Senior Petroleum Assay Characterization Specialist

Job Title: Senior Petroleum Assay Characterization Specialist

Location: United Arab Emirates (Remote)

Employment Type: Full-Time

Work Arrangement: 100% Remote — Work From Home

Level: Senior

About the Role

The Senior Petroleum Assay Characterization Specialist is responsible for analysing and evaluating crude oil, petroleum fractions, and refined hydrocarbon streams through technical review of laboratory assay data and material composition profiles. The role focuses on assessing physical and chemical properties, interpreting distillation characteristics, reviewing analytical test results, and developing detailed petroleum assay reports to support refining, trading, feedstock evaluation, and process optimisation activities.

Working remotely with refinery engineers, petroleum chemists, laboratory professionals, crude oil evaluation teams, and commercial stakeholders, the specialist provides technical insights into feedstock quality, product yields, processing suitability, and hydrocarbon value. This position is fully remote and centred on analytical interpretation, technical documentation, and virtual collaboration. Physical sampling, laboratory testing, sample preparation, and operation of analytical instruments must be performed by qualified local laboratory personnel.

Key Responsibilities

• Review and interpret crude oil assay reports, petroleum fraction analyses, and hydrocarbon characterisation datasets.
• Evaluate crude oil properties, including API gravity, density, viscosity, sulphur content, acidity, and other relevant quality parameters.
• Analyse true boiling point (TBP) distillation data and assess the distribution of petroleum fractions across relevant boiling ranges.
• Review simulated distillation results and compare analytical profiles with conventional distillation data.
• Characterise petroleum fractions such as naphtha, kerosene, diesel, gas oil, vacuum gas oil, and residual streams.
• Evaluate the composition and properties of light ends, middle distillates, heavy fractions, and refinery feedstocks.
• Analyse sulphur, nitrogen, metals, salt, carbon residue, and other contaminants affecting refinery processing requirements.
• Review laboratory data relating to hydrocarbon composition, paraffin, naphthene, aromatic, and asphaltene content.
• Assess crude oil compatibility and blending characteristics using available compositional and physical property data.
• Compare petroleum assays from different crude sources, production batches, suppliers, and delivery periods.
• Evaluate documented feedstock characteristics in relation to refinery configuration, processing constraints, and product yield expectations.
• Review assay data for consistency, completeness, analytical reliability, and compliance with relevant testing methodologies.
• Analyse correlations between crude properties, boiling point distribution, refinery product yields, and processing performance.
• Support the development and maintenance of petroleum assay databases, reference profiles, and technical evaluation templates.
• Prepare detailed crude oil assay summaries, fraction property tables, technical comparison reports, and feedstock assessment presentations.
• Investigate discrepancies between supplier assay certificates, independent laboratory results, and historical material specifications.
• Support root-cause analysis of unusual assay results, unexpected property variations, and documented feedstock quality deviations.
• Review laboratory methods and analytical documentation relating to petroleum characterisation, including recognised ASTM and ISO procedures.
• Coordinate remotely with laboratories and suppliers to clarify test conditions, obtain missing analytical information, and resolve reporting inconsistencies.
• Provide technical input to refinery planning, crude procurement, feedstock selection, and petroleum trading evaluation teams.
• Monitor changes in crude quality characteristics and identify trends that may affect refining economics or operational suitability.
• Maintain controlled records of assay data, analytical assumptions, technical evaluations, and material comparison outcomes.
• Support quality audits, supplier assessments, and technical due diligence involving crude oil and petroleum feedstock specifications.
• Monitor developments in petroleum analytical techniques, crude oil evaluation methodologies, and refining technology.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Petroleum Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Petrochemical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Master's degree in Petroleum Refining, Applied Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or Hydrocarbon Processing is preferred.
• Significant experience in petroleum assay analysis, crude oil characterisation, refinery laboratory services, or hydrocarbon quality evaluation.
• Strong understanding of crude oil properties, petroleum fractions, and refining feedstock characteristics.
• Experience interpreting TBP distillation curves, simulated distillation results, and petroleum fraction distributions.
• Knowledge of API gravity, density, viscosity, sulphur content, acidity, and other key petroleum quality indicators.
• Familiarity with hydrocarbon composition analysis, including PONA or PIONA characterisation and related analytical approaches.
• Understanding of petroleum contaminants, including sulphur compounds, nitrogen compounds, metals, salts, and asphaltenes.
• Experience reviewing analytical results generated through gas chromatography, simulated distillation, and other petroleum testing techniques.
• Familiarity with ASTM, ISO, and other recognised petroleum testing standards and laboratory methodologies.
• Knowledge of crude oil blending, feedstock compatibility, and refinery processing requirements.
• Understanding of refinery configurations and the relationship between feedstock characteristics and product yield.
• Experience preparing crude oil assay reports, technical evaluations, and petroleum quality comparison studies.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, petroleum assay databases, and technical data analysis applications.
• Familiarity with refinery planning, crude procurement, or petroleum trading support systems is an advantage.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex laboratory datasets.
• Excellent technical writing and communication skills, including the ability to present findings to engineering and commercial stakeholders.
• Ability to manage multiple analytical assignments and collaborate effectively in a fully remote environment.

What We Offer

• A 100% remote working arrangement based in the United Arab Emirates.
• Opportunities to contribute to crude oil evaluation, refinery feedstock assessment, and petroleum quality analysis.
• Collaboration with petroleum engineers, refinery specialists, laboratory professionals, and commercial teams.
• Opportunities for professional development in petroleum characterisation, refining technology, and hydrocarbon analytics.
• A technically focused role involving analytical interpretation, technical reporting, and feedstock evaluation.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit an updated CV highlighting their experience in petroleum assay analysis, crude oil characterisation, refinery laboratory services, hydrocarbon quality assessment, or petroleum engineering.

Application Subject: Application – Senior Petroleum Assay Characterization Specialist (UAE Remote)

• Candidates should confirm applicable employment arrangements, residency requirements, and work authorisation before accepting an offer. This position is 100% remote and does not require routine on-site attendance. Physical crude oil sampling, sample preparation, laboratory testing, analytical instrument operation, and refinery inspections must be performed by qualified local personnel. The specialist's responsibilities are limited to remote assay data analysis, technical documentation review, feedstock characterisation, and engineering recommendations. Commercial approvals, regulated trading activities, formal product certifications, and statutory technical sign-offs must be completed by appropriately authorised professionals.