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Patterson-UTI's Drilling Automation team develops and deploys advanced automation technologies designed to improve drilling performance, consistency, safety, and efficiency.

The Product Development Manager, Drilling Automation Products is responsible for the performance, continuous improvement, adoption, and overall success of Patterson-UTI's drilling automation software products. This role serves as the primary product owner throughout the product lifecycle, connecting the needs of rig operations and customers with controls and software development, technical support, training, marketing, and other internal teams.

The Product Development Manager is accountable for ensuring products are functional, reliable, intuitive for the end user, effectively supported, and fully utilized where deployed. The role will translate operational and customer needs into clear product requirements, lead product testing and field validation, prioritize improvements based on field performance and user feedback, and ensure the organization is prepared to successfully deploy, support, market, and use each product.

This is a highly visible role requiring strong technical judgment, initiative, accountability, and the ability to drive results across multiple teams without relying solely on direct authority. The successful candidate will be highly motivated, comfortable managing a demanding workload and competing priorities, and capable of moving between detailed technical discussions, rig operations, product strategy, and customer conversations.

Detailed Description

• Own the performance, functionality, reliability, usability, adoption, and continuous improvement of assigned drilling automation products throughout their lifecycle.
• Develop a strong understanding of drilling operations, automation workflows, customer needs, and field challenges to identify opportunities for new products, features, and product improvements.
• Gather and analyze feedback from rig crews, operations personnel, customers, technical support teams, and other stakeholders to identify product issues, usability concerns, and opportunities for improvement.
• Translate operational needs, customer requirements, and product opportunities into clear functional requirements and acceptance criteria for controls and software development teams.
• Define product priorities and maintain a structured backlog of new functionality, enhancements, defects, and technical improvements in collaboration with development teams and business stakeholders.
• Partner closely with controls developers, software developers, technical leads, and other engineering resources throughout development to clarify requirements, evaluate design decisions, and ensure delivered functionality meets the intended product need.
• Develop product test plans and acceptance criteria and coordinate laboratory, simulated, and system-level testing to verify product functionality and performance prior to field deployment.
• Develop and execute field validation plans, including rig selection, deployment scope, success criteria, stakeholder alignment, implementation support, data collection, and evaluation of results.
• Travel to drilling rigs and other operational locations to observe product performance firsthand, engage with end users, troubleshoot issues, collect feedback, and identify opportunities to improve the product and user experience.
• Monitor product performance following deployment and drive timely resolution of software defects, reliability concerns, workflow issues, and other barriers to successful operation.
• Analyze product and operational data to evaluate performance, quantify benefits, identify opportunities for improvement, and support product development decisions.
• Drive utilization of deployed products by identifying the causes of low or inconsistent usage and working with operations, rig crews, training, technical support, and leadership to address barriers to adoption.
• Establish appropriate measures of product performance, utilization, reliability, and user adoption and regularly communicate product status, issues, opportunities, and priorities to stakeholders.
• Ensure rig crews and other end users receive appropriate training before using new products or significant new functionality. Develop or coordinate training materials, operating guidance, demonstrations, and other resources necessary for successful adoption.
• Ensure Controls Support and other technical support personnel have the documentation, troubleshooting guidance, system knowledge, and escalation processes necessary to effectively diagnose and resolve product issues.
• Partner with Marketing and commercial teams to develop product positioning, technical content, presentations, demonstrations, value propositions, and other materials needed to effectively communicate product capabilities and benefits.
• Serve as a technical and product resource during customer discussions, demonstrations, product reviews, and other commercial activities as needed.
• Support product launches and major software releases by coordinating readiness across development, testing, operations, training, technical support, marketing, and other affected organizations.
• Develop and maintain supporting product documentation, including functional requirements, test plans, validation plans, release documentation, operating guidance, training materials, technical presentations, and product performance summaries.
• Coordinate cross-functional activities and hold stakeholders accountable for actions required to successfully develop, validate, deploy, support, and improve assigned products.
• Manage multiple products, development initiatives, field issues, and organizational priorities simultaneously while maintaining urgency and attention to detail.
• Maintain awareness of drilling automation technologies, industry developments, competitor capabilities, and customer requirements to help guide future product development.

Job Requirements

• Ability to independently drive complex initiatives from an identified need through development, validation, deployment, and sustained field adoption.
• Strong technical aptitude with the ability to understand software-based controls and automation systems and effectively communicate with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of the product development process, including requirements development, testing, field validation, deployment, feedback collection, and iterative improvement.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to evaluate technical and operational information, identify root causes, and translate findings into actionable product improvements.
• Demonstrated ability to manage a large workload, prioritize competing demands, and consistently deliver results in a fast-paced, high-expectation environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to develop clear requirements, technical documentation, presentations, training content, and executive-level updates.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to establish credibility, develop relationships, influence decisions, and gain alignment across engineering, operations, support, commercial, and leadership teams.
• Willingness and ability to regularly visit drilling rig locations to develop subject matter expertise, observe product performance, support field validation, and engage directly with end users.
• Ability to professionally interact with customers and represent Patterson-UTI during product demonstrations, technical discussions, and field activities.
• Ability to safely navigate drilling rig, yard, shop, and other operational work environments while following all applicable safety and PPE requirements.
• Ability to travel as required, including travel to remote locations and occasional overnight, weekend, or after-hours work associated with product deployments, testing, or operational support.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, computer science, applied science, or a related technical discipline.
• 6+ years of experience in drilling, automation, controls, software product development, or a related technical field.
• Demonstrated experience working with cross-functional teams to develop, test, deploy, or support technical products or systems.
• Experience developing technical requirements, test plans, validation criteria, or similar product development documentation.

Preferred Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in drilling automation, drilling systems, controls, software development, or related oil and gas technology roles.
• Strong understanding of drilling rig operations, drilling workflows, and the operational environment in which drilling automation products are used.
• Experience with drilling control systems, rig automation systems, industrial controls, or software-based automation applications.
• Experience serving in a product management, product development, systems engineering, technical program management, or similar product ownership role.
• Experience taking software or automation products from concept through development, field validation, deployment, and sustained operational use.
• Experience evaluating product performance and utilization using operational or time-series data.
• Experience developing technical training, customer-facing product materials, or product demonstrations.

Additional Details

This position operates in a high-visibility, time-sensitive environment and requires a strong sense of ownership and urgency. The Product Development Manager will frequently work across organizational boundaries and will be expected to proactively identify problems, establish priorities, and drive issues to resolution.

The role requires regular interaction with drilling operations and may include travel to remote drilling locations during day or night operations. Variable work hours, including occasional weekends or after-hours support, may be required during field testing, product launches, critical deployments, or significant product issues.

Success in this role is measured not only by whether new functionality is delivered, but by whether the resulting products perform reliably, solve meaningful operational problems, are understood and supported by the organization, and are consistently utilized in the field.