How to hire a pilot plant technician

How to hire a pilot plant technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step pilot plant technician hiring guide:

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

What does a pilot plant technician do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a pilot plant technician, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A pilot plant technician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, pilot plant technicians 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of pilot plant technicians and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Pilot Plant Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Pilot Plant Technician	Biological technicians help biological and medical scientists conduct laboratory tests and experiments.	$20-33
   Pilot	A pilot is a professional who works in the aviation industry to operate aircraft and transport passengers and cargos from one location to another. Pilots can fly and navigate different types of aircrafts such as helicopters, large commercial aircraft, or cargo planes... Show more	$27-56
   Laboratory Internship	A laboratory intern is responsible for assisting laboratory operations and perform examinations and experiments under the supervision of tenured laboratory staff. Laboratory interns shadow all the laboratory processes, document their observations, and conduct an in-depth analysis of the results... Show more	$12-23

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Pilot Plant Equipment
   • Safety Procedures
   • GMP
   • R
   • Lab Equipment
   • Troubleshoot
   • Food Safety
   • Processing Equipment
   • Plant Operations
   • Production Equipment
   • Unit Operations
   • FDA
   • Control Systems
   • Extrusion

   Check all skills

   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.
   • Perform QC manufacturing final inspection.
   • Operate and troubleshoot experimental projects with little supervision.

   More pilot plant technician duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the pilot plant technician job description is a good way to get more applicants. A pilot plant technician salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a pilot plant technician in Nevada may be lower than in Connecticut, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level pilot plant technician. Additionally, a pilot plant technician with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average pilot plant technician salary

   $55,161yearly

   $26.52 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level pilot plant technician salary

   $43,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average pilot plant technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Connecticut	$67,193	$32
   2	Massachusetts	$67,114	$32
   3	New Hampshire	$66,445	$32
   4	New York	$64,880	$31
   5	Texas	$60,287	$29
   6	California	$60,186	$29
   7	Arkansas	$57,342	$28
   8	Illinois	$56,047	$27
   9	New Mexico	$56,045	$27
   10	Wyoming	$55,836	$27
   11	Florida	$55,543	$27
   12	Maryland	$54,280	$26
   13	Missouri	$52,924	$25
   14	Iowa	$52,227	$25
   15	Delaware	$51,901	$25
   16	Mississippi	$51,263	$25
   17	Louisiana	$51,016	$25
   18	Wisconsin	$50,170	$24
   19	South Carolina	$49,446	$24
   20	West Virginia	$48,615	$23

   Average pilot plant technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Koppers	$71,498	$34.37	5
   2	AbbVie	$65,862	$31.66	6
   3	OMNOVA Solutions	$65,815	$31.64
   4	Eli Lilly and Company	$65,511	$31.50	1
   5	Amgen	$62,566	$30.08	1
   6	Kodak	$62,401	$30.00	5
   7	The Dow Chemical Company	$62,159	$29.88	7
   8	Aequor Technologies	$61,057	$29.35
   9	Genentech	$60,824	$29.24	2
   10	E Ink	$60,152	$28.92	1
   11	FormFactor	$59,753	$28.73	3
   12	Corteva	$59,411	$28.56	1
   13	Nestlé	$57,799	$27.79	5
   14	UPS	$57,663	$27.72
   15	Daltile	$57,238	$27.52
   16	Interplastic	$56,821	$27.32
   17	Balchem	$56,046	$26.95
   18	National Renewable Energy Laboratory	$55,713	$26.79
   19	3M Company	$55,638	$26.75	11
   20	System One	$55,599	$26.73	3

4. Writing a pilot plant technician job description

   A pilot plant technician job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a pilot plant technician job description:

   Pilot plant technician job description example

   The Rigid Paper and Plastics Pilot plant continues to support a wide variety of consumer packaging innovation and sampling. This position will be critical to supporting these innovations and meeting customer demands. Successful candidate will need to provide innovative solutions through equipment operation, trouble shooting and critical thinking. Successful candidate must possess the ability to multitask and move quickly between changing priorities.
   
   Working safely will be the top priority as successful candidate will be required to perform many unique tasks. This is an excellent opportunity to be part of a dynamic team with high exposure within the consumer package environment.
   Required Skills (technical / soft)
   > Safely operate all Pilot Plant equipment and processes.
   > Ability to learn new equipment and processes.
   > Ability to analyze equipment and process and identify improvements and repairs as needed.
   > Ability to work closely with Development Engineers to develop new products and processes
   > Evaluate a variety of new raw materials and compounds
   > Develop procedures and test methods for characterizing materials
   > Maintain accurate records, interpret results, and make recommendations for technical solutions
   > Perform manual labor activities such as cleaning plant and equipment, operating forklifts and organizing warehouses.
   
   The selected individual must be a self-starter capable of excelling in a small team environment with minimum supervision. Other desired skills include:
   > Ability to provide innovative solutions to meet customer demands.
   > Motivated to contribute and thrive in a team environment
   > Desire to build positive and strong working relationships with all stakeholders including both internal and external customers.
   > Ability to take initiative and prioritize workflow to meet deadlines
   > Working knowledge of Microsoft Windows and Office software, SharePoint
   > Good oral and written communication skills.
   > Organizational and Project Management skills a plus.
   
   This is a non-exempt salary position. A high school diploma or equivalent is required in addition to a minimum of 5 years hands-on operating experience. Additional education or formal training is preferred.
   Periodic overtime and off shift work may be required due to customer demands.
   
   Years of Required Experience
   5 years hands on Equipment Operation, Trouble Shooting, and Maintenance.
   
   We are an equal opportunity employer, and we strictly prohibit and do not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any legally protected characteristic.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right pilot plant technician for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit pilot plant technicians, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   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 pilot plant technician

   Once you've found the pilot plant technician 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 important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new pilot plant technician. 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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