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Head of Drilling

Zanskar
Full-time
On-site
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Role Overview 
Title: Head of Drilling
Hours: Full Time; Salaried
Location: Salt Lake City, UT - Hybrid
Benefits Eligible: Yes
Leader: COO

Mission – Why we exist and why we need you 

Geothermal energy is the most abundant renewable energy source in the world. There is 2,300 times more energy in geothermal heat in the ground than in oil, gas, coal, and methane combined. However, historically it’s been hard to find and expensive to develop. At Zanskar, we’re using better technology to find and develop new geothermal resources in order to make geothermal a cheap and vital contributor to a carbon-free electrical grid. We are revolutionizing the exploration process, setting new industry standards for discovery rates and finding new prospects at an unprecedented scale.

- Risk & Safety Culture: Deep commitment to safety and environmental stewardship, with experience in challenging drilling conditions,  operations and emergency preparedness.
- Extensive Drilling Expertise: 10+ years of progressive experience in drilling engineering and/or operations, preferably including geothermal, with consideration also to on-shore, unconventional O&G, and/or high-complexity wells. Proven record of delivering complex drilling programs at scale.
- Leadership & Team Development: Experience managing multidisciplinary teams and fostering high performance under changing field conditions.
- Vendor & Budget Management: Track record of managing large drilling programs with multiple rigs running in parallel and annual budgets >$100M+, focusing on continuous improvement and contractor performance. Able to lead high-stakes negotiations and contract management.
- Strategic & Operational Balance: Ability to operate at both strategic and tactical levels. Comfortable defining multi-year roadmaps while also getting hands-on with field execution.
- Field-First Mindset: Willingness and ability to travel 30-40% of the time to field sites and drilling locations. Ability to lead by example on-site and build trust with internal and external stakeholders.

Outcomes-Problems You'll Solve

    • Strategic Leadership: Develop and own the long-term drilling and completions strategy across Zanskar’s portfolio, aligning with exploration, development, and commercialization timelines.
    • Operational Execution: Oversee execution of all drilling campaigns, from thermal gradient wells to full-scale production/injection well programs. Ensure projects are executed on time, on budget, and with a safety-first mindset.
    • Team Management: Direct and grow a high-performing drilling operations team, including the Drilling Engineer and Drilling Superintendent. Provide mentorship, performance management, and strategic direction.
    • Innovation & R&D Integration: Partner with internal R&D teams to pilot and scale novel drilling techniques. Be a driver of innovation, bringing experimental methods from lab to field.
    • Vendor Strategy: Own the full lifecycle of vendor engagement—from RFPs to contract negotiation and performance evaluation. Establish long-term strategic partnerships with key drilling and equipment suppliers.
    • Regulatory & Compliance: Serve as the senior technical lead in engagement with regulatory bodies. Ensure full compliance across all HSE, permitting, and well control standards.
    • Cost Optimization & Risk Management: Use data-driven practices to reduce drilling costs and improve success rates, while implementing risk assessment frameworks that support Zanskar’s high-paced innovation culture.
    • Reporting & Communication: Provide executive-level reporting on drilling program KPIs, risks, budgets, and key milestones to the COO and company leadership.

Competencies – What we’re looking for

    • Extensive Drilling Expertise: 10+ years of progressive experience in drilling engineering and/or operations, including geothermal, unconventional O&G, or high-complexity wells. Proven record of delivering complex drilling programs at scale.
    • Leadership & Team Development: Experience managing multidisciplinary teams and fostering high performance under changing field conditions.
    • Vendor & Budget Management: Track record of managing large drilling budgets ($10M+) and contractor performance. Able to lead high-stakes negotiations and contract management.
    • Strategic & Operational Balance: Ability to operate at both strategic and tactical levels. Comfortable defining multi-year roadmaps while also getting hands-on with field execution.

Location and Benefits

    • The position is based out of our headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah
    • Benefits include:
    • Paid holidays
    • 15 days PTO + PTO accrual increase based on tenure
    • Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage
    • 401k 
    • Stock options
    • Growth opportunities at a company with a direct impact in displacing carbon emissions
Equal Opportunity Employer 
Zanskar is an equal-opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practice laws.
Apply now
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