Mid Level Test Pilot Jobs
Mid level test pilot jobs go to aviators ready to own test programs end to end, make go/no-go calls with limited oversight, and mentor junior crew through complex flight envelopes. These roles are predominantly on-site, concentrated in Chemicals & Materials, Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals, and Food & Beverage, with employers like LANXESS, Shield AI, and Sail Biomedicines hiring at this level now.
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INTRODUCTION
The Scientist I/Senior Engineer I, Pilot Lab lead will oversee a pilot laboratory responsible for producing engineered RNA (eRNA) and targeted lipid nanoparticles (tLNPs). A primary responsibility is the regular execution and delivery of gram-scale eRNA and/or tLNP manufacturing campaigns. This individual will manage direct reports while remaining actively involved in laboratory operations. They will create an organized, efficient, and scalable working environment; introduce and improve processes; and ensure that manufacturing activities are completed safely, consistently, on schedule, and with accurate documentation. The role requires independent judgment, strong scientific or engineering acumen, and effective cross-functional collaboration.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Key Responsibilities:
- Plan, execute, and deliver recurring gram-scale eRNA and tLNP manufacturing campaigns for large in vivo studies.
- Lead and participate in eRNA and/or tLNP manufacturing activities, including IVT, chromatography, T-mixer lipid formulation, conjugation or targeting operations, normal (NFF) and tangential flow filtration (TFF), and fill-finish, as applicable.
- Manage, coach, and develop a small team of scientists and/or engineers by setting priorities, assigning work, providing technical guidance, and supporting professional development.
- Oversee daily pilot laboratory operations, including production scheduling, capacity planning, equipment coordination, material readiness, inventory, and laboratory organization.
- Develop, implement, optimize, and transfer scalable eRNA and tLNP processes into routine pilot-laboratory manufacturing.
- Provide technical leadership for upstream and downstream eRNA production, including synthesis, purification, filtration, concentration, and buffer exchange.
- Troubleshoot complex process, equipment, and manufacturing issues using scientific or engineering principles and independent judgment.
- Identify bottlenecks and implement improvements that increase throughput, process robustness, consistency, and ease of execution.
- Author and review protocols, batch records, SOPs, technical reports, equipment procedures, and process-development documentation, ensuring records are accurate, complete, and traceable.
- Analyze process and analytical data, communicate recommendations, and collaborate with Process Development, Analytical Development, Research, Quality, Operations, Facilities, EHS, and in vivo study teams.
- Promote a culture of safety, accountability, collaboration, technical rigor, and attention to detail.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
Requirements for Either Level:
- Demonstrated experience leading, supervising, or developing technical personnel.
- Experience in biotechnology, pharmaceutical development, bioprocessing, or biologics manufacturing.
- Hands-on experience executing pilot-scale or gram-scale manufacturing processes.
- Experience developing, scaling, transferring, or routinely executing biological production processes.
- Experience with relevant unit operations such as TFF, chromatography, filtration, concentration, or buffer exchange.
- Strong technical writing, documentation, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
- Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities and deliver manufacturing campaigns on schedule.
QUALIFICATIONS
Scientist I
- PhD in a relevant scientific or engineering discipline; MS with at least 6 years of relevant industry experience; or BS with at least 8 years of relevant industry experience.
Senior Engineer I
- Master’s degree in engineering or a related discipline with at least 4 years of relevant industry experience; or BS in an engineering discipline with at least 6 years of relevant industry experience.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Direct experience producing LNPs or tLNPs at gram scale for in vivo studies.
- Experience with RNA or eRNA synthesis, purification, and drug-substance manufacturing.
- Hands-on experience with T-mixer formulation and TFF process development or execution.
- Experience operating in a pilot-scale, process-development, GLP, or GMP-adjacent environment.
- Experience introducing new equipment or processes into an active manufacturing laboratory.
COMPENSATION
- Salary Range: $100,000 - $150,000
Sail Biomedicines is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Sail does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.
INTRODUCTION
The Scientist I/Senior Engineer I, Pilot Lab lead will oversee a pilot laboratory responsible for producing engineered RNA (eRNA) and targeted lipid nanoparticles (tLNPs). A primary responsibility is the regular execution and delivery of gram-scale eRNA and/or tLNP manufacturing campaigns. This individual will manage direct reports while remaining actively involved in laboratory operations. They will create an organized, efficient, and scalable working environment; introduce and improve processes; and ensure that manufacturing activities are completed safely, consistently, on schedule, and with accurate documentation. The role requires independent judgment, strong scientific or engineering acumen, and effective cross-functional collaboration.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Key Responsibilities:
- Plan, execute, and deliver recurring gram-scale eRNA and tLNP manufacturing campaigns for large in vivo studies.
