Sustaining Engineering Lead

HULK•Houston, TX

1d•Onsite

About The Position

HULK USA is seeking a Sustaining Engineering Lead to drive the performance, reliability, and continuous improvement of its downhole products while leading a team of engineers and technical professionals. This hands-on engineering leadership role combines technical problem-solving, people development, and improving the flow of engineering work from concept through manufacturing and field deployment. The role requires strong mechanical engineering experience in upstream oil and gas and an understanding of downhole tools and production-ready solutions. The Sustaining Engineering Lead will lead sustaining engineering initiatives, manage engineering changes, drive cost-reduction projects, and strengthen collaboration across Engineering, Product Line Management, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, and Field Operations. The position is based on-site at HULK’s Houston, Texas location, with work spanning office, engineering, manufacturing, and testing environments. Occasional travel to field locations or testing sites is required based on business needs. Some activities involve standing, walking, inspecting equipment, and working in manufacturing or test areas. Occasional lifting or movement of equipment weighing up to 50 pounds may be required, consistent with applicable safety procedures and reasonable accommodations. All work must follow HULK’s safety and operational requirements.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline.
Significant hands-on engineering experience designing, developing, or sustaining downhole tools used in upstream oil and gas operations.
Demonstrated experience leading engineering teams, including direct people management or substantial team leadership responsibilities.
Strong mechanical design background with practical experience in engineering analysis, product testing, validation, and technical troubleshooting.
Experience managing engineering projects through design, development, manufacturing, implementation, and validation.
Working knowledge of engineering change management, configuration control, technical documentation, and manufacturing processes.
Experience investigating product failures, identifying root causes, and implementing corrective actions.
Ability to manage multiple engineering initiatives while balancing cost, quality, technical requirements, and schedules.
Strong communication, decision-making, organizational, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
Willingness to remain hands-on technically while leading and developing a team.

Nice To Haves

10–15+ years of progressive mechanical engineering experience, preferably involving downhole tool design, product development, or sustaining engineering.
3–5 years of engineering team leadership or direct people management experience.
Experience with artificial lift systems, electric submersible pumps (ESPs), completion tools, drilling tools, or related downhole technologies.
Experience transitioning products from research and development into manufacturing and sustaining engineering.
Proficiency in SolidWorks or comparable 3D mechanical CAD software.
Experience with SolidWorks PDM, JIRA, SAP, NetSuite, or similar engineering and business systems.
Knowledge of casting, machining, materials selection, assembly methods, and manufacturing process improvements.
Demonstrated success improving product reliability, reducing manufacturing or product costs, and driving cross-functional engineering improvements.
Experience working in both large engineering organizations and smaller, fast-paced operating environments.

Responsibilities

Lead sustaining engineering activities to improve the performance, reliability, manufacturability, and cost effectiveness of existing HULK products.
Maintain hands-on involvement in mechanical design, engineering analysis, troubleshooting, root-cause investigations, and product validation.
Own engineering projects from problem identification and technical evaluation through implementation, testing, and final validation.
Evaluate field performance data, manufacturing concerns, and product reliability issues to identify opportunities for improvement.
Lead engineering changes, including Engineering Change Requests (ECRs), Bills of Materials (BOMs), design revisions, configuration control, and technical documentation.
Support new-product transitions into sustaining engineering, ensuring validation, documentation, manufacturing readiness, and long-term product ownership.
Drive effective engineering processes and handoffs among Product Line Management, Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, and Field Operations.
Track, prioritize, and resolve field-generated engineering requests to ensure timely technical support.
Identify and execute cost-reduction initiatives involving product design, materials, manufacturing processes, and supplier capabilities.
Collaborate with manufacturing and field teams to address product performance challenges and implement corrective actions.
Develop and improve engineering documentation, technical procedures, and product support processes.
Balance technical requirements, project schedules, quality, cost, and business priorities in engineering decisions.
Plan, track, and communicate project priorities, progress, risks, and deliverables using established project management tools.
Lead, mentor, and develop engineers and technical professionals while remaining directly involved in engineering work.
Establish priorities, assign responsibilities, and maintain accountability for technical deliverables and project execution.
Provide technical guidance, coaching, performance feedback, and professional development to team members.
Build cross-departmental working relationships and encourage collaboration, technical curiosity, continuous improvement, and ownership.
Make timely, informed decisions when technical issues, competing priorities, or operational challenges require action.