How to Apply to Repsol

10 min read Last updated April 20, 2026 4 open positions
Blake Crosley
Blake Crosley Researched using publicly available information, hiring data, and ATS analysis.

Key Takeaways

  • Repsol is an integrated Spanish energy major in an explicit multi-decade transition, not a pure-play renewables company; understanding and respecting that duality is the single most important framing for any interview.
  • Applications run through Workday at repsol.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com, and your Workday profile becomes a permanent candidate record used across every future application.
  • Spanish at B2 or higher is a practical requirement for Madrid and Iberian industrial roles; English at B2 or higher is required for international, upstream, and trading positions. Declare CEFR levels explicitly on the CV.
  • The 1999 YPF acquisition and the 2012 Argentine expropriation are foundational to Repsol's current posture; candidates for international, upstream, or legal roles should understand this history and not romanticize emerging-market upside.
  • CEO Josu Jon Imaz, in post since 2014, has anchored the company to net-zero by 2050 while defending cash generation from hydrocarbons; interviewers will test whether you grasp that trade-off honestly.
  • Compensation for entry-level engineers in Spain typically ranges from EUR 35,000 to 55,000 base, scaling to EUR 80,000 to 130,000 for senior engineers and technical specialists, with variable bonus and benefits defined largely by the Convenio Colectivo rather than individual negotiation.
  • Competing Iberian energy employers (Iberdrola, Endesa, Naturgy, Cepsa, Moeve, Acciona Energia, EDP) actively court the same Spanish engineering talent pool; many Repsol offers are lost not to rejection but to better packages elsewhere, especially in pure renewables.
  • International mobility is assumed for most technical career paths; expect to spend tours in countries such as Trinidad, Algeria, Peru, Brazil, Indonesia, the US Gulf, or the North Sea if you join the upstream or LNG tracks.
  • Repsol promotes from within and runs multi-year development programs; short-term career thinking signals poorly, while long-horizon commitment to the transition and the company reads as a major positive.

About Repsol

Repsol S.A. is a Madrid-headquartered integrated energy company founded in 1987, when the Spanish government consolidated its state-owned petroleum assets (INH, Enpetrol, Campsa, Butano, and related entities) under a single corporate umbrella ahead of privatization. Spain completed Repsol's privatization in 1997, and the company trades on the Bolsa de Madrid under the ticker REP, with a secondary history on NYSE as an ADR. In 1999 Repsol executed one of the largest Spanish acquisitions of the era by purchasing Argentina's YPF for roughly USD 15 billion, creating Repsol YPF and transforming the company from a regional Iberian refiner into a Latin America-weighted upstream player. That bet unraveled in 2012 when Argentina's Fernandez-de-Kirchner government expropriated 51 percent of YPF via emergency decree, stripping Repsol of control of its crown jewel; after years of arbitration Spain and Repsol settled for USD 5 billion in Argentine sovereign bonds in 2014. Since then, Repsol has rebuilt around an integrated model: upstream exploration and production in roughly 14 countries, refining at five Spanish complexes plus Sines in Portugal, petrochemicals through Repsol Quimica, a downstream network of about 3,500 service stations across Iberia and Latin America, and a fast-growing low-carbon business spanning solar, onshore wind, offshore wind consortia, biofuels, green hydrogen, and EV charging. The company employs roughly 24,000 people worldwide. CEO Josu Jon Imaz, a Basque chemical engineer and former politician who took the helm in 2014, has directed the transition strategy, committing Repsol to net-zero emissions by 2050 while continuing to generate cash from hydrocarbons. Investors and employees should understand that Repsol is explicitly a transition company rather than a pure-play renewables story: oil and gas still fund the majority of capex, and the tension between legacy barrels and new electrons runs through every function, every office, and every career path inside the firm.

Application Process

  1. 1
    Create a candidate profile on the Repsol careers portal at repsol

    Create a candidate profile on the Repsol careers portal at repsol.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com, which runs on Workday. You can register with email and password or use LinkedIn OAuth; Workday will store your profile, CV, and application history across every future Repsol role you apply to, so invest in filling it completely the first time.

  2. 2
    Search roles by business unit (Upstream, Industrial, Commercial and Renewables,

    Search roles by business unit (Upstream, Industrial, Commercial and Renewables, Client, Corporate) and by country. Spanish-language postings dominate Madrid corporate and Iberian industrial sites, while international assignments in Trinidad, Algeria, Brazil, Indonesia, the US Gulf, and the North Sea are usually posted in English. Filter carefully: the same job family can be listed under multiple legal entities.

  3. 3
    Submit your application with a CV tailored to the specific requisition

    Submit your application with a CV tailored to the specific requisition. Workday parses your resume into structured fields; review the parsed output before submitting because errors in dates, employers, or degrees will follow you through screening. Attach a short cover letter in the language of the posting.

