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Forestry Pilot Jobs in Raleigh, NC (NOW HIRING)

Forestry Pilot information

See Raleigh, NC salary details

$28.2K

$40.4K

$52K

How much do forestry pilot jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 5, 2026, the average yearly pay for forestry pilot in Raleigh, NC is $40,385.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $33,500.00 and $45,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a forestry pilot do?

A forestry pilot is a specialized aviator who operates aircraft in support of forestry operations such as aerial surveys, wildfire detection and suppression, mapping, and resource monitoring. They may fly small airplanes or helicopters over forests to help locate fires, drop water or fire retardant, and assist in reforestation efforts. Forestry pilots must have strong flying skills, knowledge of forestry management practices, and the ability to work in challenging and sometimes dangerous conditions. Their work is crucial for protecting forest resources and supporting environmental conservation.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a forestry pilot, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Forestry Pilot, you need a commercial pilot's license with specialized training in low-level flying, aerial navigation, and experience in forestry or wildfire operations. Familiarity with GPS navigation systems, aerial mapping tools, and radio communications equipment is essential. Strong situational awareness, decision-making under pressure, and effective teamwork are vital soft skills in this role. These capabilities are crucial for ensuring safety, accurate operations, and effective coordination during aerial forestry missions and emergency responses.

What are some common challenges faced by forestry pilots during aerial operations?

Forestry pilots often encounter challenges such as rapidly changing weather conditions, low-altitude flying, and navigating over rugged or densely forested terrain. These factors require strong situational awareness and quick decision-making to ensure safety and mission effectiveness. Additionally, working closely with ground crews and adapting to various aerial tasks, such as wildfire suppression or surveying, are integral to the role and demand excellent communication skills.

What is the difference between Forestry Pilot vs Forest Ranger?

AspectForestry PilotForest Ranger
CredentialsCommercial pilot license, forestry knowledgeHigh school diploma, conservation training
Work EnvironmentAircraft, remote forest areasGround patrols, parks, forests
Employer & IndustryForestry companies, aviation servicesGovernment agencies, conservation organizations

Forestry Pilots primarily operate aircraft to monitor forests, while Forest Rangers work on land management and conservation on the ground. Both roles support forestry but differ in work environment and required skills.

How much do forestry pilots make?

Forestry pilots typically earn between $40,000 and $80,000 annually, depending on experience, location, and employer. They often operate specialized aircraft for tasks like aerial firefighting and forest management, requiring certifications such as a commercial pilot license and knowledge of forestry operations.

What are popular job titles related to Forestry Pilot jobs in Raleigh, NC?

For Forestry Pilot jobs in Raleigh, NC, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What cities near Raleigh, NC are hiring for Forestry Pilot jobs?

Cities near Raleigh, NC with the most Forestry Pilot job openings:

Infographic showing various Forestry Pilot job openings in Raleigh, NC as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% As Needed, 87% Full Time, 9% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 91% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $40,385 per year, or $19.4 per hour.

Research Faculty - Center for Sleep & Circadian Rhythms - Wake Forest University School of Medicine

Advocate Aurora Health

Wake Forest, NC • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 14 days ago


Key responsibilities

  • Oversee the development of center grants, training grants, and clinical trials related to sleep and rhythms research.

  • Create a centralized resource of sleep and rhythms expertise and technologies for research and clinical use.

  • Recruit a team of experts and coordinate interdisciplinary research efforts within the Center for Sleep & Circadian Rhythms.


Advocate Aurora Health rating

7.6

Company rating: 7.6 out of 10

Based on 781 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

191st of 898 rated healthcare providers


Job description

Department:
36621 Wake Forest University Health Sciences - Nursing Psychiatric
Status:
Full time
Benefits Eligible:
Yes
Hours Per Week:
40
Schedule Details/Additional Information:
Monday to Friday, First Shift
Pay Range:
$0.00 - $0.00
Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist (AHWFB) are seeking research faculty to join their emerging Center for Sleep & Circadian Rhythms. This is a unique opportunity to join a thriving and rapidly growing medical school and academic health system in a beautiful, vibrant, diverse and affordable community.
The ideal candidate is a scientist or clinician-scientist at the level of Associate Professor or Professor (could be PhD, MD or MD/PhD) with expertise in epidemiology, behavioral sleep medicine, or clinical psychology. The faculty appointment would reside in an individual department based on the primary specialty of the candidate, with relevant joint appointments in related departments to foster interdisciplinary and translational research. If a team will accompany an applicant, departmental recruitments would be discussed with chairs to fund additional faculty.
Center Goals: A main goal of the Center is to develop a nationally-recognized center for sleep and rhythms research, capitalizing on the research strengths at Wake Forest and access to the large population served by the Advocate Health system, with its shared electronic medical record and single IRB. The short-term goals of the Center are to:
  • Recruit a team of experts with skills that are generalizable across multiple areas of sleep and rhythms research.

