Railroad Commission of Texas

RRC - Manager IV - V - Subsurface Investigation Unit - Oil & Gas Division

Austin, TX

full time

$90,000-$114,000

On-site

Oil and Gas

About This Job

RRC - Manager IV - V - Subsurface Investigation Unit - Oil & Gas Division (00051361)Organization: RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS

Primary Location: Texas-AustinWork Locations: RRC Headquarters 1701 N Congress Avenue Austin 78701

Job: Management

Employee Status: Regular

Schedule: Full-timeStandard Hours Per Week: 40.00

State Job Code: 1603 1604

Salary Admin Plan: B

Grade: 25 26

Salary (Pay Basis): 7,500.00 - 9,500.00 (Monthly)

Number of Openings: 1

Overtime Status: Exempt

Job Posting: Jul 23, 2025, 7:12:36 AM

Closing Date: Aug 6, 2025, 11:59:00 PM

Description

The Railroad Commission of Texas is a state agency with primary regulatory jurisdiction over the oil and natural gas industry; pipeline transport and pipeline safety; natural gas utilities; the LP-gas industry, and surface mining operations. You can find more details about us on the Railroad Commission of Texas’ website here https://www.rrc.texas.gov/about-us/.

To support our mission to serve Texas, we need great people to join our team. We provide a great working environment along with outstanding benefits, including:

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Generous paid time off including vacation, sick time, and at least 12 paid holidays per year

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Flexible work schedules

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Retirement pension with a 150% agency match – you can watch this YouTube video that describes this amazing benefit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJI6M7g73-w

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401(k), 457(b) and Roth

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Health premiums 100% paid for full-time employees

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Tuition Reimbursement

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Wellness and Exercise Leave

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Career development programs/opportunities for advancement

For a complete list of our total compensation package please visit our website at https://www.rrc.texas.gov/about-us/jobs/. To view benefits available to all State of Texas employees visit the Employee Retirement Systems website at https://ers.texas.gov/benefits-at-a-glance.

Job Description

Oversees the planning, daily operations, and management of the Subsurface Investigation (SSI) unit, a new field assistance and compliance unit, and one of the six business units in the Technical Permitting section of the Oil and Gas Division. The SSI unit will surveil, investigate and provide support to field staff regarding subsurface incidents related to the functions of the Technical Permitting section, especially injection well permits (e.g., well blowouts, surface flows, sinkholes). The SSI manager will take an active role in shaping this new unit, including hiring new staff, leading the creation of new tools and procedures. The manager will supervise a team of professionals with diverse backgrounds including engineering, geoscience and data analysis. Works under the supervision of the Deputy Asst. Director of Technical Permitting with moderate latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. The manager will work very closely with Field Operations staff, the Chief Engineer and other senior staff.

Essential Job Duties

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Manages activities of SSI staff (5 staff members anticipated), for example:

a. identify and document field incidents for investigation (e.g., blowout near disposal well),

b. recommend data collection and remedial actions to resolve incidents,

c. determine causal factors (e.g., injection wells),

d. evaluate permit compliance related to an incident,

e. coordinate and track operator-led efforts to resolve incidents and manage reservoir pressure,

f. pursue enforcement of permits and rules (including hearing testimony),

g. pursue recompense of state funded plugging funds expended,

h. identify common factors associated with field incidents, and

i. recommend regulatory changes to prevent future incidents.

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Hires, trains, and evaluates job performance of staff. Manages staff development plans and activities.

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Establishes goals and objectives; develops and approves schedules, priorities, and standards for achieving goals; and manages evaluation activities.

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Develops and evaluates budget requests, monitors budget expenditures, and adjusts as necessary.

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Plans, implements, coordinates, monitors, and evaluates policies and procedures.

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Identifies areas of needed change and makes recommendations to improve operations.

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Develops and implements techniques for evaluating the activities of the SSI Unit.

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Oversees some software development and maintenance for SSI Unit.

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Oversees the preparation of management and productivity reports and studies.

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Provides technical guidance for the SSI Unit. Works with the Chief Geologist, Chief Engineer and State Seismologist to resolve injection well issues.