  4. 4
    If your profile matches, a Repsol Talent Acquisition recruiter will reach out vi

    If your profile matches, a Repsol Talent Acquisition recruiter will reach out via email or phone for a 30 to 45 minute screen covering motivation, mobility, language skills, salary expectations, and a high-level review of your background. Expect questions in Spanish for Madrid roles even when the posting is bilingual.

  5. 5
    Technical and panel interviews follow, typically two to four rounds

    Technical and panel interviews follow, typically two to four rounds. For engineering, subsurface, and industrial roles you will face technical case questions, site-specific operational scenarios, and a meeting with the hiring manager plus one or two senior peers. Corporate and commercial roles lean more on competency-based interviewing aligned to Repsol's leadership model.

  6. 6
    Finalist candidates for specialist or leadership roles complete a psychometric a

    Finalist candidates for specialist or leadership roles complete a psychometric and competency assessment (often administered through a third-party platform) and a final interview with the function head or a director. Background checks, degree verification, and reference checks run in parallel for offer-stage candidates.

  7. 7
    An offer is issued through Workday with base salary, variable bonus target, bene

    An offer is issued through Workday with base salary, variable bonus target, benefits summary, and collective-bargaining-agreement reference. Most Iberian roles fall under the Convenio Colectivo de Repsol, which governs vacation, shift premiums, and seniority progression. Expect one to three months between application and signed offer for standard roles, longer for international or executive positions.

Resume Tips for Repsol

recommended

Lead with the specific energy subdomain you belong to (upstream reservoir engine

Lead with the specific energy subdomain you belong to (upstream reservoir engineering, downstream refining, petrochemicals, trading, renewables development, digital, HSE, etc.). Repsol screens by function first, geography second; a vague 'energy professional' framing will lose to candidates who state their discipline in the first line.

recommended

Quantify industrial and operational impact with units the industry recognizes: b

Quantify industrial and operational impact with units the industry recognizes: barrels per day, throughput capacity, availability percentage, OEE, MWp installed, CAPEX managed in euros or dollars, LTIF reduction, emissions intensity. Generic 'improved efficiency' bullets are invisible next to 'raised CDU availability from 94.2 to 97.1 percent over 18 months.'

recommended

Declare language proficiency explicitly using CEFR levels (A2, B1, B2, C1, C2)

Declare language proficiency explicitly using CEFR levels (A2, B1, B2, C1, C2). Spanish at B2 or higher is a practical requirement for Madrid corporate roles and most Iberian industrial sites; English at B2 minimum is required for any role that touches international upstream, trading, or technology partnerships. Portuguese, Arabic, Bahasa, and Norwegian are pluses for specific business units.

recommended

Name the ATS systems, process simulators, and engineering suites you have used:

Name the ATS systems, process simulators, and engineering suites you have used: Workday for HR, SAP S4 HANA for operations, Aspen HYSYS and Petrel for technical work, PI System for real-time data, Power BI and Palantir Foundry for analytics. Repsol is deep into its digital transformation and screens for tool fluency.

recommended

For renewables and new-business roles, separate megawatts developed from megawat

For renewables and new-business roles, separate megawatts developed from megawatts operating, and distinguish project development stages (origination, permitting, financial close, construction, commissioning, operations). Repsol is building a utility-scale portfolio and wants candidates who speak the project-finance vocabulary.

recommended

For HSE and sustainability roles, cite the specific frameworks you have implemen

For HSE and sustainability roles, cite the specific frameworks you have implemented: ISO 14001, ISO 45001, IOGP life-saving rules, Process Safety Management, GHG Protocol, TCFD, CSRD. Repsol publishes an integrated sustainability report and expects candidates who can map directly onto it.

recommended

Keep the CV to two pages for non-executive roles and use the European CV convent

Keep the CV to two pages for non-executive roles and use the European CV conventions the Spanish market expects: photograph optional but common, date of birth and nationality optional and acceptable to omit, education dates in reverse chronological order with institution and city, a clear separation between professional experience and projects.

recommended

Tailor the CV to the specific requisition's language

Tailor the CV to the specific requisition's language. Submit a Spanish version for Madrid and Iberian industrial roles, an English version for international upstream and trading roles, and maintain both in your Workday profile so you can switch quickly without re-parsing.

ATS System: Workday

Interview Culture

Repsol's interview culture blends Spanish corporate formality with the technical rigor of a large industrial operator and the change-management vocabulary of a company in strategic transition.

