About Steve Gomez
Steve Gomez is a Founder and Professor in the Practice with a strong background in engineering, robotics, and educational technology. He is the Founder of Gradual Robotics, LLC, a consultancy focused on helping experts transition to expert leadership in Industry 4.0, and a Professor in the Practice at Rice University, teaching engineering leadership. Prior to his current roles, he spent over two decades at Schlumberger in various global management and engineering positions, specializing in knowledge management, training, and new product development for downhole drilling tools.
Career
Faculty
Professor in the Practice, Rice Center of Engineering Leadership | School of Engineering
Educating engineering leaders on skills needed to become effective engineering managers in Industry 4.0 in the evening-based hybrid on-line and on-campus RICE MEML Master's program.
Reach out to me if you are interested in attending the MEML Master's program, recruiting high-tier student engineering leaders, or guest speaking in my class.
Founder
Founded startup consultancy to help people struggling with how to grow their expertise into expert leadership within Industry 4.0. Proven results with Engineers, K-20 Teachers and Students. Complex problem visualization through use of proprietary educational technology involving robotic and systems thinking digital blocks. Gradual Robotics name was inspired by punctuated equilibrium theory and the systems thinking of roboticists.
Global Manager: Knowledge Management for Metier, Recruiting, Training & Development, Career Ladder
I led the effort to meet a multi-billion dollar business strategy through empowering people and helped author our SWP. Working closely with Senior Executives and Human Resource managers, I was responsible for Knowledge Management, Recruiting, Training and Development, and Recognition of the global engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain population. I also led the Innovation, Leadership, and New Recruit training programs. I managed the talent and learning management systems (TMS and LMS) and provided instructional design and project management guidance.
Department Manager: Common Enterprise Technology and Quality Function
Helped the business save millions of dollars by standardizing and developing common products, services, and workflows. Working with other Division Managers, I led project managers who were responsible for identifying and developing common mechanical technology utilized across Schlumberger. Utilized Lean Six Sigma, project management, Obeya Rooms, simulation, and resonant leadership.
Project Manager: Special Project on Motor Technology
Helped the business internalize key competitive knowledge. Responsible for creating a strategic project plan for improving the reliability of workflows, software and hardware related to electric motors used in Drilling and Wireline Divisions. Decided what to out source and what to keep in house. Designed and developed the first electric motor designed in house.
Project Manager - Power and Conveyance via Robot Devices
Managed new product development teams responsible for developing downhole robotic tractors. Interfaced with Supply Chain, Reliability, Manufacturing departments to ensure concurrent engineering. Trained in Lean Six Sigma and Engineering techniques pioneered by Toyota.
Technology Manager - Educational Technology to Bridge the Digital Divide in Global K-12 Schools
Based on my engineering accomplishments and K-12 volunteering, I was given the opportunity to work directly for Schlumberger's global educational nonprofit for a 1.5 year assignment. This allowed me to travel the world and share my passion for engineering and K-12 education with the students of the world. The Schlumberger Excellence in Educational Development program is aimed at K-12 students worldwide. I was responsible for the identification and development of sustainable educational technology. Challenges included design for child safety, and localization of support documentation and technology.
Project Manager - Power and Telemetry Automated Drilling Device
Managed Houston and Paris based new product development teams responsible for developing and upgrading down hole directional drilling tools which provided geometric surveys, gamma ray formation measurement to clients. The tools also provided power and telemetry for the entire down hole tool string. The commercial names for the tools are Telescope and Digiscope.
Engineer - Mechanical and Electric Systems
Responsible for the global deployment of the SlimPulse mechanical pulser fleet, a
slim hole directional drilling tool. Responsibilities included traveling to
remote locations for field testing, reporting, root cause analysis, and
transferring the design to manufacturing.
Designed a precision servo actuated down hole SlimPulse mud pulser. Responsible for the
design of the electric motor, gearbox, drive shaft, mud pulser. Designed
and executed the functional and harsh environment qualification tests for
the system.
Instructor
Taught course on Education & Technology.
Intern - Optics Division
Developed numerical model of a bouncing ball scanner used to optimize the physical scanner design.
Intern - Optics Division
Researched and developed a novel scanner
mechanism on a $20,000 budget. Patent issued.
Intern - MIT Newman Biomechanics Laboratory
Determined the feasibility of a novel electric motor designed to be the electromechanical analog of human muscle. Paper published.
Intern - Electronic Specialties Group
Redesigned automotive wire splices for low cost manufacturing. Gained
knowledge in design for manufacturing methods. Also realized the
importance of harness design in reliability.
Intern - Magnetic Technologies Division
Participated in a magnetic jet flow visualization project. I incorporated
acquired data in a 3-D visualization software. Gained knowledge in
research and design methods.
Intern - Orthopaedics
Researched current and future tibial component designs for the knee
prosthesis. Gained knowledge in knee mechanics and anatomy, and bone
composition. Scrubbed in to view two surgeries!
Education
Studying for Doctor of Education
Studying for Doctor of Education - Chief Learning Officer Program
Master of Science (MS)
Master of Science (MS) - Mechanical Engineering
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree - Mechanical Engineering
High School Diploma
High School Diploma
Skills
Core technical and professional competencies derived from decades of engineering, management, and educational leadership.
Robotics Engineering
Downhole Drilling Tools
New Product Development (NPD)
System Design
Lean Six Sigma
Project Management
Mechanical Engineering
Electric Motor Design
Knowledge Management
Training & Development
Instructional Design
Educational Technology
K-12 Education Outreach
Curriculum Development
Engineering Leadership
Global Team Management
Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP)
Talent Management
Resonant Leadership
Consulting
Industry 4.0
Oil & Gas Technology
Higher Education
Portfolio Career Development
Domains
Oil & Gas Technology, Engineering Leadership, Educational Technology
Robotics, Knowledge Management, Higher Education
Tags
Educator, Engineering Leader, Consultant, Inventor, Global Manager
Purpose-Driven, Strategic, Systems Thinker, Collaborative, Experienced
Industry 4.0 Transition, Expert Leadership, Portfolio Career
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