What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Reliability Engineer – Rotating Equipment position at Industrial Systems Consulting?
Senior Reliability Engineer – Rotating Equipment (Upstream Oil & Gas)
Location: Bakersfield, CA (San Joaquin Valley)
Employment Type: Full-Time
Industry: Upstream Oil & Gas
Experience Required: 10 Years
Role Overview
We are seeking a Senior Reliability Engineer with deep expertise in rotating equipment within upstream oil and gas operations to support producing assets in the San Joaquin Valley.
This role is built for an engineer who has spent time in the field, understands production realities, and can turn equipment data, inspection findings, and failure history into clear, defensible reliability decisions.
You will operate at the intersection of operations, maintenance, inspection, and engineering—owning rotating equipment reliability from failure analysis through execution readiness.
Key Responsibilities
- Act as the technical authority for rotating equipment reliability across upstream assets, including:
- Crude, water, and injection pumps
- Gas compressors (reciprocating & centrifugal)
- Gas lift compressors, VRU equipment, fans, blowers, and gearboxes
- Lead complex troubleshooting of chronic and acute equipment failures:
- Vibration issues, seal and bearing failures, lubrication breakdowns
- Cavitation, misalignment, resonance, process-induced damage
- Start-up and operating envelope issues
- Perform and facilitate:
- Root Cause Failure Analyses (RCFA)
- Bad actor identification and elimination
- Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
- Interpret and integrate:
- Vibration data, oil analysis, thermography, inspection reports
- Operating data and production constraints
- Translate findings into repair vs. defer vs. operate decisions that are technically sound and regulator-defensible
- Partner with Operations and Maintenance to:
- Improve PM and PdM strategies
- Optimize maintenance intervals and spare strategies
- Reduce unplanned downtime and repeat failures
- Provide engineering support for:
- Work scopes, repair strategies, and equipment upgrades
- Management of Change (MOC)
- Capital projects and turnarounds impacting rotating equipment
- Support permit-to-operate by ensuring reliability decisions align with safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements
- Mentor junior engineers and provide technical guidance to planners, supervisors, and field teams
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (or equivalent)
- 10 years of reliability engineering experience in upstream oil & gas
- Demonstrated depth in rotating equipment troubleshooting (hands-on, field-based experience)
- Strong working knowledge of:
- Vibration analysis and condition monitoring
- Lubrication and oil analysis
- Mechanical seals, bearings, couplings
- API standards applicable to upstream rotating equipment
- Experience working directly in producing fields and facilities
- Ability to communicate technical risk and recommendations clearly to operations, maintenance, and leadership
Preferred Qualifications
- San Joaquin Valley upstream operating experience
- Professional Engineer (PE) license
- Certified Reliability Engineer (CRE) or equivalent
- Experience with:
- Gas compression systems and VRUs
- Injection systems (waterflood, steamflood)
- Inspection-driven repair decision processes
- Background in owner-operator organizations
What Makes This Role Different
- Focus on engineering judgment, not just programs or dashboards
- Real authority to influence repair, deferment, and run decisions
- High-impact role in a mature, regulated upstream environment
- Close collaboration with operations and maintenance—not siloed engineering
Compensation & Benefits
- Competitive salary based on experience
- Comprehensive benefits package
- Strong emphasis on safety, technical excellence, and operational integrity