Also called: Reservoir Simulation Engineer
Builds computer models of underground oil and gas fields to predict how much can be recovered.
You model fluids moving through rock a mile underground, compare predictions with real production, and recommend where to drill next.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in petroleum engineering; master's common.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Petroleum Engineering, Geology, Applied Mathematics.
Growing about average (about 3% over 10 years). Oil and gas jobs swing up and down with oil prices; long-term outlook is flat to slightly growing.
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. AI and machine-learning reservoir models are doing more of the history-matching that juniors once did.
Classes: AP Calculus, AP Physics, AP Computer Science.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-2171.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.