Principal Chemist

Disclaimer: SLB completed the acquisition of ChampionX on July 16, 2025. If selected for this position, your employment will begin with ChampionX and will transition to SLB as part of the planned integration.

We are looking for a Principal Chemist in our New Product Development team located in Sugar Land, Texas . The Principal Chemist will provide cutting-edge technologies and lead new product development projects for Chemically Enhanced Oil Recovery and Production Enhancement. The Staff Scientist will also support manufacturing and supply chain to scale up products from lab to plant. The ideal candidate is highly versatile, communicates effectively, and thrives in a collaborative environment.

If you are a passionate professional that likes to work in an autonomous, hands-on environment, we invite you to apply. This is your opportunity to join a growing company offering a competitive base salary and benefits.

What's in it For You:

• The ability to make an impact and shape your career with a company that is passionate about growth.
• The support of an organization that believes it is vital to include and engage diverse people, perspectives and ideas to achieve our best.
• Thrive in a company that values sustainability, drives a safety-focused culture and has been recognized as one of the most ethical companies in the world.
• Comprehensive benefits package starting day 1 of employment- medical, dental, vision, matching 401k, and more!

What You Will Do:

• Perform work in a safe manner while identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Provide direction for Chemically Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) innovation projects.
• Manage mid-high complexity projects once established and monitor progress to ensure targets are met, while liaising with internal and external customers.
• Perform hands-on activities in the laboratory to execute projects with polymers and/or surfactants solutions
• Coordinate activities with the other groups involved in chemical EOR (analytical, polymers, surfactants, and reservoir engineering).
• Communicate results to a wide range of audiences including internal and external customers.
• Work effectively in a team environment with cross-functional members.
• Monitor and track state-of-the-art trends across assigned technical domains.

Minimum Qualifications:

• BS in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering or related field with six years of relevant work experience or MS with four years of relevant work experience or PhD with fewer than two years of work experience
• Subject matter expertise in testing for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) including porous media testing (core flood experiments, spontaneous imbibition, and sand-pack evaluations) and fluid-rock testing.
• Subject matter expertise in interfacial science, including understanding or structure/properties relationship.
• Field experience and jobs designs.
• Ability to operate independently and as a part of a highly effective team.
• Demonstrate expertise and breadth of knowledge to solve challenges where precedents typically do not exist
• Ability to work with business counterparts to support our customers and new technology adoption.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Product development experience with taking a product from lab scale to commercial scale.
• Strong problem-solving skills and track record of successful innovation in the form of conference papers and/or patents.
• Rheology knowledge is a plus.
• Sand Control and polymers experience is a plus.
• Prior experience with mentoring and training other scientists.
• Ability to analyze and interpret complex data
• Project leadership/management experience
• Detail orientated and excellent time management skills
• Excellent written, oral, and visual communication skills to communicate effectively with all levels of the organization, both within and outside the business

Physical Demands:

• Role is deemed safety-sensitive and may be subject to employer or customer drug testing
• Must be able to lift up to 30 pounds

About Us:

ChampionX is now part of SLB, a global technology company driving energy innovation for a balanced planet. As innovators, that's been our mission for nearly a century. We are a technology company that unlocks access to energy for the benefit of all. As innovators, that's been our mission for nearly a century. Today, we face a global imperative to create a future with more energy, but less carbon. Our diverse, innovative change makers are focused on going further in innovation and inventing the new energy technologies we need to get there.

For more news and information, visit SLB.com. Follow us on Facebook at @WeAreSLBGlobal, LinkedIn: SLBGlobal, or Instagram at @SLBGlobal.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

We believe the best teams are diverse and inclusive, and we are on a journey to create a workplace where every employee can grow and achieve their best. We are committed to fair and equal treatment of employees and applicants. We recruit, hire, promote, transfer and provide opportunities for advancement on the basis of individual qualifications and job performance. In all matters affecting employment, compensation, benefits, working conditions, and opportunities for advancement, we will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, religion, color, creed, national origin, citizenship status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expressions, genetic information, marital status, age, disability, or status as a covered veteran.