Careers

Jean-Philippe Azpiazu joined Vermilion as an operator in France in 1997. Just two years later, he was put in charge of the mechanical maintenance for the Aquitaine Basin.

"Over the years, Vermilion has offered me both personal and team opportunities. I am today lead production operator for Southern France. Vermilion recognizes the value added of their employees and gives them the chance to progress in their careers. Vermilion, a dynamic company with a clear vision, also allows me to lead the local volunteer fire and rescue team, which includes firemen, nurses and doctors. I enjoy Vermilion's quest for excellence and continuous improvement."

How do you get to live in seaside Biscarrosse, France, for 3 years? Unpacking boxes, Production Engineer Kyle Murphy explains.

"While at U of C, I interned at Vermilion in Drayton Valley and Slave Lake, and when traveling before my final year, I checked out Vermilion's operations in France. That got me hooked. I thought how phenomenal it would be to work here, so when Vermilion hired me in 2005, I indicated this was a long-term goal. Now I'm synchronizing my work and life experiences, working with fantastic people - and improving on the functional French I learned in Grade 9 in Quebec."

Manfred Steffens joined Vermilion as HSE (Health, Safety & Environment) Coordinator, when the Trust bought the onshore assets of Total where he had worked for 12 years. Manfred’s role has since expanded to include government and public affairs.

"The excitement was in a new company this size entering the Netherlands. We've stabilized tail-end production, drilled 3 new wells (demonstrating our capabilities in a country with little onshore activity) and are preparing for an exciting exploration program. I see our efforts converted into Vermilion's results and this provides me a high level of satisfaction. This job asks for a lot of energy but in fact, it provides me energy."

From Concept to Commission in 12 Months was the title of a paper Rufus Ashiedu, Operations Manager of the Wandoo Field, presented in Australia based on the project to increase capacity on Vermilion's offshore platform. "The Company offers the right environment for you to be your best. You have freedom balanced with accountability to run your project or operations," says Rufus.

"A definite plus is the high level of interaction with Bob, Keith and the Calgary technical team, which includes phone/video - conferencing about 3 times a week. Decisions are transparent and pragmatic, there's no ambiguity and no gold-plating-management is after the good of the business and that is very encouraging."

"I like the people here," says Leslie Bodell. "When I joined Vermilion seven years ago as a Senior Payable Administration Accountant, there were only five people in the department. Today, there are more than 20. It's bigger, but Vermilion does a great job of hiring people who fit into the group. And the Company's always been very generous about including employee spouses and families in company events." Leslie is now Vermilion's Treasury Analyst "looking after the day-to-day banking and working with our financial managers in the four countries where we operate. It's a new position reflecting our growth."

Dion Hatcher joined Vermilion in Calgary in 2005 after working for a major. "The big attraction was the direct impact I could have on the Company's success. Vermilion is a Canadian company with international assets in very attractive places. As well, the Company is in growth mode. With our 2006 acquisition, we've essentially doubled our assets in France, which led to my new job as Team Leader for the Aquitaine Basin.

Dion Hatcher was an Asset Team Leader, France Aquitaine Basin from October 1, 2006 until October 31, 2007.

"What I find very interesting & motivating at Vermilion is the wide range of opportunities in Canada and internationally," says engineer Darcy Kerwin. Initially hired in 2005 to work in France, Darcy says he "jumped at the opportunity to be the Transition Manager of the newly acquired Wandoo asset in Australia. The biggest challenge (and reward) was trying to rapidly build a team, culture and strong reputation." Darcy has since been seconded to France, where he's held two different and equally rewarding positions. "Whether it's Australia, France, the Netherlands or Canada, Vermilion attracts talented, hard-working & open people who are focused on results."