Systems Planning & Optimization Manager

Position Summary

The Manager, Systems Planning & Optimization leads the planning and optimization of Pilot Water Solutions produced water gathering, disposal, and recycling systems. This role converts customer development plans and forecasted water volumes into a clear infrastructure scope, owns the system-wide hydraulic models, and delivers planning design basis documents, preliminary routing, and budgetary AFE estimates to the project execution team. This individual supervises engineers, drives throughput and cost optimization across PWS’s infrastructure and keeps the system compliant with state injection and seismicity limits. Level and salary commensurate with experience. This position is located in Houston, Texas, and reports to the Senior Director, Facilities & Infrastructure.

Pilot Water Solutions (“PWS”) is the most reliable name in water midstream. PWS is a full service, full life cycle water midstream company with assets across Permian, Eagle Ford, Rockies, Haynesville, and Appalachia. With strategically located assets in the core of its basins, Pilot Water Solutions is positioned to meet the needs of its customers with best-in-class service and reliability.

Essential Job Duties

• Owns and maintains the system-wide hydraulic models, including transient studies for water hammer, surge, and slack flow, to evaluate pressure profiles, flow assurance, and expansion scenarios.

• Forecasts produced water volumes with commercial, reservoir, and operations teams, and sizes pipelines, pumps, and storage against multi-year drilling schedules.

• Develops project scopes, front-end engineering, and cost estimates to secure capital funding for system expansions.

• Delivers planning design basis documents, preliminary right-of-way and easement packages, and budgetary AFE estimates to the Capital Projects team for execution.

• Coordinates with Land, Drilling & Completions, Operations, Commercial, Procurement, and Regulatory to confirm scope, volume commitments, and contract obligations.

• Supports program-level CAPEX planning, verifies cost model inputs with Project Controls, and resolves planning obstacles to keep the program ready for execution.

• Analyzes SCADA and operational data to eliminate bottlenecks, maximize injection rates, and SWD utilization to lower operating costs.

• Optimizes pump selection and chemical dosing, including scale inhibitor, biocide, and friction reducer, and models water blending to prevent scaling, corrosion, and iron precipitation.

• Maintains buffer storage across pit networks and tank farms to avoid well shut-ins during disposal facility outages.

• Monitors injection rates and downhole pressures to maintain compliance with Texas Railroad Commission and New Mexico OCD limits, including induced seismicity requirements, and supports permitting and leak detection systems.

• Develops KPIs and dashboards that keep leadership, JV partners, and regulatory agencies informed on asset reliability and performance.

• Supervises, mentors, and develops planning engineers, and participates in hiring, performance management, and disciplinary processes.

• Reviews and approves assigned procurement, including purchase orders and invoices, for accuracy and timeliness.

• Adheres to and leads by example on Company policies and procedures, including KPA, JSAs, training, incident reports, and safety observations.

• Performs other duties as assigned based on business needs and growth.

This job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities of the position. Incumbents will be expected to follow other job-related duties outside of their normal responsibilities as assigned by their supervisor based on business needs.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering

• 10 years of oil and gas relevant experience.

• Strong organization, planning and time-management skills for multiple priorities.

• Strong communication skills with the ability to build relationships at all levels of organization.

• Proficient in MS office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)

• Proactive problem-solver with strong critical and analytic skills

• Professional, tactful, and discrete when handling sensitive and confidential information.

• Able to adapt in a fast-paced environment.

• Able to travel as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• 15 years of oil and gas relevant experience

• Supervisory experience

• Midstream experience specific to Facility Engineering and/or Planning engineering

• Experience with HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) Pipeline Construction

• Experience with Saltwater Disposal Facilities (SWD) and SWD Construction

• Working Knowledge of AMSE B31.3, B16.5, Plastic Pipe Institute (PPI) Handbook

Physical Requirements & Working Conditions

• Must be able to sit for extended periods of time at a desk and working on a computer/laptop

• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds

• Standard office environment.

• When traveling to the field:

  • Must be able to stand, bend, walk, kneel, climb stairs and lift over 50lbs for continuous hours.

  • May be exposed to loud noises, occupational hazards, and/or other outdoor elements

  • Must be able to withstand extreme weather conditions, including but not limited to, extreme hot, extreme cold, wind, rain, hail, dust, snow, sleet, ice, etc. as well as wet/humid and/or dry/arid conditions.

  • May be exposed to H2S and other industry related chemicals.

  • May be subject to working in low-lit areas.

  • May encounter wildlife.

Equipment Used

• Computer/laptop

• Desk phone and mobile phone

• Multi-purpose copier/printer

• Standard office supplies

• Company Vehicle as needed.

• Field tools and equipment.