HPCL Visakh Refinery Recruitment 2026 - 24 Turnaround Consultant Posts for Retired PSU Employees

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), Visakh Refinery has released a recruitment advertisement inviting applications from superannuated (retired) employees of Public Sector Oil & Gas Companies for engagement as Turnaround (TA) Consultants on a short-term contract basis for a period of three months. The engagement is being made in connection with the upcoming major Block Turnaround of HPCL Visakh Refinery scheduled for November-December 2026, which will cover nine critical process units. The advertisement was issued under the email communication address performancemanagement@hpcl.in, and the last date for receipt of applications is 12 September 2026.

About the Engagement

The Visakh Refinery is one of the flagship refineries of HPCL and is gearing up for a major Block Turnaround covering critical process units such as the Crude Distillation Unit / Vacuum Distillation Unit (CDU/VDU), Fluidised Catalytic Cracking Unit (FCCU/PFCCU), Diesel Hydro Desulphurisation (DHDT), Hydrogen Generation Unit (HGU), Sulphur Recovery Unit (SRU), Delayed Coker Unit (DCU), Naphtha Hydrotreater (NHT) and other associated units. A Block Turnaround of this scale involves large-scale maintenance activities that have to be executed within an optimum shutdown window. To support effective coordination, planning, technical supervision, contractor management and safe completion of turnaround jobs, HPCL intends to appoint retired PSU oil & gas professionals with hands-on refinery maintenance and operations experience as Turnaround Consultants for a 3-month period from October/November 2026.

Vacancy Details

A total of 24 vacancies have been notified across seven distinct consultant categories. The post-wise break-up is as follows:

The Grade 10F and 10G positions are intended for experienced refinery professionals who can provide technical leadership and mentoring for critical turnaround activities, particularly in Static Maintenance.

Eligibility Criteria

• The applicant must be a retired/superannuated employee of HPCL or any other Public Sector Oil & Gas Company (PSU) with relevant experience for the position being applied for.
• Age Limit: The applicant shall not be more than 64 years as on 31.07.2026. The engagement shall be for a period of 3 months subject to the applicant not attaining 65 years of age during the engagement period and subject to medical fitness.
• Minimum cooling period of 2 months is required between the date of retirement and the date of re-engagement.
• Experience: The applicant should have worked in the relevant department/division in Refinery Maintenance or Operations (as per the position applied for) and should have a minimum of 5 years of experience in the relevant discipline. Preference will be given to candidates having substantial hands-on experience in major Refinery Shutdowns/Turnarounds, including planning, execution, field coordination, contractor management and safe completion of turnaround jobs.
• Disciplinary record: The applicant shall have no major penalty awarded during the service period and no minor penalty awarded during the last 10 years of service period.
• Educational Qualifications: Candidates should possess a Diploma / B.E. / B.Tech or equivalent qualification in the relevant engineering discipline (Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation, Civil, Chemical) depending on the post applied for. Specific post-wise qualifications and experience requirements are detailed in Annexure-I of the official notification.

Post-wise Experience Requirements

• TA Consultant – Maintenance (Static): Worked in Maintenance Department – Static Division, handling static equipment such as heat exchangers, drums, vessels, columns, reactors, heaters, pipelines, valves, PSVs and associated piping systems in refinery process units.
• TA Consultant – Operations: Worked in Operations Department of a refinery, supporting turnaround preparation, shutdown, maintenance interface, commissioning/start-up and stabilisation of process units.
• TA Consultant – Maintenance (Instrumentation): Worked in Maintenance Department – Instrumentation, covering field instruments, control valves, analysers, DCS, PLC, SIS and associated automation systems.
• TA Consultant – Maintenance (Electrical): Worked in Maintenance Department – Electrical, handling refinery power distribution including HV/MV/LV switchgear, motors, transformers, VFDs, UPS/DC systems and substations.
• TA Consultant – Maintenance (Rotary): Worked in Maintenance Department – Rotary, covering pumps, compressors, turbines, fans, blowers and associated auxiliaries.
• TA Consultant – Maintenance (Civil): Worked in Maintenance Department – Civil, covering refinery structures, foundations, roads, buildings and associated facilities.