  • Create a centralized resource of sleep and rhythms expertise and technologies for use throughout the Enterprise (both research and clinical domains), and serve as a coordinating 'hub' for bringing together different investigators and organizational units involved in sleep- and rhythms-related research and clinical practice.

  • Oversee development of center grants, training grants, and clinical trials related to the study of sleep and rhythms and their disorders.

  • Pilot new ideas with input from community and organizational partners.

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's sleep center is accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. It has eight adult and two pediatric sleep beds. In Charlotte, Atrium Health offers the largest comprehensive sleep center in the Carolinas, with 14 sleep testing locations and 25 board certified sleep specialists seeing over 20,000 patient visits annually across the region.
Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist
Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Health (www.WakeHealth.edu) is a nationally recognized academic health system in Winston-Salem, NC, with an integrated enterprise serving 24 counties in NC and Virginia. It comprises a regional clinical system with more than 300 locations, 2,100 physicians and 1,535 acute care beds; Wake Forest School of Medicine; and Wake Forest Innovations, which promotes the commercialization of research discoveries.
This is a time of tremendous growth for Wake Forest. In 2020, Wake Forest Baptist Health and Atrium Health officially joined together as a single enterprise. As part of this new enterprise, Atrium Health announced $3.4 billion in planned investments in our health system and the communities we serve, including the construction of a second full campus of the School of Medicine in Charlotte. The growth of the medical school will expand existing academic research capabilities and opportunities for population health and clinical trials across a large, diverse market.
Advocate Health
Advocate Health is the fifth-largest nonprofit integrated health system in the United States - created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health in December 2022. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois, Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama, and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health serves nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs nearly 150,000 team members across 67 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation's largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides nearly $5 billion in annual community benefits.
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Located in Forsyth County (population ≈376,000) in the Piedmont Triad region of NC, Winston-Salem is the state's fifth largest city, featuring a moderate climate with all four seasons and housing costs ≈32% below the national average. Residents enjoy a vibrant restaurant scene, a wide variety of indoor and outdoor recreational opportunities, strong public/private schools, enthusiastic support for the arts, and close proximity to the Appalachian Mountains and Atlantic Coast beaches.
A comprehensive position description is available upon request.
Wake Forest School of Medicine, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and Advocate Health are Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employers with a strong commitment to achieving diversity among faculty and staff.
Interested candidates may contact:
Thavone Khounthikoumane
Talent Acquisition Program Manager
Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Thavone.Khounthikoumane@Advocatehealth.org
Our Commitment to You:
Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more - so you can live fully at and away from work, including:
Compensation
  • Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training
  • Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job
  • Incentive pay for select positions
  • Opportunity for annual increases based on performance

Benefits and more
  • Paid Time Off programs
  • Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability
  • Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses
  • Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave
  • Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs
  • Educational Assistance Program

Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview.
About Advocate Health
Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation's largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

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About Advocate Health

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Advocate Healthcare, based in Oak Lawn, Illinois, United States, is a leading figure in the health care industry. Accessible via their official website, 'advocatehealth.com', this organization provides a wide variety of medical services and treatment options. Founded in 1995 through a merger of Evangelical Health Systems Corporation and Lutheran General HealthSystem, Advocate Healthcare has grown exponentially over the years. Now, it operates more than 400 sites of care, including 12 hospitals that encompass 11 acute care hospitals, the state’s largest integrated children’s network, five Level I trauma centers, and three Level II trauma centers. Upholding their values of equality, compassion, excellence, partnership and stewardship, Advocate Healthcare's mission is centered on building lifelong relationships with patients by delivering the best health outcomes and highest level of service through an integrated approach to care and wellness.

Industry

Hospitals and health care and social assistance

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Charlotte, NC, US