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Senior Mechanical Design Engineer - MWD/LWD/RSS

Houston
1 day ago
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Senior Mechanical Engineer - MWD/LWD/RSS (Houston, TX)

We're partnering with a top-tier drilling technology company to hire a Senior Mechanical Engineer to lead design and qualification of MWD/LWD tools and Rotary Steerable Systems (RSS). You'll own ruggedized mechanical architectures for HP/HT drilling environments - delivering reliability under shock, vibration, and high rotational speeds while meeting tight packaging constraints around sensitive electronics and sensors.

What you'll do

Lead end-to-end design for MWD/LWD subs, mud-pulse/EM telemetry modules, sondes, sensor housings, and RSS actuation/mechanisms (push-the-bit / point-the-bit).

Perform structural, fatigue, thermal, and dynamic analysis (rotor-bearing systems, rotary bending, stick-slip/whirl, bit bounce) and correlate with lab/field data.

Engineer pressure housings, feedthroughs, hermetic sealing, potting/encapsulation, vibration isolation, and thermal paths for electronics in (Apply online only) °C and 20k+ psi service.

Design flow control valves, bypass/dump valves, turbines/PDM interfaces, high-speed bearings & seals, and wear/erosion-resistant features for drilling fluids.

Create drawings/BOMs, GD&T (ASME Y14.5), test plans, and design dossiers; lead FMEA/DFR and cross-functional reviews.

Support assembly/FAT/SIT, root-cause field issues, and mentor junior engineers.

What you'll bring

BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering (or related).

7-12+ years designing MWD/LWD or RSS hardware (sensor collars, telemetry tools, steering mechanisms, rotating assemblies).

Proficiency in SolidWorks or Inventor and ANSYS/Abaqus (linear/nonlinear, fatigue, thermal); strong tolerance analysis & stack-ups.

Proven reliability improvements in HP/HT, high-shock, high-RPM environments.

Hands-on with pressure systems, seals, bearings, plastics/elastomers, and non-mag metallurgy; familiarity with API Spec 7-1 and related drilling standards.

Clear communicator with a track record of leading design reviews and mentoring.

Nice to have

Experience with mud-pulse or EM telemetry design, pulser valves, and turbine/PDM drives.

Knowledge of gamma, resistivity, density, neutron, and azimuthal imaging packaging constraints.

CFD for flow-induced vibration/erosion; coating expertise (HVOF, WC-Co, DLC, chrome carbide).

Exposure to downhole electronics integration, potting compounds, and thermal management.

Background in API Q1/Q2, gated NPI, PPAP, and supplier/process qualification.

Why join

Build flagship drilling intelligence & steering tools used globally - direct line of sight from concept to rig.

Agile, empowered team; strong budget for prototyping and test.

Competitive base + bonus, excellent benefits, and growth path to Lead/Principal or People Manager.

Relocation to Houston available for exceptional candidates.

Location & work setup

Houston, TX (onsite hybrid).

Eligibility

US work authorization required - No Sponsorship Avaliable

Apply / Refer

Apply now. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for a confidential discussion

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