Petroleum Scientist 1, 2, or 3 (Enforcement)

About this Job

Office of Enforcement – 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.

OENF consolidates all inspectors and enforcement staff into one office to maximize efficiency, consistency, and accountability. District inspectors, pipeline safety, UIC, coastal field services, and mining enforcement now operate under a unified structure that emphasizes cross-training, career progression, and consistent enforcement decisions. The office issues compliance orders, oversees damage prevention, and coordinates with Revenue, DEQ, and Wildlife & Fisheries for joint enforcement. Leveraging data analytics, automation, and tools like drones and sensors, OENF implements a proactive, risk-based enforcement model that prioritizes public safety while ensuring fair treatment of good operators.

This position is responsible for inspecting and regulating Louisiana's intrastate pipeline facilities to ensure compliance with state and federal safety standards. Pipeline systems regulated by this program include gas distribution, gas transmission, hazardous liquid transmission (including pipelines in Louisiana state offshore waters), underground natural gas storage, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities. Depending on operational needs, incumbents may inspect one or multiple pipeline categories throughout the state.

The role requires extensive statewide travel, successful completion of the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) Training and Qualification Program, and participation in random drug testing. Incumbents perform highly technical inspections that evaluate engineering principles related to pipeline construction, operation, maintenance, integrity management, and abandonment to help ensure the safe transportation of energy resources.

Minimum Qualifications

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

Job Specification

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

Job Duties and Other Information

Job Duties:

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

• Performs highly specialized Integrity Management Program (IMP), Control Room Management (CRM), Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), Breatkout Tank (BT), and Underground Natural Gas Storage (UNGS) regulations protocol inspections and assists in enforcement procedures. These protocol inspections are highly technical and comprehensive inspections which require review of operator’s application of engineering principles and risk analysis methods, specific to the operator’s facilities and product(s) transported, to determine the degree of compliance with these regulations.
• Incumbents perform on-site inspections of complex jurisdictional gas and hazardous liquid pipeline systems and related facilities intrastate pipelines facilities such as: 1)review/evaluate procedures for operations & maintenance manuals, emergency plans, and other operational procedures; 2) review/evaluate record keeping procedures and actual records of below/above ground facilities for compliance with federal and state regulations. Such inspections are performed for transmission/gathering pipelines, bi-directional pipelines, pipelines transporting multiple products, and offshore pipelines and related facilities.
• In addition to records review, actual physical facilities inspections are conducted. These inspections may include: 1) cathodic protection test, 2) atmospheric corrosion inspection, 3) overpressure protection and/or relief test, 4) odorization test, 5) construction inspections, 6) accident/incident investigations, 7) riding the Right-of-Way to verify no hazard of damages from third parties, 8) drug and alcohol inspection of operators programs, 9) integrity management, 10) operator qualifications, 11) control room management, 12) public awareness plans, etc. These incumbents perform exit interviews to discuss the findings of on-site inspections with representatives of the respective facility and provide guidance to facility personnel in the course of discussions during the inspection and at the exit interview.
• These incumbents provide gas pipeline or hazardous liquid pipeline owners/operators safety expertise/assistance, which may include audits of operations and maintenance procedures, emergency procedures, construction procedures, drug and alcohol program procedures to determine accuracy and completeness as required by the most current regulations.
• Incumbents of these positions are required to maintain inspector qualification through attendance of OPS training provided by the PHMSA Office of Training and Qualifications, located in Oklahoma City, OK.
• Keep abreast of changes to assigned operators physical facilities and operational status. Provide data and assist in the preparation of reports requested by the department, office, or other agencies; performs non-routine and other job duties, temporary or permanent, as assigned.

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.

As part of a Career Progression Group, vacancies may be filled from this recruitment as a Petroleum Scientist 1, 2, or 3 depending on the level of experience of the selected applicant. Please refer to the “Job Specifications” tab located at the top of the LA Careers “Current Job Opportunities” page of the Civil Service website for specific information on salary ranges, minimum qualifications, and job concepts for each level.

**Note regarding the advertised pay range: The maximum amounts listed are the maximum salary amounts a person can make at each level over their career and not the amount we are allowed to pay a new hire.

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.

For further information about this vacancy contact:

Human Resources

Department of Conservation and Energy

PO Box 94396

Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9396

Email: DNR-Recruiting@la.gov