How to hire an engine pilot

How to hire an engine pilot, step by step

Here's a step-by-step engine pilot hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an engine pilot job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new engine pilot
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the engine pilot you need to hire. Certain engine pilot roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An engine pilot's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, engine pilots from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of engine pilots.

   Type of Engine Pilot	Description	Hourly rate
   Engine Pilot	Airline and commercial pilots fly and navigate airplanes, helicopters, and other aircraft. Airline pilots fly for airlines that transport people and cargo on a fixed schedule... Show more	$38-62
   Flight Commander	A Flight Commander is the leader of a constituent portion of an aerial squadron in aerial operations, often into combat. The position is traditionally held by a captain, naval lieutenant, or air force flight lieutenant.	$23-48
   Flight Engineer	A Flight Engineer monitors and controls various aircraft systems, such as airplanes and helicopters. They ensure that all components of the plane are in proper working order, as well as diagnose and rectify problems that may arise.	$26-62

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Pilot Plant Operations
   • Sops

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead the chromatography team during an NPI campaign.
   • Serve as a professional pilot managing a flight crew and ensuring safe transportation of VIP's internationally.
   • Develop troubleshooting drawings for ROV systems.
   • Mitigate vulnerabilities on VMs reveal by ACAS scans.
   • Assist with all aspects of administration, logistics and equipment inventory, ensuring successful financial execution.
   • License in both single-engine and multi-engine airplanes.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your engine pilot job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An engine pilot salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, engine pilots' average salary in indiana is 40% less than in oregon.
   • Seniority. Entry-level engine pilots earn 38% less than senior-level engine pilots.
   • Certifications. An engine pilot with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an engine pilot's salary.

   Average engine pilot salary

   $102,428yearly

   $49.24 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level engine pilot salary

   $80,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

4. Writing an engine pilot job description

   A job description for an engine pilot role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an engine pilot job description:

   Engine pilot job description example

   The mission of Irvine Pilot Operations is to enable Edwards to achieve rapid product development cycles coupled with exceptional product reliability, efficient cost, and real-time product transfers through a strong partnership with the NPD teams and the global plant network. The Primary Objective for Advanced Catheter Pilot is to provide the MFG capabilities of Steerable Catheters in a highly capable and agile platform that provides service to our partners in early innovation, clinical EHU, and transfer to selected commercial sites.
   
   The Senior Manufacturing Engineer will support engineering and validation activities related to establishing equipment capabilities, equipment procurement, IQ/SWV, process development, initial stabilization of new and in-sourced steerable catheter shafts for early human use as well as support of transfer activities. Additional objectives may include setting and optimizing cleanroom configurations to improve quality and performance, tooling and fixture design, DFM, new equipment design and/or integration, and process capability with cost analysis of priority projects. This role will directly interact with the Advanced Catheter COE and other cross-functional engineering resources to support development and transfer of new processes and technologies to manufacturing.
   **Key Responsibilities:**
   
   + Develop complex experiments and tests (including writing and executing protocols) to qualify and validate manufacturing processes; analyze results, make recommendations, and develop reports.
   
   + Draft, approve, execute, and maintain relevant documentation such as SOPs, specifications, drawings, process sheets, FMEAs, and facilitate validation protocols as necessary to support implementation of equipment projects, as well as new process integrations.
   
   + Develop training and JDOC documentation materials (e.g., work instructions) for production to enable the seamless knowledge transfer of project and manufacturing processes.
   
   + Lead and establish project plans to ensure deliverables are completed to customer's expectations, using project management tools (e.g., Project Plan, Risk Analysis, etc.).
   
   + Identify and ensure implementation of opportunities to optimize/improve manufacturing processes including using engineering methods (e.g., SIX Sigma and LEAN methods), employing technical design skills to re-design/design and ensure equipment, tools and fixtures are up to standards.
   
   + Guide manufacturing support tasks; give instruction to technicians on conducting tests; train technicians and provide feedback; and coordinate technician work.
   
   + Analyze and resolve complex Manufacturing and Compliance issues (e.g., CAPA, non-conformances, audit observations) as applicable.
   
   + Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
   
   **Basic Qualifications:**
   
   + Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or Scientific field.
   
   + Minimum of 4 years' experience in manufacturing engineering.
   
   **Preferred Qualifications:**
   
   + Medical device manufacturing experience in steerable catheters, nitinol stents and/or braiding, catheters, delivery systems and/or interventional access devices is preferred.
   
   + Advanced degree or Six Sigma certification is preferred.
   
   + Familiarity with Design for Manufacturability and LEAN is preferred.
   
   + Proven expertise in usage of MS Office Suite including MS Project; MES and/or CAD experience preferred.
   
   + Strong verbal/written communication and interpersonal skills.
   
   + Strong project management skills.
   
   + Basic understanding of statistical techniques.
   
   + Previous experience in a manufacturing support role preferred.
   
   + Strong problem-solving, organizational, analytical and critical thinking skills.
   
   + Process Validation experience.
   
   + Capable of analyzing and solving complex problems through innovative thought and experience.
   
   + Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
   
   + Ability to work well independently as well as part of a team.
   
   + Good leadership skills and ability to influence change.
   
   + Ability to interact professionally with all organizational levels.
   
   Edwards is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer including protected Veterans and individuals with disabilities.
   
   Edwards is committed to complying with the requirements and guidance from our government authorities and to protecting our vulnerable patients and the healthcare providers who are treating them around the world. As such, all Healthcare Interacting positions require COVID-19 vaccination, which includes anyone who directly interfaces with patients and those who interact with healthcare providers as part of their role. If hired, as a condition of employment, you will be required to submit proof that you have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or have a valid religious or medical exemption from being vaccinated.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right engine pilot for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with engine pilots they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit engine pilots who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your engine pilot job on Zippia to find and recruit engine pilot candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit engine pilots, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new engine pilot

   Once you've found the engine pilot candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new engine pilot. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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