Professional certification or registration (preferred where applicable).

Technical Skills & Knowledge

• Strong knowledge of completions engineering: completion system design, packers, tubing/annulus design, perforating, sand control (screens, gravel pack), stimulation basics, well integrity, production logging and artificial lift interfaces.
• Proficiency with industry tools/software: completion design and simulation packages, well data management (e.g., OpenWells), basic use of MS Project/Primavera for scheduling and Excel for cost/sensitivity analyses.
• Understanding of surface wellheads, Xmas trees (where applicable), onshore wellsite infrastructure, fluids/chemicals, and logistics.
• Competence in risk assessment methodologies, well integrity management and HSE systems.
• Familiarity with pressure control equipment, testing (leak-off, pressure tests) and commissioning procedures.

Behavioural & Interpersonal Skills

• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Effective communication and stakeholder management; ability to coordinate cross-functional teams.
• Ability to work under pressure and adapt plans to changing field conditions.
• Leadership, contractor management and mentoring skills.

Experience & Conditions

• Proven track record delivering onshore completion campaigns from planning to execution.
• Experience managing completion contractors and service providers in remote onshore environments.
• Willingness to travel to field sites for pre-job planning, mobilization and execution support.

Performance Indicators

• On-time and on-budget completion delivery against plan baseline.
• Number and severity of safety incidents and environmental non-conformances.
• Rate of NPT (non-productive time) attributable to completion planning/design issues.
• Variance between planned and actual completion metrics (days, cost, materials).
• Quality and completeness of completion documentation and post-job lessons learned.

Desirable

• Knowledge of stimulation design, cementing for isolation, formation evaluation and production optimization.
• Experience with integrated project teams, well integrity management systems and digital completion planning tools.
• Certification in well control (IWCF/IMCA/NORSOK) and relevant local regulatory approvals.