Mechanical Engineer Jobs in Houston, TX

Join a team developing the next generation of drilling technology. The Senior Mechanical Engineer is a technical authority who leads the development of rugged, high-performance equipment, including innovative mechanisms, robotic and autonomous systems, precision motion systems, and other advanced mechanical solutions for demanding oilfield applications. The role sets the engineering approach for complex design challenges by reducing unfamiliar problems to first principles, defining loads and motions, evaluating competing concepts, and directing the analysis and validation needed to prove safe, reliable performance. This engineer leads projects through the complete product lifecycle—from research and concept development through detailed design, manufacturing, assembly, testing, field deployment, and continuous improvement—and owns how those solutions perform in the real world. Working across controls, Manufacturing, Quality, field operations, customers, and vendors, the position drives improvements to existing products, originates new concepts, supports patentable innovations, mentors engineers and designers, and influences engineering practices beyond individual projects.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.
• 8–12+ years of relevant engineering experience, including leading design of complex products or systems.
• Advanced proficiency with 3D parametric CAD software (AutoCAD, Solid Edge, SolidWorks, or Inventor), MathCAD, and simulation/FEA tools (SolidWorks Simulation or ANSYS).
• Demonstrated experience leading design reviews, root-cause investigations, and cross-functional technical efforts.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing/inventory software and spreadsheet and word processing software.
• Ability to read, comprehend, and write in English, and to communicate effectively with colleagues, customers, vendors, and leadership.
• Ability to solve complex problems with many variables and to make sound technical decisions with limited direction.
Valid driver license and valid passport required; domestic and international travel may be required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related discipline.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license.
• Deep expertise in machine design, strength of materials, metallurgy, thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid power.
• Extensive knowledge of drilling engineering principles, drilling practices, and drilling rigs.
• Demonstrated leadership in designing automated machinery, robotic mechanisms, precision motion systems, or other high-performance industrial equipment.
• Experience with oilfield regulatory requirements and industry standards.
Understanding of patents and intellectual property; experience originating invention disclosures and mentoring and developing engineers.

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Physical Requirements & Working Conditions

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to sit, stand or walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk, hear and smell. The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 45 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to vibration, risk of electrical shock, wet and/or humid conditions, moving mechanical parts, high and precarious places, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, outside weather conditions and extreme cold and heat. Any shop, yard, or rig-site visit requires compliance with applicable safety requirements and use of designated personal protective equipment. Nabors is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities; contact HR to request an accommodation.

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Work Authorization Requirement: Candidates must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Nabors does not provide work visa sponsorship for this position, now or in the future.

Essential functions are organized by the core skill domains required for this role. Each function describes a measurable outcome that draws on the identified skills.

Technical Leadership & Design Authority

Primary Skills: Mechanical Design • Design Leadership • Design Creativity • Design Review

• Lead concept development and detailed design for complex drilling equipment, robotic mechanisms, autonomous functions, and precision motion systems, defining architecture, requirements, and technical approach for assigned product lines.
• Generate, evaluate, and direct new mechanism concepts and upgrades to existing products, balancing performance, reliability, safety, manufacturability, lifecycle cost, and field serviceability.
Translate selected concepts into clear design definitions; lead design reviews, challenge assumptions, and approve models and drawings produced by engineers, designers, and drafters.

Advanced Engineering Analysis & Validation

Primary Skills: Engineering Calculations • Finite Element Analysis • Failure Analysis • Tolerance Analysis

• Reduce unfamiliar and high-consequence mechanical problems to first principles by defining load paths, forces, moments, motion, energy, speed, acceleration, duty cycles, and other governing requirements.
• Select, direct, and perform hand calculations, MathCAD analyses, kinematic studies, finite element analysis, and other methods needed to compare concepts and verify performance, strength, stiffness, fatigue life, and safety.
Define verification and validation plans, document assumptions and technical risks, correlate predictions with physical test and field results, and lead root-cause investigations and corrective design actions.

Product Lifecycle & Manufacturing Readiness

Primary Skills: Bill of Materials Management • Change Control • Manufacturing Software • Technical Documentation

• Ensure bills of material, assembly instructions, drawings, and engineering documentation are accurate, controlled, and ready for manufacturing.
• Establish and enforce design-release and change-control practices for assigned product lines.
Lead assigned projects through the full product lifecycle, partnering with Manufacturing and Quality to resolve build issues, direct testing and validation, support field deployment, and improve manufacturability, cost, quality, and reliability.

Stakeholder, Vendor & Customer Engagement

Primary Skills: Technical Communication • Vendor Management • Customer Management • Cross-functional Teamwork

• Serve as the engineering point of contact to Quality, Manufacturing, Marketing, field operations, and customers on assigned products.
• Evaluate and direct vendors on specifications, qualification, and technical issues.
Communicate design decisions, risks, and tradeoffs clearly to technical and executive audiences.

Safety, Standards & Team Development

Primary Skills: Safety Leadership • Regulatory Compliance • Oilfield Standards Knowledge • Mentoring

• Champion safety in design and participate in and contribute to company safety meetings.
• Ensure designs conform to oilfield regulatory requirements and industry standards, and contribute to company engineering standards and best practices.
Mentor and develop mechanical engineers and designers and provide technical direction on assigned projects.

NON-ESSENTIAL (ADDITIONAL) FUNCTIONS

• Lead or support research, prototyping, product testing, field trials, customer technical presentations, and field troubleshooting to turn operating feedback into better designs.
• Evaluate new design tools, materials, manufacturing technologies, and automation approaches and recommend adoption.
• Originate and develop invention disclosures and technical documentation that may support company intellectual property and patent applications.
• Perform other related duties consistent with the purpose and level of the role.