Principal Exploration Geoscientist

Texas, United States of America
** Job Family Group:
** Geosciences
* * Worker Type:
** Regular
* * Posting

Start Date:

** January 26, 2026
** Business Unit:
** Upstream
* * Experience Level:
** Experienced Professionals
*
* Job Description:

**** What’s the role
** Shell is seeking a Principal Exploration Geoscientist to join its team in Houston.

The Exploration, Strategy and Portfolio (ESP) organization focuses on the Exploration & Appraisal components of the Hydrocarbon value chain across the world. We are looking for a Geoscientist with integrated exploration evaluation experience with an expertise in generating prospect portfolios preferably with experience in deepwater depositional settings.

Accountabilities:
* Reports to one of the team leads within the Opportunity Identification/Emerging Ventures organization in ESP
* Leads projects and delivers regional play-based evaluations, matures opportunities to drill, and participates in appraisal workflows
* Deliver and lead high quality integrated subsurface evaluations leading to impactful decisions towards acreage access or drilling activities
* Work with an integrated group of subsurface professionals across a play/basin
* Work at a basin scale as well as at a lead/prospect scale
* Monitor and understand competitor activity
* Work closely with the assets to ensure an end-to-end delivery of projects, reducing handover and cycle time
** What you bring
*** Must have legal authorization to work in the US on a full-time basis for anyone other than current employer
* Must have Master's or PhD degree in Geoscience is preferred
* Exploration geoscientist with 15 years relevant experience
* Must be a geologist or geophysicist with proven expertise in seismic interpretation, prospect evaluation, and exploration, along with technical delivery track record
* Must have mastery in at least one of the following areas, and proficiency in the others:
Lead-to-Prospect Maturation, QC seismic data/provide geologic scenarios, Prospect-to-Well Delivery, regional play-based evaluation (PBE);
Project management and project leadership
* Must have experience in at least one of the following:
Manage Seismic Processing Projects, Play identification, Lead Portfolio Generation, New Business/Farm-in, Heartland Rejuvenation PBE;
Deepwater depositional systems
* Exploration mindset to evaluate and communicate a range of credible subsurface scenarios that can lead to new opportunities. Comfortable to manage & communicate high subsurface uncertainty
* Clear on intent: end-to-end mindset, focus efforts on key risks & uncertainties that will inform the decision in hand. Know when to stop
* Best-in-class data and information management skills, and demonstratable willingness to experiment with new workflows
* Ability to communicate how multi-discipline and multi-source evaluations are integrated in support of play-based evaluations and/or prospect maturation
* Exhibits leadership behaviors able to lead integrated project maturation and by demonstrating a learner mindset, maximizing the team’s performance, and living the organization’s core values of respect and inclusiveness
** What we offer
** The base salary range for this position is $234,000 - $350,000 per year.  Individual pay will be based on various factors, such as relevant work experience, education, certifications, skill level, seniority, and internal equity.
For regular full-time or regular part-time employees of the Company (participating companies as listed in the Summary Plan Description), insurance coverage options include medical, dental, vision coverage, life Insurance, Business Travel Accident Insurance, and Occupational Accidental Death Benefit programs. Employees also participate in a company pension plan and a 401(k) plan. Paid leave includes up to 6 weeks of paid vacation time, up to 11 paid holidays, and parental leave offering 16 weeks of paid leave for birthing parents, and 8 weeks of paid leave for non-birthing parents.

Additionally, employees are eligible for short-term disability leave for up to 26 weeks at 100% or 50% of base pay as well as Long-Term Disability insurance. Shell also offers other compensation such financial…