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Represents the SSI unit at meetings, hearings, trials, conferences, and seminars or on boards, panels, and committees. May provide testimony in administrative hearings.

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Oversees special investigations, research studies, and internal audits.

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Inspects the work of staff and applicants as necessary for compliance with Commission rules and procedures as applicable.

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Review completion of injection wells, geology and other data and forms for consistency with Commission procedures.

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Performs related work as assigned.

For Military Crosswalk information, please visit: Military Crosswalk for Occupational Category-Program Management

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Manager IV

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Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a B.S. in Engineering, Geoscience or a closely related field.

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Seven years of work experience in engineering or geological work.

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Three years of experience managing a team of technical professionals performing engineering, geoscience or closely related tasks.

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Valid Texas Driver’s license and a good driving record.

Manager V

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Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a B.S. in Engineering, Geoscience or a closely related field.

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Ten years of work experience in engineering or geological work.

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Five years of experience managing a team of technical professionals performing engineering, geoscience or closely related tasks.

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Valid Texas Driver’s license and a good driving record.

Preferred Qualifications

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Licensed as a Professional Engineer (PE) or Professional Geoscientist (PG) in Texas.

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Experience in emergency well response or other emergency response.

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Experience in well completion engineering, reservoir modeling, reservoir management, and geomechanics or similar skills.

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Knowledge of the Railroad Commission's rules, policies, and procedures.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

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Knowledge of state and federal statutes and regulations relevant to injection wells, including the Texas Administrative Code, Title 16, Chapter 3, Chapter 5; Texas Natural Resources Code, Title 3; and Texas Water Code, Chapter 27, Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations Parts 144 – 148, and the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

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Skill in using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems; and in operating computers and applicable computer software.

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Ability to manage SIP Unit activities; to establish goals and objectives; to devise solutions to administrative and technical problems; to develop and evaluate administrative policies and procedures; to prepare reports; and to plan, assign, and supervise the work of others. Ability to present technical material to a wide variety of audiences, including the regulated industry, state and federal agencies and the public.

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Skill in communicating effectively, both orally and in writing.

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Ability to manage business function, division, or department activities; to establish goals and objectives; to devise solutions to administrative problems; to develop and evaluate administrative policies and procedures; to prepare reports; to communicate effectively; and to supervise the work of others.

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Ability to review engineering and geologic reports and information for compliance with rules, policies, and procedures.

Please note:The effective date of hire for this position will be September 1, 2025, or thereafter.

Miscellaneous Requirements:

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Ability to work Monday-Friday, 8 AM – 5 PM with occasional flexible hours, overtime, and weekends.

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Position requires occasional overnight travel.

Work Environment:

Primarily indoors with heating and cooling regulated in a general office environment; the noise level in the work environment ranges from low-to-moderate.

Physical Requirements:

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Must be able to operate a computer and appropriate office equipment. Must be able to read and interpret diagrams of engineering, geological and other information.

Work Hours: Standard office hours for Commission employees are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Our agency offers alternate schedules for employees, as long as it does not adversely affect operations and service levels, and standard hours of operation are maintained. Alternate work schedules may be discussed with the hiring manager during the interview process.

APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED THROUGH WORK IN TEXAS: Work In Texas (WIT) applicants must complete the CAPPS Recruit Prescreening Questionnaire to be considered for the posting. To complete the Prescreening Questionnaire, go to CAPPS Recruit to register or login: https://capps.taleo.net/careersection/ex/jobsearch.ftl?lang=en

Remarks:

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There is one available position.

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Official transcripts, DD214 or DD1300, copies of license/certifications, or other minimum requirement validations will be requested at the time of the job offer.

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Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa.

THE RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS ONLY ACCEPTS ONLINE APPLICATIONS FOR THIS POSTING.

Due to the high volume of applications we do not accept telephone calls. Only candidates selected for interview will be contacted. Notifications to applicants are sent electronically to the email address you provide.

The Railroad Commission of Texas is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not

discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age

or disability in employment or in the provision of services.

The Railroad Commission of Texas is a tobacco-free workplace.

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