Research Engineer

Leidos is seeking an exceptional and motivated Research Engineer with a passion for hands-on laboratory research to support the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) in Pittsburgh, PA. In this role you will work directly in the laboratory designing, conducting, and troubleshooting experiments focused on improving oil recovery from unconventional reservoirs. This role involves operating advanced laboratory equipment, high-pressure/high-temperature test systems, and diagnostic instruments to characterize reservoir rocks, fluids, and fluid-rock interactions under simulated subsurface conditions. Specifically, you will work with NETL’s Production team to address the challenges of low permeability and complex fluid dynamics in shale formations by developing and testing secondary recovery methods, such as the injection of water, natural gas, or carbon dioxide with additives.

This position offers extensive opportunities for hands-on experimentation while collaborating with experts in reservoir engineering, subsurface geochemistry, fluid characterization, geomechanics, and advanced imaging technologies. Through laboratory testing and applied research, you will contribute to the development and optimization of innovative oil recovery technologies that advance DOE's fossil energy mission and support scientific and technological breakthroughs in unconventional resource development.

What this opportunity with Leidos supporting NETL uniquely provides you:

• Working on applied, cutting-edge projects with global impact while being mentored by the nation’s leading energy scientists and engineers.
• Real-world experience supplemented with technical development and discussions that provide unique insight into the broad range of mission critical engineering and scientific disciplines NETL leverages to support national energy research and policy development.
• Access to world-class, customized facilities and computational assets specific to high impact energy research, technology generation, and product development.
• Support proposal development focused on expanding industry and scientific partnerships and developing new technical opportunities for NETL with federal guidance.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Conduct hands-on rock characterization experiments, including oil saturation mapping, mineralogical analysis, and measurement of porosity and permeability using advanced laboratory instrumentation.
• Perform fluid characterization testing, including pressure-volume-temperature (PVT) analysis, interfacial tension measurements, contact angle testing, wettability assessment, and evaluation of chemical additives to optimize fluid performance.
• Design, execute, and troubleshoot laboratory experiments that simulate reservoir conditions to evaluate enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes, quantify hydrocarbon recovery, and identify dominant recovery mechanisms under a range of injection scenarios.
• Operate and maintain high-pressure/high-temperature (HPHT) experimental systems and core flood apparatus to evaluate fluid-rock interactions, multiphase flow behavior, and recovery performance.
• Conduct laboratory testing to evaluate fracture conductivity, proppant performance, and geomechanical properties under varying stress and reservoir conditions.
• Perform extensive and comprehensive literature reviews and summarize the state of knowledge for various topics relevant to enhanced oil recovery.
• Prepare technical reports, publications, and presentations documenting experimental methods, data analysis, and research findings.
• Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team, including geologists, geographers, chemists, computer scientists, environmental scientists, and other researchers to accomplish project related tasks.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering or related scientific/engineering field with 3+ years relevant and hands-on experience. Higher-level degree may be considered as a substitute for experience.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience conducting interfacial science experiments, including contact angle measurements, interfacial tension testing, wettability characterization, and wettability alteration studies.
• Practical experience operating and troubleshooting laboratory instrumentation such as XRD, CT scanners, SEM, PVT systems, and other rock and fluid characterization equipment.
• Experience preparing samples, conducting experiments, collecting data, and interpreting results related to mineralogy, petrophysical properties, and fluid-rock interactions.
• Hands-on experience operating high-pressure/high-temperature experimental equipment and performing laboratory investigations of multiphase flow in porous media.
• Experience designing, executing, and analyzing core flooding, fluid injection, or enhanced oil recovery experiments under simulated reservoir conditions.
• Working knowledge of chemical EOR systems, including surfactants, polymers, gases, and associated laboratory evaluation techniques.
• Demonstrated ability to independently plan experiments, maintain detailed laboratory records, troubleshoot test setups, and communicate technical findings.
• Ability to meet the requirement for gaining access to work on the NETL campus.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience utilizing Nuclear Magnetic Resonance scanning for oil saturation mapping.
• Experience interpreting complex experimental data using tools like python or MATLAB.

Salary Range for this position: $75,000 to $85,000

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

October 29, 2026

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range:

Pay Range $69,550.00 - $125,725.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.