Expect the first interaction to be punctual, courteous, and relatively formal: Spanish business culture still favors usted in first meetings with senior leaders, handshakes over hugs, and a clear sense of hierarchy that relaxes only after trust is established. Dress is business formal at the Madrid Campus on Calle Mendez Alvaro and business casual at refineries and renewables project sites, though candidates are expected to err on the conservative side for any interview. Interviews usually start with small talk in Spanish even when the role is international, and recruiters often switch into English mid-conversation to test working fluency; do not assume the language of the posting is the only language you will be tested in. Technical interviews at the refineries (Cartagena, Bilbao, Puertollano, Tarragona, A Coruna) and at Sines in Portugal are hands-on and operationally specific; you will be asked about unit operations you claim on your CV, safety incidents you have investigated, turnaround plans you have led, and the trade-offs you made. For upstream roles, expect a deep dive into specific basins, fiscal regimes, and subsurface disciplines. Corporate interviews in Madrid are competency-driven and map onto Repsol's leadership model (vision, execution, collaboration, talent development, sustainability), and candidates should prepare STAR-format stories that touch each dimension. The single cultural theme that threads through every conversation is the energy transition: Repsol has publicly committed to net-zero by 2050 and to a multi-pillar strategy spanning renewables, biofuels, circular economy, hydrogen, and customer-centric mobility, while simultaneously defending a hydrocarbon business that still generates most of the cash. Interviewers will probe your personal position on that tension. Dismissing oil and gas will read as naive; dismissing the transition will read as disengaged. The candidates who succeed acknowledge both realities honestly and explain how their work contributes to managing the shift. Finally, Madrid HQ roles and operations-site roles carry different cultural textures: HQ feels like a European major (strategy, finance, investor relations, policy), while the plants feel like multi-generational industrial communities where family names recur across shifts and unions are an everyday interlocutor.

