Varied Work
One of the pros of procurement engineer jobs is that the work usually is highly varied. You are not going to be stuck performing a single task repeatedly all day long. You can do many things from negotiating with vendors to inspecting or handling new equipment. The job is rarely boring within the oil and gas industry since your employer will constantly need new equipment and parts.
Heavy Workloads
A downside of these types of jobs is that the workload can be very heavy for long periods of time. You are always going to be busy. You will have to juggle multiple tasks and meet many different deadlines. This can cause a large amount of stress when new parts or equipment are needed quickly in order to complete a job somewhere else.
Good Salary
Something that causes many people to pursue procurement engineer jobs is the salary. These types of jobs pay very well especially in the oil and gas industry. You can expect a fairly good starting salary. Your salary will increase as you grow in experience over the years. Exceptional performance in your position can just increase your salary even more.
You Need To Learn a Large Amount
Something that can potentially be a drawback is the fact that you need to learn a large amount of information to be a procurement engineer. You need to have some engineering or mechanical knowledge as well as familiarity with the oil and gas industry. Additionally, you will have to constantly learn new things in order to keep up with technology, regulations and a changing industry.
Stay In Demand
A positive aspect of procurement engineer jobs is that there will always be a need for these positions. Procurement engineers do a job that cannot be automated, ignored or turned over to a computer. Oil and gas companies will need more people in these positions as the businesses grow and expand into new areas. You can be confident that you will always be able to find work when you decide to become a procurement engineer even if technology changes.
Travel Is Frequently Required
A drawback for many people is that procurement engineer jobs frequently require you to travel. You have to travel to the different worksites or manufacturing facilities in order to review equipment, examine manufacturing procedures and talk to equipment vendors. You might have to travel for weeks at a time for larger companies in order to reach all the sites. You are likely to have to travel internationally if you are working for a major oil and gas producer. This can sometimes be disruptive to your normal home life.