How To Become A Pilot Plant Technician: What It Is and Career Path

What is a pilot plant technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Pilot plant technicians are responsible for conducting piloting trials in a food-grade pilot plant. They charge chemicals, possibly flammable or corrosive, start the equipment, and operate as per the test procedure with a good control system. They also participate in the development of work instructions and procedures that document the standard operating procedures for pilot testing and sampling.

Pilot plant technicians earn an average salary of $47,000 annually or $22 per hour. Their duties include setting up, operating, and maintaining pilot plant equipment. They provide support to conduct experimental runs or production while maintaining a safe working environment. They also prepare and operate experimental, prototype, or production equipment. Part of their duties also includes participating and occasionally serving as a team leader in various pilot plant teams.

Pilot plant technicians typically hold a bachelor's degree in chemistry, electrical engineering, or other related fields. They are expected to have some years of experience as a plant technician or in a similar role. Some employers prefer candidates with excellent technical, analytical, and communication skills.

ScorePilot Plant TechnicianUS Average

Salary

4.3

Avg. Salary $55,161

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.9

Growth rate 9%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 2.19%

Asian 12.73%

Black or African American 13.04%

Hispanic or Latino 13.60%

Unknown 5.88%

White 52.55%

Gender

female 10.97%

male 89.03%

Age - 37

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 37

Stress level

4.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.8

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

8.1

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a pilot plant technician

Explore pilot plant technician education requirements

Most common pilot plant technician degrees

Bachelor's

57.5 %

Associate

24.4 %

High School Diploma

9.6 %

Start to develop specific pilot plant technician skills

Skills	Percentages
Pilot Plant Equipment	10.11%
Safety Procedures	8.99%
GMP	7.89%
R	6.47%
Lab Equipment	5.88%

Complete relevant pilot plant technician training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New pilot plant technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a pilot plant technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real pilot plant technician resumes.

Research pilot plant technician duties and responsibilities

Assist in managing technical and regulatory site visits to the laboratory and interface with QA and RA on all vendor/regulatory audits.
Complete daily paperwork following FDA and HACCP guidelines
Assist engineers in testing and adjusting production requirements as needed to meet FDA specifications.
Perform high voltage cable installation, testing/replacing GFCI breakers, test/repair emergency lighting, test motors and troubleshoot HVAC units.

Prepare your pilot plant technician resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your pilot plant technician resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a pilot plant technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable pilot plant technician resume templates

Build a professional pilot plant technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your pilot plant technician resume.