What Repsol Looks For

  • Deep technical or commercial expertise in an energy-adjacent discipline. Repsol hires specialists first and generalists second; a refining process engineer, a subsurface geophysicist, a trading analyst, or a PV project developer will beat a strong generalist for most requisitions.
  • Language flexibility, especially Spanish plus English at B2 or higher. Spanish opens the Madrid campus and Iberian industrial network; English opens international assignments, joint ventures, and the trading desks.
  • Genuine engagement with the energy transition. Repsol wants candidates who can articulate how the hydrocarbon business funds the transition and who see both sides as legitimate parts of the same strategy, rather than partisans of one and dismissers of the other.
  • International mobility. Upstream, LNG, and renewables career tracks assume you will spend time in Trinidad, Algeria, Peru, Brazil, the US Gulf, Indonesia, Vietnam, or the North Sea. Mobility is a screening filter, not an optional preference, for many technical roles.
  • Safety-first behaviors. Process Safety Management and personal safety (IOGP life-saving rules, LTIF and TRIR tracking) are non-negotiable. Any story that suggests you cut a safety corner to meet a schedule will end the interview.
  • Digital fluency. Repsol has invested heavily in data platforms, AI for subsurface and operations, and customer digital products (Waylet, Vivit). Candidates who can talk credibly about data engineering, MLOps, or digital product management have an edge even in non-tech functions.
  • Stakeholder and political awareness. Repsol operates in politically sensitive contexts (Argentina legacy, Venezuela, Libya, Algeria, Basque Country, Catalonia) and with powerful Spanish institutional investors. Sensitivity to regulators, unions, NGOs, and host governments is valued.
  • Long-term orientation. Repsol is a company that promotes from within, runs multi-year rotation programs, and expects new hires to invest in a career trajectory rather than a two-year ticket-punch. Candidates who telegraph short-term thinking lose to those who show the horizon.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the typical salary range for engineers at Repsol in Spain?
Entry-level engineers in Spain typically earn EUR 35,000 to 55,000 base, with junior roles at refineries sitting at the lower end and Madrid corporate engineering at the upper end. Mid-career engineers with five to ten years of experience land in the EUR 55,000 to 85,000 band, and senior engineers and technical specialists reach EUR 80,000 to 130,000 base plus a variable bonus of roughly 10 to 25 percent of base. Collective-bargaining seniority, shift premiums, and on-call allowances sit on top of these figures at industrial sites.
What is the difference between working at Madrid HQ and at a refinery or project site?
Madrid Campus feels like a European major: strategy, finance, trading, investor relations, digital, legal, and renewables development, with Spanish and English used interchangeably. Refineries (Cartagena, Bilbao, Puertollano, Tarragona, A Coruna) and Sines in Portugal feel like multi-generational industrial communities with strong union presence, shift-based schedules, and a heavier Spanish or Portuguese linguistic emphasis. Renewables and upstream project sites sit in between: technical, international, mobile, and often remote. Your day-to-day, dress code, commute, and peer group vary significantly by site.
Does Repsol offer international expat assignments, and how do they work?
Yes. Repsol runs a structured international mobility program tied mainly to upstream, LNG, trading, and select renewables development roles. Assignments typically run three to five years with a Spanish-style expat package (housing allowance, cost-of-living adjustment, schooling, annual home leave, tax equalization in most jurisdictions). Destinations cycle through Trinidad, Algeria, Peru, Brazil, the US (Houston), Indonesia, Vietnam, and the UK. Some entire career tracks assume at least one tour abroad; others (corporate, Iberian industrial, Waylet) are rotation-optional.
How seriously should I take the energy transition narrative in interviews?
Very seriously. Repsol has publicly committed to net-zero emissions by 2050, invests billions of euros in renewables, biofuels, and hydrogen, and publishes detailed transition metrics to capital markets. At the same time, oil and gas still generate most of the cash. Interviewers will test whether you can hold both truths at once. Candidates who frame hydrocarbons as indefensible or who dismiss renewables as greenwashing both lose; candidates who articulate a credible path from the current portfolio to a lower-carbon one win.
Why do offers get rejected, and who is competing for the same candidates?
Offers most often lose to Iberdrola and Acciona Energia for pure renewables profiles, to Cepsa and Moeve for downstream and petrochemical profiles, to Endesa and Naturgy for power and regulated-utility profiles, to EDP for Portuguese candidates, and to Shell, BP, Equinor, TotalEnergies, and the oilfield service majors for internationally mobile upstream talent. Money is not always the deciding factor; pure-play renewables employers often win on mission clarity, while the supermajors win on international scale and compensation. Repsol's counter is its integrated strategy, Iberian rootedness, and transition credibility.
What career paths exist if I want to work specifically on the energy transition rather than on oil and gas?
The Commercial and Renewables and Client business units house most of the transition-focused roles: utility-scale solar and wind development (Spain, US, Chile, Italy, Portugal), offshore wind consortia (including Windfloat Atlantic and subsequent floating projects), green hydrogen at the refineries, biofuels (including HVO at Cartagena), EV charging, and Waylet mobility. Repsol also runs circular-economy projects (advanced recycling of plastics) in the Industrial business unit. Candidates with renewables development, power trading, electrochemistry, or digital-product backgrounds have a clear home.
What languages do I need to work at Repsol?
Spanish at CEFR B2 or higher is a practical minimum for any role based in Madrid or at an Iberian industrial site, including most corporate functions. English at B2 or higher is required for any role touching upstream, LNG, international renewables, trading, or technology partnerships. Portuguese is a strong plus for Sines refinery and EDP-facing roles; Arabic, French, and Bahasa help for specific international postings; Norwegian helps for North Sea assignments. CVs should declare CEFR levels explicitly; vague phrases like 'conversational Spanish' will be tested and penalized.
How does Repsol's compensation structure compare to Spanish market norms?
Repsol sits near the top of the Spanish industrial market for technical and engineering roles, usually pacing with Iberdrola and above Cepsa and most Spanish corporates outside the banking sector. Base-salary progression is governed significantly by the Convenio Colectivo de Repsol, which prescribes seniority bands, shift premiums, and benefits; individual negotiation matters most at hiring and at promotion into management bands. Expect strong non-cash benefits: private health insurance, meal vouchers, flexible benefits via Ticket Restaurant or equivalent, generous parental leave beyond Spanish legal minimums, and retirement contributions through the employee pension plan.
How long does the hiring process take, and what should I expect week by week?
For standard Iberian roles, expect roughly six to twelve weeks from application to signed offer: one to three weeks for recruiter screen, two to four weeks for technical and panel interviews, one to two weeks for assessment and references, and one to two weeks for offer negotiation and paperwork. International, executive, and specialist roles can stretch to three to six months, especially when they involve work-visa sponsorship, medical screening for upstream sites, or joint-venture partner approvals. Workday will show status updates; recruiter radio silence beyond two weeks is common and does not necessarily mean rejection.
What is the single biggest mistake candidates make when applying to Repsol?
Treating Repsol as generic and applying with a generic CV. The company screens by specific business unit, specific site, and specific discipline, and a CV that does not clearly map onto one of those buckets rarely survives the recruiter screen. The second-most-common mistake is underestimating the language bar: candidates who claim Spanish fluency and cannot sustain a technical conversation in Spanish lose credibility for the rest of the process. Invest in a tailored CV, honest language declarations, and a clear narrative about why you want Repsol specifically rather than any other integrated major or Iberian utility.

Open Positions

Repsol currently has 4 open positions.

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Sources

  1. Repsol Careers Portal (Workday) —
  2. Repsol Corporate Website - About Us —
  3. Repsol 2024 Integrated Management Report —
  4. Repsol Strategic Plan and Transition Targets —
  5. Repsol Sustainability Reporting —
  6. Bolsa de Madrid - Repsol (REP) Listing —
  7. Reuters - Repsol and YPF Expropriation (2012) —
  8. Repsol - Josu Jon Imaz Leadership Profile —