Lead Production Engineer - Wellsite Autonomous Operations

bp • Denver, CO

10d • $200,000 - $235,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Enterprise Production Engineering Lead for Wellsite Autonomous Operations serves as the single production engineering authority for autonomous and semi‑autonomous production optimization across the enterprise. This role is accountable for ensuring production optimization logic delivers measurable value at scale, while remaining aligned with enterprise governance, process safety, and operating model standards. The role has final decision authority for production optimization standards within delegated authority and escalates strategic or cross‑system changes as required. The position is a cornerstone of the Wellsite Automation Operations, converting field‑level innovation into repeatable, governed, enterprise advantage.

Requirements

• 12+ years of Production Engineering experience in onshore oil and gas operations.
• Demonstrated enterprise or multi‑asset influence.
• Recognized internally as a technical authority and reviewer.
• Deep expertise in gas lift design, surveillance, and optimization.
• Hands‑on experience with: ESP systems and failure modes Compression systems and restart constraints Production instability, deferral, and optimization campaigns
• Strong production surveillance and diagnostics capability using real-time and historical data.
• Working knowledge of control philosophies, interlocks, permissives, and fail-safe design.
• Clear understanding of assisted, supervised, and autonomous operating modes.
• Ability to translate production engineering intent into automation-ready, governable logic.
• System‑level optimization thinking (reservoir → well → surface → compression → sales).
• Ability to balance short‑term production uplift with long‑term reliability and risk.
• Critical evaluation of rules‑based, physics‑based, and data‑driven optimization approaches.
• Comfortable exercising final decision authority within delegation of authority.
• Disciplined escalation of strategic or risk-based issues.
• Strong understanding of operating model boundaries and decision rights.
• Trusted advisor across Production Engineering, Automation, and Operations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to challenge constructively using data and first‑principles reasoning.
• Emotionally mature approach to failure and learning.

Responsibilities

• Own the enterprise production engineering standards that underpin autonomous and semi-autonomous operations.
• Ensure optimization strategies deliver production uplift, deferral reduction, and reliability improvement across all business units.
• Serve as the production engineering counterpart to automation, facilities, and operations leadership within the autonomy governance model.
• Partner with WAO leadership to define success criteria, KPIs, and OKRs for autonomous production optimization initiatives.
• Establish clear, outcome-based measures for value delivery, reliability, and operational confidence.
• Lead or support root cause failure analyses (RCFAs) for material production, reliability, or autonomy‑related events.
• Ensure RCFA outcomes are translated into updated standards, control logic guardrails, and deployment criteria.
• Define, steward, and maintain production optimization standards, including: Dynamic gas lift optimization logic Autonomous and supervised restart strategies for ESPs and compression Operating envelopes and guardrails for autonomous control
• Establish clear criteria for: Standard application Approved deviations Required escalation for strategic or risk‑based decisions
• Ensure production optimization logic is consistent with process safety, equipment protection, and cybersecurity requirements.
• Deliver measurable production and reliability value through scaled deployment of autonomous optimization.
• Enable faster replication of successful optimization strategies across business units.
• Reduce variability in production outcomes by eliminating bespoke, non-standard logic.
• Capture positive and negative outcomes from autonomous optimization deployments.
• Convert lessons learned into updated standards, logic refinements, and deployment constraints.
• Ensure learning velocity outpaces deployment velocity to protect value and safety.
• Act as the trusted production engineering authority for: Business Unit Production Engineering Leads Automation & Controls leadership Operations leadership (VP / Superintendent level)
• Influence outcomes without direct execution ownership.
• Provide clear, data‑based recommendations to senior leadership.

Benefits

• At bpx, we support our people to learn and grow in a diverse and challenging environment.
• We believe that our team is strengthened by diversity. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment in which everyone is respected and treated fairly.
• We offer a reward and wellbeing package to enable your work to fit with your life. These can include, but not limited to, access to health, vision, and dental insurance, flexible working schedule, paid time off policy, discretionary annual bonus program, long-term incentive program, and a generous 401(k) matching program.
• We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed