N.M. Stat. § 70-3-20
The commission shall appoint a professional engineer who shall have at least five years' actual experience in the design, construction, maintenance and operation of oil or gas pipeline facilities and who shall be designated "pipeline safety engineer." The commission shall retain such other personnel as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of the Pipeline Safety Act [70-3-11 to 70-3-20 NMSA 1978], and the commission shall, subject to state laws and regulations covering classification and compensation of state employees, be empowered and authorized to fix the compensation to be paid the pipeline safety engineer, and the compensation of other personnel employed under the authority of this section shall be subject to the state Personnel Act [Chapter 10, Article 9 NMSA 1978].
NMS § 70-3-20