- Lead and participate in eRNA and/or tLNP manufacturing activities, including IVT, chromatography, T-mixer lipid formulation, conjugation or targeting operations, normal (NFF) and tangential flow filtration (TFF), and fill-finish, as applicable.
- Manage, coach, and develop a small team of scientists and/or engineers by setting priorities, assigning work, providing technical guidance, and supporting professional development.
- Oversee daily pilot laboratory operations, including production scheduling, capacity planning, equipment coordination, material readiness, inventory, and laboratory organization.
- Develop, implement, optimize, and transfer scalable eRNA and tLNP processes into routine pilot-laboratory manufacturing.
- Provide technical leadership for upstream and downstream eRNA production, including synthesis, purification, filtration, concentration, and buffer exchange.
- Troubleshoot complex process, equipment, and manufacturing issues using scientific or engineering principles and independent judgment.
- Identify bottlenecks and implement improvements that increase throughput, process robustness, consistency, and ease of execution.
- Author and review protocols, batch records, SOPs, technical reports, equipment procedures, and process-development documentation, ensuring records are accurate, complete, and traceable.
- Analyze process and analytical data, communicate recommendations, and collaborate with Process Development, Analytical Development, Research, Quality, Operations, Facilities, EHS, and in vivo study teams.
- Promote a culture of safety, accountability, collaboration, technical rigor, and attention to detail.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
Requirements for Either Level:
- Demonstrated experience leading, supervising, or developing technical personnel.
- Experience in biotechnology, pharmaceutical development, bioprocessing, or biologics manufacturing.
- Hands-on experience executing pilot-scale or gram-scale manufacturing processes.
- Experience developing, scaling, transferring, or routinely executing biological production processes.
- Experience with relevant unit operations such as TFF, chromatography, filtration, concentration, or buffer exchange.
- Strong technical writing, documentation, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
- Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities and deliver manufacturing campaigns on schedule.
QUALIFICATIONS
Scientist I
- PhD in a relevant scientific or engineering discipline; MS with at least 6 years of relevant industry experience; or BS with at least 8 years of relevant industry experience.
Senior Engineer I
- Master’s degree in engineering or a related discipline with at least 4 years of relevant industry experience; or BS in an engineering discipline with at least 6 years of relevant industry experience.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Direct experience producing LNPs or tLNPs at gram scale for in vivo studies.
- Experience with RNA or eRNA synthesis, purification, and drug-substance manufacturing.
- Hands-on experience with T-mixer formulation and TFF process development or execution.
- Experience operating in a pilot-scale, process-development, GLP, or GMP-adjacent environment.
- Experience introducing new equipment or processes into an active manufacturing laboratory.
COMPENSATION
- Salary Range: $100,000 - $150,000
Sail Biomedicines is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Sail does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.
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Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Chemicals & Materials
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
- Food & Beverage
- Science & Research
- Aerospace & Defense
Mid Level Test Pilot Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a mid level test pilot job?
Position your experience around ownership, not just participation. Highlight programs where you led test card execution, wrote or reviewed test plans, or made real-time safety calls in the air. Employers at this level want candidates who can operate with limited oversight, so lead with specific aircraft types, test phases you owned, and measurable outcomes like envelope expansion milestones or anomaly resolution you drove directly.
Which companies hire mid level test pilots?
Companies hiring mid level test pilots right now include LANXESS, Shield AI, and Sail Biomedicines, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Hiring at this level typically comes from defense contractors, aerospace OEMs, and government test agencies that need pilots capable of running programs independently rather than supporting senior leads.
Are there remote mid level test pilot jobs?
Yes, though most test pilot roles require on-site or flight-line presence by nature. About 0% of mid level test pilot openings are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, and those positions tend to involve mission planning, data analysis, or test engineering support rather than active flight test duties.
How do I move up to a mid level test pilot role?
Moving from entry level into mid level means accumulating logged hours in a focused flight test environment and building a record of increasing ownership. Seek out assignments where you can run your own test cards, contribute to test plans, and handle post-flight data write-ups without constant supervision. Formal test pilot school graduation, additional type ratings, and demonstrated safety decision-making are the clearest signals employers look for at this transition.
Which industries hire the most mid level test pilots?
Mid Level test pilot roles concentrate in Chemicals & Materials, Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals, and Food & Beverage, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Those sectors drive the most hiring because they run active flight test programs at scale, requiring pilots who can own phases of work independently rather than filling support slots under senior direction.