MightyRecruiterRotary drill operators operate or set up drills needed to remove underground gas and oil or core samples for testing during oil and gas exploration. They measure work site dimensions, monitor pressure gauges and move levers and throttles to control rotary table speed. They also regulate tool pressure at the bottoms of boreholes.
In the skills portion of your rotary drill operator job description, emphasize that the candidate should be comfortable working outdoors, be able to see details at close range and have good manual dexterity. A high school diploma and work experience are preferred.
Rotary drill operators should have strong attention to detail and be depended upon to fulfill work obligations. They should learn information quickly and work well with others since they will provide training to crews. Read the rotary drill operator job description below for more information on what you should include in your own job listing.
Rotary Drill Operator Job Summary
Are you looking to start a career in the oil and gas industry? Do you like to work with tools and machines in an outdoor environment? We currently have an opening for a rotary drill operator, where you will have a variety of crucial duties that help in our oil and gas exploration activities. You’ll operate our drilling equipment out on the front lines and train your crews to use and control our machines. You’ll also receive on-the-job training from the best in the business. Join our team and get rewarded with advancement opportunities and competitive pay rates as well as benefits.
Job Responsibilities
- Train construction or extraction crews on proper procedures to ensure drills are used safely and effectively
- Install and operate drilling equipment, including moving throttles and levers to control the speed of rotary tables, observing the pressure gauge and regulating tool pressure at the bottoms of boreholes
- Determine depths of boreholes by counting sections of drill rod
- Control gasoline, diesel, electric or steam draw works by pushing brake pedals and levers to lower and raise casings and drill pipes on and out of wells
- Connect drill pipe sections by using hand tools and powered tongs and wrenches
- Adjust and maintain machinery for proper performance, including changing drill bits; repairing or replacing defective parts; and cleaning and oiling pulleys, cables and blocks
- Begin and examine slush pump operation for consistency and circulation of drilling fluid or mud in wells
- Keep records of drilled footage, nature and location of penetrated strata, tools and materials used, services rendered, and amount of time required to complete each task
Job Skills & Qualifications
Reqiured:
- Work outdoors under various weather conditions
- Install and operate drilling and construction equipment
- Learn various job-related software programs
- Good control precision, manual dexterity and arm-hand steadiness
Preferred:
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Previous work experience
Rotary Drill Operator Job Responsibilities
Highly skilled drill talent can be hard to find in the oil and gas industry, especially when struggling to sort the wheat from the chaff as you’re deluged with applications from unqualified or overqualified jobseekers. One way to prevent this is to improve your rotary drill operator job description. Provide just the right mix of specificity and engagement, resulting in a job posting capable of attracting qualified candidates while letting the less qualified know this might not be the right role for them. When your job description does the work of sorting candidates, it significantly lightens your workload and frees you to focus on screening the best applicants.
To improve your rotary drill operator job description, the best route is one of simplicity. While you don’t want to go to extremes with an uninformative two-sentence job description, you can condense your job description down to 8-10 easy to read bullet points. Use action-oriented language to make those bullet points more effective, until you convey powerful information about the candidates’ roles in the organization and just how they can expect this position to stimulate their career.
Here’s an example of short, succinct but effective rotary drill operator job responsibilities:
- Evaluate established drilling plans to determine on-site drilling requirements
- Coordinate drill rig assembly, configuration, operation, maintenance and movement
- Conduct drilling activities under supervision of drilling manager
- Maintain site safety protocols; report any safety deviations to drilling manager
- Closely monitor gauges and outputs for potential pressure or overflow issues
Rotary Drill Operator Job Specifications
Because a rotary drill operator’s role is so highly technical and highly specific, you should strengthen your rotary drill operator job description with a list of job specifications. These specifications are the minimum requirements for the job; without these qualifications, the candidate would simply perform inadequately, or step into the role with a steep learning curve and never catch up, slowing your production operations and hindering other team members. If you’re willing to train someone into the role, say so, but if you need someone able to hit the ground running, this list of specifications will help you cut down on applicants who just can’t pass muster.
This shouldn’t be a long list, but should consist of your hard and fast necessities that, for the most part, you aren’t willing to compromise. Where your rotary drill operator job description is a list of daily job functions, the specifications should touch on the skills, certifications and background necessary to perform those functions well.
Try reviewing our sample of rotary drill operator job specifications:
- At least 10 years of experience in the oil and gas industry
- Hands-on experience working at overseas wells
- Heavy Equipment Operator certification
- OSHA Environmental Safety certification
- Knowledge of ISO 29001 standards required