Compensation / Pay

The monthly fee payable to engaged consultants shall not exceed the last drawn salary (Basic + DA) after adjusting the notional monthly payment arising out of Annuity (without commutation), based on the option of “15 years certain & life thereafter”. In addition, reimbursement of conveyance expenses and monthly mobile expenses shall be provided in accordance with the Guidelines for Engaging Ex-Employees. No other allowances or benefits will be extended. TDS, as applicable, shall be deducted as per taxation rules.

Work Pattern

The selected consultants may be required to work in General Shift or Rotational Shift (8-hour or 12-hour) schedule as advised by the Turnaround In-Charge. The engagement is purely on contract basis with a specific termination clause and may be terminated prematurely by giving 30 days' notice from either side.

How to Apply

1. Download / take a print of the Application Format (Annexure-I) from the official HPCL notification PDF.
2. Fill the application neatly in typed format (handwritten applications will not be accepted) and mention the role being applied for in the relevant field.
3. Attach the following supporting documents (scanned PDF):
   • Copy of Service Certificate issued by the Employer (PSU) showing last drawn Basic Salary.
   • Copy of Aadhaar Card.
   • Work Experience Certificate issued by the Employer mentioning the job roles.
   • Self Declaration as per Annexure-III format (towards no major penalty during service and no minor penalty during the last 10 years) – for candidates other than HPCL ex-employees.
   • Copy of Annuity Certificate (SBFS / NPS).
4. Non-HPCL retired candidates will additionally be required to submit a Clearance Certificate (Annexure-IV) from their respective employer upon selection.
5. Send the application and all supporting documents as a single PDF file only to performancemanagement@hpcl.in on or before 12 September 2026.
6. The email subject must clearly mention: “Application for Turnaround Consultant at VR”.

Selection Process

• Selection will be based on Personal Interaction / Interview of shortlisted candidates by a Selection Committee.
• The interaction/interview will be conducted either in online (Zoom) mode or physical mode. The date, time and venue/link will be communicated through email to the shortlisted candidates.
• No TA/DA will be paid for appearing in the selection process, even if the interview is conducted physically.
• No reimbursement shall be provided for joining duty after selection.

Other Terms & Conditions

• The consultant appointment is in the form of a contract with a specific termination clause.
• No other facilities, benefits, allowances, compensation etc. will be permissible except those specifically mentioned in the contract.
• Ex-employees shall be required to abide by the Confidentiality Clause as applicable to regular employees of HPCL.
• In case of any ambiguity or dispute arising out of interpretation in versions other than English, the English version will prevail.

Key Dates

Official Notification & Apply Link

• Official Notification (PDF): Download HPCL VR TA Consultant 2026 Notification
• Apply via Email: performancemanagement@hpcl.in
• Email Subject: Application for Turnaround Consultant at VR
• HPCL Official Website: hindustanpetroleum.com

Note: This is a superannuated-employee-specific contract engagement open only to retired employees of HPCL / Public Sector Oil & Gas Companies. Applicants are advised to verify all details including eligibility, age, experience, compensation and selection process from the official HPCL notification PDF before applying.

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Why This Engagement Matters

The Block Turnaround of a refinery of the size of Visakh Refinery is one of the most complex and time-bound maintenance events in the hydrocarbon industry. Successful execution of a TA depends heavily on the experience and judgement of senior professionals who have been through multiple such cycles in the past. By engaging retired PSU oil and gas employees on a short-term contract basis, HPCL is leveraging the deep domain knowledge of seasoned refinery professionals to ensure that the critical-path activities of the upcoming Block Turnaround are planned, sequenced, executed and closed out safely, on schedule and within approved cost. For eligible retired professionals, this engagement also offers an opportunity to contribute to a high-stakes national-level refinery project, work alongside HPCL's in-house teams and earn a consolidated monthly fee benchmarked against their last drawn salary, while also retaining their retirement annuity benefits under the 15-years-certain and life-thereafter option. Interested retired PSU employees who satisfy the prescribed eligibility conditions are encouraged to submit their applications well in advance of the closing date of 12 September 2026 to avoid last-minute email-server issues. Applications received after the due date, handwritten applications, applications sent in formats other than a single PDF, or applications without the prescribed supporting documents will not be considered. For any clarification on the advertisement, candidates may write to performancemanagement@hpcl.in mentioning the subject line as specified in the notification.